Horse Form
Monday, May 13th, 2013
When we refer to the form of a horse, we’re talking about how a their key information is displayed in newspapers or race cards. Knowing the ins and outs of horse racing form can be the difference between guessing and professional betting.
If you want to step up from small change to big bucks, take a look at our definitive guide on all you need to know about horse racing form.
Understanding the Provided Information:
Different betting companies and newspapers will display form in different ways. However, you will almost always see the information categorised into lines and displayed something like this:
R21 – P03 / PandaSweeps / Lauren McCain / 3 / 11-0 / K Stack
R21 – P03 – This letter-number combination refers to the horse’s last six races. The dash between the figures separates this season from the last. The numbers usually indicate where within the first three or four the horse placed, while 0 indicates a failure to achieve this.
The letters are used to explain circumstances where the horse has failed to finish the race. P means the horse was pulled up and R indicates the horse’s refusal to race. In jumping races, you’ll see F used to show that a horse that has fallen, or U when it has unseated its rider.
PandaSweeps – This is the horse’s name.
Lauren McCain – This is the trainer’s name.
3 – This is the horse’s age. Flat race horses will be the youngest (2 to 5), while jumpers tend to be the oldest on the bill (5 to 12).
11-0 – This indicates how much weight a horse will carry during the race, displayed in the UK imperial weights format. A heavier load can indicate a stronger horse, but also remember that the more weight being carried, the slower it will be.
K Stack – This is the jockey’s name.
How to Use this Information:
The key to utilising form information is to know how to interpret what you’ve been given. In most cases, a simple Google search into the figures can yield results that make all the difference. For example:
Who’s who? Look into the history of the trainer and the jockey. Do they have a winning track record? Is the jockey an up-and-comer?
Are there any patterns? An inconsistent track record could indicate a horse doing better on particular ground. Perhaps the horse performs better on ground that is ‘good to firm’ or maybe it prefers ‘soft’. Either way, by researching prior racing conditions, you might spot which horse will excel on the day.
Another thing to look out for is the distance of each race. A horse’s form might suggest that they do better in sprints, or prefer going long distances. You can also factor in class to your predictions, as some horses perform better in handicaps.
Research, practice and building your betting experience are the key stages for effectively determining who will fly past that finish line.
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