Horse Racing Form

Horse racing form is essential for successful betting. British Racecourses emphasises that reading a race card is crucial for making informed betting decisions.

Horse racing form provides bettors with data about a horse’s recent performances, including race conditions, results, and distances. Interpreting this data allows for more accurate betting choices in UK horse racing.

With thousands of races taking place every year on Britain’s racecourses and Irish Racecourses, not even the most dedicated professional gambler can keep track of all the action. This is why horse racing form analysis is an essential part of finding the winners.

In our Horse Racing Form guide, we explain everything you need to know about the form book and hopefully help you pick some winners.

What is Form in Horse Racing Form?

Horse racing form is a record of a horse’s past races. The form shows key information like previous results, race types, distances, and conditions. Bettors use this information to evaluate a horse’s potential in upcoming races. British Racecourses provides expert guidance to help bettors understand each aspect of horse racing form.

Importance of Horse Racing Form

Horse racing form offers insights into a horse’s past performance and suitability for specific race conditions. Knowledge of a horse’s form gives bettors a clear advantage. Analysing form helps to identify patterns, assess a horse’s condition, and understand how it will perform in future races. Using horse racing form improves betting accuracy.

How to Read the Horse Racing Form

Reading the horse racing form on a race card involves interpreting the figures, letters, and symbols associated with a horse’s past performance. Horse racing form appears to the left of the horse’s name on the race card and is read from left to right. The most recent race result appears on the right-hand side, while earlier results appear to the left. The numbers represent finishing positions, and symbols provide additional context.

Horse Racing Form Figures Explained

• Numbers (0-9): Numbers in the form indicate the horse’s finishing position. A “1” means the horse finished first, while “0” indicates the horse finished outside the top nine.
• Bold Numbers: Bolded figures represent races on all-weather tracks (flat racing) or point-to-point courses (jump racing).
• Hyphen (-): The hyphen separates seasons. Results to the left of a hyphen belong to a previous season.
• Forward Slash (/): The forward slash indicates two seasons have passed. Results to the left are from two seasons ago.

Common Questions About Horse Racing Form Figures

• What does “1” mean in horse racing form figures?
  “1” means the horse finished first in a race. A recent “1” indicates a win in the most recent race.
• What does “0” mean in horse racing form figures?
  “0” means the horse finished outside the first nine positions. If a horse finishes within the top nine, the actual finishing number appears instead of “0”.
• What do bold numbers mean in horse racing form?
  Bold numbers denote races on specific tracks. In flat racing, it shows all-weather track races; in jump racing, it shows point-to-point course races.
• What does a hyphen (-) mean in horse racing form?
  A hyphen represents a new racing season. Figures to the left relate to the previous season.
• What does a forward slash (/) mean in horse racing form?
  A forward slash denotes that two seasons have passed. Results to the left are from two seasons ago.

Horse Racing Form Letters Explained

Letters in horse racing form provide reasons why a horse did not finish a race. These symbols offer critical insights into a horse’s reliability and handling under specific conditions.

• F (Fallen): “F” appears if a horse falls during a race. Common in jumps racing.
• P (Pulled Up): “P” appears if a horse is pulled up by the jockey due to injury or poor travel.
• U (Unseated Rider): “U” indicates the horse unseated its jockey. “UR” can also represent “unseating the rider.”
• B or BD (Brought Down): “B” or “BD” appears when a horse is brought down by another fallen horse.
• R (Refused): “R” appears when a horse refuses to jump a fence or hurdle.
• OR (Official Rating): “OR” indicates the horse’s official rating, updated weekly by the British Horseracing Authority.

Abbreviations in Race Cards

Abbreviations on race cards provide additional details about a horse’s past performance, race types, and more. Understanding these abbreviations can enhance betting strategies.

• C (Course Winner): “C” means the horse has previously won at the course.
• D (Distance Winner): “D” means the horse has previously won over the race distance.
• CD (Course and Distance Winner): “CD” indicates the horse has won both at the course and over the distance.
• BF (Beaten Favourite): “BF” appears when the horse was the favourite but did not win in its last race.
• TS (Top Speed): “TS” represents the top speed rating, as calculated by the Racing Post.
• W1 or W2 (Wind Surgery): “W1” indicates a first run since wind surgery; “W2” indicates a second run.
• B1 or B2 (Blinkers): “B1” indicates a first run in blinkers; “B2” indicates a second run in blinkers.
• NR (Non-Runner): “NR” shows that the horse is not participating in the race due to withdrawal.

Race Types and Conditions Abbreviations

• Am: Amateur race
• App: Apprentice race
• Auc: Auction race
• AW: All-weather race
• Ch: Chase race
• Cls: Class of race
• Cond: NH conditional race
• Div: Division of the race
• Gd: Grade 1, 2, or 3 (Jumps)
• Gp: Group 1, 2, or 3 (Flat)
• Hcap: Handicap
• Hur or H: Hurdle race
• List: Listed race
• Mdn: Maiden race
• NHF: National Hunt Flat race
• Nov: Novice race
• Sell: Selling race

Winning Distance Abbreviations

• dist: Distance (240 yards from the finish)
• f: Furlong
• hd: Head
• l: Length
• m: Mile
• nk: Neck
• nse: Nose (shortest margin)
• shd: Short head
• y: Yards

Racehorse Headgear Application Abbreviations

• h: Hood
• b: Blinkers (with “1” or “2” indicating first or second time)
• p: (Sheepskin) Cheekpieces
• t: Tongue-tie
• v: Visor
• e: Eye hood
• Ht: Hood and tongue-tie
• e/c: Eyecover
• e/s: Eyeshield

Racehorse Description Abbreviations

• b: Bay
• bl: Black
• br: Brown
• ch: Chestnut
• c: Colt
• f: Filly
• g: Gelding
• gr: Grey
• h: Horse
• m: Mare
• r: Rig
• ro: Roan
• wh: White

Racecourse Ground Conditions Abbreviations

• f or fm: Firm
• g or gd: Good
• hd: Hard
• hy or hvy: Heavy
• s or sft: Soft
• stand: Standard (All-Weather)
• yld: Yielding (Ireland)

Understanding these figures, symbols, and abbreviations allows bettors to read the horse racing form effectively. British Racecourses provides this knowledge to help bettors make informed decisions and improve their chances of finding winners.

What Are Important Factors to Consider Additionally To The Form Book?

Other important factors shrewd punters look for, which could seek improvements in horse racing form are:

• The going (ground conditions)
• Wearing a visor for the first time
• Wearing a hood for the 1st time
• Wearing tongue straps for the first time
• Wearing cheekpieces for the first time
• Previous course & distance winners
• Horse racing trainers in winning form
• Horse racing jockeys in winning form
• Horses who have travelled the longest

Professional gamblers are always trying to find an angle to get value on a price or look for opportunities that could seek improvement in a horse’s form.

FAQs on Horse Racing Form

Q: What is the most important part of the horse racing form?
A: While all parts are crucial, many punters believe that understanding the Finishing Position and Race Conditions can provide the most significant insights into a horse’s potential performance.

Q: How do I know if a horse is in good form?
A: A horse in good form often has consistent top-three finishes in recent races, a competitive speed rating, and positive comments in its form notes.

Q: Does the weight a horse carries affect its chances?
A: Yes, the weight carried can impact a horse’s performance, especially over longer distances. It’s important to consider this when analysing form.

Q: How often should I consult the horse racing form?
A: Regularly! Before placing any bet, it’s advisable to review the most recent form guide to make an informed decision.

Summary

When studying the form of betting on races you need to consider that horses are animals.

With perfect ground conditions, previous course and distance form and dropped in class then the horse can still not run to form.

We always recommend gambling responsibly and reading the horse racing form to try and find value in the betting odds market.

Related Horse Race Statistics Posts

Here are all the articles related to horse racing stats for the UK and Irish races.