A racecard packs a lot into one line per horse. Once you know the codes, you can see a horse's recent runs, what weight it carries and its preferred conditions in a few seconds.
Form figures
The string of characters next to a horse's name is its recent form, oldest on the left and most recent on the right. Numbers are finishing positions, and letters show what happened when the horse didn't finish.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 to 9 | Finishing position |
| 0 | Finished outside the first nine |
| P | Pulled up |
| F | Fell |
| U | Unseated rider |
| B | Brought down by another horse |
| R | Refused to jump a fence or hurdle |
| - | A new season started |
| / | A gap of a season or more |
Letters after the name
- C: has won at this course before.
- D: has won over this distance before.
- CD: has won over this course and distance.
- BF: was a beaten favourite last time out.
Weight, ratings and the draw
- Weight is shown in stones and pounds, so 11-4 means 11st 4lb. In handicaps, better horses carry more.
- Jockey's claim: an apprentice or conditional jockey's allowance, such as 3lb, 5lb or 7lb, is taken off the weight the horse carries.
- Official rating (OR) is the handicapper's assessment of the horse's ability. Handicap weights are based on it.
- Draw is the starting stall on the Flat. At some courses a low or high draw is a clear advantage.
Headgear codes
Headgear helps some horses concentrate. A figure 1 after the code, such as b1, means the horse wears it for the first time.
| Code | Headgear |
|---|---|
| b | Blinkers |
| v | Visor |
| h | Hood |
| p | Cheekpieces |
| t | Tongue strap |
The going
The going describes the ground. On turf it ranges from heavy (the softest) through soft, good to soft, good and good to firm, to firm. All-weather tracks use terms such as standard, standard to slow and slow. Many horses run far better on one type of ground, so check the going before you bet.
FAQs
What does 0 mean in horse racing form?
A 0 in a horse's form means it finished outside the first nine in that race. It is not the same as not finishing: a horse that fell, pulled up or unseated its rider is shown with a letter such as F, P or U instead.
What does CD mean on a racecard?
CD means the horse has already won a race over the same course and distance as today. C on its own means a previous win at the course, and D a previous win over the distance at any course.
Which way do you read form figures?
Read form figures from left to right, oldest to newest: the figure on the far right is the horse's most recent run. A hyphen marks the start of a new season and a slash marks a longer break.