BRC (British Racecourses) uses BRC Racecourse DNA to describe every British and Irish racecourse in the same structured way, so racegoers and punters can compare tracks and judge how a horse is likely to handle a course.
What is BRC Racecourse DNA?
BRC Racecourse DNA is a racecourse profiling framework created by British Racecourses that records the fixed and recurring characteristics of each British and Irish racecourse and rates how a horse’s running style suits that course.
What does BRC Racecourse DNA record?
BRC Racecourse DNA records eleven attributes for every racecourse, covering layout, surface, racing code, obstacles, draw, ground and pace.
| Attribute | What British Racecourses records |
|---|---|
| Direction | Left-handed, right-handed or straight only |
| Shape | Oval, triangular, figure of eight, straight, or another shape |
| Circuit length | The length of one full circuit, in furlongs or miles |
| Undulations | Flat, undulating or stiff, with notes on any significant rises and falls |
| Run-in length | The distance from the final bend, or the last obstacle in jump races, to the winning post |
| Surface | Turf or all-weather, and the all-weather surface type where relevant |
| Code | Flat, National Hunt or both |
| Fence or hurdle type | Standard fences, portable fences or hurdles, plus any course-specific features |
| Draw bias by distance | Whether low, middle or high draws have an advantage at each race distance |
| Going tendencies and drainage | How quickly the course drains and which going descriptions are most common through the season |
| Pace bias | Whether front-runners or hold-up horses are favoured, by distance where the data supports it |
Where does the data in BRC Racecourse DNA come from?
BRC Racecourse DNA combines course visits by Mark Dooley, official course data and historical results. Each attribute has a stated source.
- Course visits by Mark Dooley. Mark Dooley, Co-Founder, CEO and lead tipster of British Racecourses, has personally visited every racecourse in the UK and Ireland. His visits are the source for shape, undulations, run-in character and fence or hurdle notes. Guides are built from direct visits and re-inspections.
- Official course data. Direction, circuit length, surface, code and run-in length are checked against the racecourse’s own published data and the British Horseracing Authority or Horse Racing Ireland course information.
- Historical results. Draw bias, going tendencies and pace bias are calculated from past results at the course. A bias is only shown when there are enough races at that distance to support it. Where the sample is too small, British Racecourses shows “insufficient data” rather than a bias.
Draw, going and pace figures are updated regularly. A course is re-inspected when it changes its layout, drainage, running rail or surface.
How does British Racecourses use BRC Racecourse DNA in tips and previews?
British Racecourses uses BRC Racecourse DNA to compare a horse’s running style and past form with the characteristics of the course it is running at. A race preview or tip may note, for example, that a front-runner is drawn on the side British Racecourses has recorded as favoured at that distance, or that a horse with form only on flat tracks is running on a stiff, undulating course.
BRC Racecourse DNA describes courses. It does not predict results, and a good course fit does not make a horse more likely to win than the market suggests.
What does a BRC Racecourse DNA card look like?
A BRC Racecourse DNA card is the summary box that will appear near the top of every British Racecourses racecourse guide. It uses this layout:
BRC Racecourse DNA: course name
| Direction | Left-handed, right-handed or straight |
| Shape | Oval, triangular, figure of eight or straight |
| Circuit length | Length of one circuit |
| Undulations | Flat, undulating or stiff |
| Run-in | Run-in length |
| Surface | Turf or all-weather |
| Code | Flat, National Hunt or both |
| Obstacles | Fence or hurdle type |
| Draw bias | Bias by distance, or “insufficient data” |
| Going and drainage | Typical going and how the course drains |
| Pace bias | Front-runners, hold-up horses or none |
Suits: the running style the course suits
Last inspected by Mark Dooley: date of the most recent visit · How BRC Racecourse DNA works
Who maintains BRC Racecourse DNA?
Mark Dooley maintains BRC Racecourse DNA for British Racecourses. Changes to the framework are listed below.
Change log
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 10 November 2026 | BRC Racecourse DNA first published by British Racecourses |
Related: British Racecourses Methodology · UK racecourses A to Z · Irish racecourses
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