Cheekpieces in horse racing: what they are and what they change

What do cheekpieces look like on a racehorse?

Cheekpieces are two thick rolls of sheepskin attached along the cheek straps of the bridle, one each side of the face, sitting just behind the eyes so they partly screen the view behind.

From the stands they look like furry sideburns. Because they attach to the bridle rather than to a hood, they are quick to fit and easy to adjust, and the thickness of the sheepskin changes how much they block. A thin pair barely alters the horse's view, while a thick pair works almost like a mild visor.

Cheekpieces are used in both codes, and some trainers prefer them to blinkers because they leave more of the horse's view intact, including its view of the ground and obstacles ahead.

Why is the racecard code for cheekpieces a p?

Cheekpieces show as p on British and Irish racecards, and p1 the first time they are worn, which keeps them clear of the C used for a course winner.

Racecards pack a lot of information next to a horse's name, and each letter can only mean one thing. Cheekpieces take p, from the second half of the word, and other items use similar short codes, such as e/s for an eyeshield.

Combinations are common. A horse declared in cheekpieces and a tongue tie shows both letters, and the 1 attaches only to whichever item is new. Read all the letters and look for the 1 to see what has changed.

How do cheekpieces compare with blinkers and a visor?

Cheekpieces are the mildest vision aid: they partly screen the view behind, a visor blocks more with a slit in each cup, and blinkers block the most with full cups.

Trainers often work up the scale. A horse that is lazy or distracted may be tried in cheekpieces first, then a visor or blinkers if the milder aid does not help. Going the other way can help too, when a horse has become too keen in blinkers and a softer aid lets it settle.

Because cheekpieces are milder, the change can be subtler in the result, and some horses show no reaction at all. That is one reason the first-time figures for cheekpieces and blinkers are worth comparing side by side in the live table.

How have first-time cheekpieces performed?

Public racing records and results from Britain and Ireland.

One month is a small sample, which is why the ten-season rows in the table are the steadier guide.

The live first-time headgear page also splits the Flat, the current season and trainers, and lists today's first-time runners every morning, so the figures here move as new results come in after each racing day.

What happens when a trainer swaps cheekpieces for blinkers?

A swap from cheekpieces to blinkers is a step up in restriction, usually made because the milder aid has stopped working or was never enough to keep the horse concentrating.

The switch shows on the racecard as b1 with no p, so it is easy to spot. It is not a bad sign in itself: the trainer has identified a problem and is trying a stronger fix. What matters is whether the horse's recent form suggests it has ability it is not showing.

The opposite swap, from blinkers down to cheekpieces, often means a horse had become too keen or too wound up and needs something gentler. Both swaps show on the racecard, and the horse's previous runs in each type are the best guide to which suits it.

Do first-time cheekpieces work better on the Flat or over jumps?

The free first-time headgear page splits first-time cheekpieces into Flat and jumps tables, so the comparison can be made on live figures rather than reputation.

The two codes can be compared on the live page, but sample sizes differ between the Flat and jumps tables, so check the number of runs first.

Trainer habits matter here. Some yards fit cheekpieces routinely, which dilutes the signal, while for others a first-time p1 is a rare and deliberate change. The trainers table on the live page ranks yards by their record with first-time headgear.

• Check the sample size
• Look for the trainer's own record with p1
• Note whether the horse's recent form has tailed off

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