Course and distance winners: what CD means on a racecard

What do C, D and CD mean next to a horse's name?

C means the horse has won at this course before, D means it has won over this distance before, and CD means it has won at this course over this distance, which is the strongest of the three.

The marks appear beside the horse's name on most British and Irish racecards, often alongside BF, which means the horse was a beaten favourite last time. A horse can carry C and D separately without CD, meaning it has won at the course over a different trip and over the trip at a different course.

The marks are only a shorthand, so it is worth checking the horse's form to see where and when each win came, in what grade and on what ground, before relying on them.

How much is a previous course and distance win worth?

Public racing records and results from Britain and Ireland.

A CD winner has proved it handles the track and stays the trip, which removes two common reasons for defeat. That is why it wins more often than an average runner.

The chart below compares CD winners with course winners, distance winners and all runners for the Flat and jumps, updated every morning. The gap between CD winners and course or distance winners alone is usually small, which suggests that proving one of the two is most of the benefit.

Is a CD win at a sharp track worth more than one at a galloping track?

A course and distance win means most at unusual tracks, such as tight, undulating or cambered courses, where handling the track is a skill many horses lack, and least at fair, galloping courses.

At Chester, with its tight turns, or Epsom, with its gradients, some horses simply cannot act, so a previous win there removes a real doubt. On a wide, flat, galloping track almost any horse can handle the course, so a CD mark tells you mostly that the horse stays the trip.

The free course and distance winners page breaks down CD winners by course, showing where the mark has meant the most. Those course figures are a better guide than general reputation, because they measure what proven horses actually did at each track.

Does one course and distance win count as much as several?

Several course and distance wins show a horse genuinely suits the track, while a single win may owe something to a weak race, a good draw or the ground on the day.

A horse that has won at a course three times has repeated the feat under different conditions and against different opponents, which is strong evidence of a course preference. One win is useful but less conclusive, especially if it came a long time ago or in a lower grade.

The course specialists guide goes further, comparing a horse's record at one track with its record everywhere else. That comparison separates horses that simply won at a course once from those that run to a higher level there every time.

• How many CD wins, and how recent?
• Were they in a similar grade?
• On similar ground?
• From a similar draw on the Flat?

Is a course win on different going still relevant?

A course win on very different ground is less relevant, because the same track can ride completely differently on firm and heavy going, changing the test of speed and stamina.

A horse that won a sprint at a course on fast ground may struggle in the same race on heavy ground, where the emphasis shifts to stamina. The going of each previous course win is in the horse's form, and comparing it with today's going takes seconds.

Course form is one piece of evidence. Recent form, the handicap mark and the ground usually carry more weight, with the CD mark used to break a close decision. A CD winner out of form and high in the weights is not the same proposition as one in form and on a fair mark.

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