18+ · Please gamble responsibly · BeGambleAware.org
OVER[THE]LAST

Guide · Beginners

How to Read a Racecard

All those numbers and letters next to a horse's name actually tell a story. This guide decodes the racecard so you can read it like a pro.

By OverTheLast · Updated 2026-06-06

A racecard looks like a wall of numbers and letters the first time you see one. But every one of those symbols is information, and once you can read them you will understand far more about a race before it runs. Here is how to decode it, piece by piece.

The form figures

The string of characters before a horse's name is its recent form, its finishing positions in past races, with the most recent run on the right.

  • 1 to 9: the position it finished.
  • 0: finished outside the top nine.
  • -: separates racing seasons (so 12-3 means last season ended 1st then 2nd, this season it is 3rd).
  • /: a longer break, often a full season missed.

Letters mark races it did not complete:

Symbol Meaning
P or PU Pulled up
F Fell
U or UR Unseated rider
R Refused
BD Brought down
RO Ran out

So form reading 2F1-31 tells a story: last season a second, a fall, then a win; this season a third, then a win last time. A horse "in form" shows recent low numbers.

Weights

Every horse carries a weight, shown in stones and pounds (for example 11-7 means 11 stone 7lb). In a handicap the weight is set by the handicapper to give every runner a theoretically equal chance, better horses carry more. A few pounds matters, especially over longer trips.

The draw

On the flat, the number in brackets after the horse is the draw, the starting stall it breaks from. On many tracks the draw matters: depending on the bend, the trip and where the rail is, a high or low draw can be a real edge. Jumps races have no draw.

Official rating (OR) and other ratings

  • OR (Official Rating): the handicapper's mark of ability, in pounds, higher is better. It determines the weight in handicaps.
  • You may also see RPR (Racing Post Rating) or TS (Topspeed), private ratings that assess form and speed.

A horse running off a lower mark than its best form suggests is one the market often likes, it may be "well handicapped".

Headgear and aids

Small letters after the name usually flag headgear, often used to help a horse focus:

  • b blinkers, v visor, h hood, p cheekpieces, e/s eye shield/cover, t tongue tie.

A 1 beside the headgear letter means it is worn for the first time, a detail shrewd punters watch closely. A separate small superscript number can show the days since the horse last ran.

Age, sex and breeding

The card shows the horse's age and often its sex (c colt, f filly, g gelding, m mare, h horse). Pedigree (sire and dam) is listed too, useful for judging stamina and how a young horse might handle the ground or the trip.

Jockey and trainer

The jockey and trainer are named, sometimes with a weight allowance for an apprentice/conditional rider (shown as a small number, the pounds they can claim). Strong trainer form and a top jockey booking are both meaningful signals, particularly when a yard sends a runner a long way to a meeting.

Putting it together

Read a racecard line and you can answer the questions that matter: Is the horse in form? Is it well treated by the handicapper? Does the trip, ground and draw suit? Is there a headgear change or a strong jockey booking? None of it guarantees a winner, but it turns a list of names into a race you can actually analyse.

For the language of racing, keep our racing terms glossary handy, and learn how ground conditions change everything in our guide to the going.

Betting should be fun, never a way to make money. 18+. Please gamble responsibly, BeGambleAware.org.

Frequently asked questions

What do the form figures mean on a racecard?
The figures before a horse's name are its recent finishing positions, most recent on the right. Numbers 1 to 9 are finishing places, 0 means it finished outside the top nine. A hyphen separates seasons and a slash separates longer gaps. Letters like P (pulled up), F (fell), U (unseated) and R (refused) show non-completions.
What does the draw number mean in horse racing?
The draw is the starting stall a horse races from, shown in brackets on the flat. On some courses and over certain distances a high or low draw is an advantage, depending on the track's shape and where the rail is.
What is the official rating (OR) on a racecard?
The official rating is a mark, in pounds, given by the handicapper to reflect a horse's ability. Higher is better. In a handicap the rating sets the weight a horse carries, so the better the horse, the more weight it shoulders.
What do the letters after a horse's name mean?
They usually indicate headgear or aids: b for blinkers, v for visor, h for hood, p for cheekpieces and t for tongue tie. A small number can show the days since the horse last ran. These hint at how the trainer is trying to help the horse perform.