Horse racing form explained: how to decode form figures

Which way do you read horse racing form figures?

Form figures run from oldest on the left to most recent on the right. The final figure is the horse's latest run.

This is the most common beginner's mistake, because we read words left to right and expect the newest information first. A form string of 1-0 means the horse won and then finished tenth or worse most recently, not the other way round. Most cards show the last six runs or so; the full record is on the horse's profile.

Form figures usually mix codes. A horse that ran on the Flat and over hurdles shows both in one string, and some cards separate them or mark the code. When the latest figure comes from a different type of race from today's, such as a Flat run before a hurdle race, give it less weight and look for the most recent run in today's code.

What do the numbers and the zero mean in form figures?

The numbers 1 to 9 are finishing positions. Because only one character is used per run, 0 stands for tenth place or worse.

A 0 does not mean the horse failed to finish; it finished, just outside the first nine. In a 20 runner handicap a 0 can hide a respectable run beaten a few lengths, while in a six runner race a 4 means last. Figures never tell you field size or distance beaten, which is why form figures are a summary, not the form itself.

Some cards add other characters or symbols of their own. Where a card uses something unusual, its key explains it, so check the key before reading anything into an unfamiliar mark. The core characters in the table on this page cover almost every British and Irish racecard.

What do the letters P, F, U, R, B, S and C mean in form?

Letters record runs where the horse did not finish: P pulled up, F fell, U unseated rider, R refused, B brought down, S slipped up and C carried out.

The letters are not equal. A fall or an unseat can happen to a horse travelling strongly, and a brought down means another horse caused the problem. A pulled up usually means the horse was struggling or something went wrong. Reading the race comment for that run is the only way to know which story applies.

A run of letters is a different matter from a single one. A horse with F, U and P in its last five runs has a jumping or attitude question to answer, whatever its ability, and many experienced readers treat that pattern as a warning until the horse completes cleanly again.

What do dashes, slashes and gaps mean in form figures?

A dash separates one season from the next. A slash marks a longer absence, often a full season or more off the track.

A slash is a flag to check fitness and whether anything has changed, such as a new trainer, a gelding operation or wind surgery. The live chart on this page shows win rates by days since last run: horses returning from long breaks win less often on average than those racing regularly, although some yards are well known for having them ready first time.

How do you decode the form string 3-P21/0F?

Reading left to right: third, then a new season with pulled up, second and a win, then a long absence, then tenth or worse and a fall on the latest run.

Put together, the story is a horse whose earliest season shown ended with a third, found its form the next with a second and a win, then missed a long spell. Since returning it has finished well beaten and then fallen. The questions for today are whether it has recovered its old level and whether the fall has affected its confidence, which the race comments will help answer.

What do form figures leave out?

Form figures omit distance beaten, class, going, course, trip and the quality of the opposition. Full form lines show those details behind each figure.

A win in a weak seller and a close fourth in a valuable handicap look like 1 and 4, yet the fourth may be the better run. That is why the next step after the figures is the full form: the result of each race, what the horse beat and how those horses have run since. FormLines+ in the member app tracks how beaten horses ran next.

Treat the figures as an index. They tell you which runs to look up first, usually the most recent and any standout placing, and which to question, such as a long run of zeros or letters. The worked example on the next page shows the full routine from figures to a one line summary for each runner.

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