Racecard Abbreviations Explained – How to Read a Horse Racing Racecard

Last Updated on 29/03/2026 by Andy Clark

When reading a horse racing racecard – whether online, in a newspaper or on a bookmaker’s app – you will see a series of abbreviations and symbols next to each horse’s name. These carry important information about form, headgear, going preferences and race type. Miss them and you can miss vital information when making your selections.

Reading the form correctly is one of the most important skills in horse racing betting. This guide covers every racecard abbreviation you are likely to encounter, with an explanation of what each one means and – crucially – why it matters when picking your bets.

For a broader explanation of horse racing terminology, see our horse racing terms guide.

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Horse Abbreviations

These letters appear next to a horse’s name and describe its record at the current course and distance, or other relevant historical information.

Abbreviation	Meaning
C	Horse has previously won at this course
D	Horse has previously won over this distance
CD	Horse has previously won at this course and over this distance
BF	Horse was a beaten favourite in a previous race
OR	Official Rating – the BHA’s assessment of the horse’s ability

Why C and D matter: A course and distance winner is one of the most reliable positive signals on a racecard. Some horses are perfectly suited to specific tracks – a sharp, tight track suits a different type of runner to a wide, galloping circuit. If a horse has won at the same venue over the same trip before, it has already demonstrated it handles the conditions. CD next to a name always deserves attention, particularly in handicaps.

Why BF matters: A beaten favourite flag means the horse was sent off as the market leader in a previous race and was beaten. It is worth noting as context – it can indicate a horse that underperformed expectations. However, many horses win next time after being beaten favourite. It is not automatically negative, but it is worth checking why it was beaten.

Why OR matters: The Official Rating is the BHA’s handicap mark. A horse rated 130 is significantly superior to one rated 90. In handicap races, the OR determines how much weight each horse carries. The higher the rating, the more weight it carries to level the playing field. Tracking how a horse’s OR has changed over recent runs – going up after wins, coming down after poor runs – gives you a picture of whether it is well treated in the current race.

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Form Figures

The form figures are the sequence of numbers and letters shown before a horse’s name or in the dedicated form column on the racecard. They show the results of the horse’s most recent runs, with the most recent result shown first (on the left).

Position Numbers

Figure	Meaning
1-9	Finishing position in that race
0	Finished outside the top nine (10th or worse)

A horse showing 2111 finished 2nd most recently, then won three times before that. A horse showing 0000 has not finished in the top nine in any of its last four runs.

Season and Year Separators

Symbol	Meaning
–	Separates runs from different calendar years
/	Separates different racing seasons

Example: Form reading 21/30-1 means the horse won most recently, then finished 3rd and 0 in the previous season, then before the season break finished 2nd and 1st in the season before that.

These separators are important. A long gap between runs – particularly a / separator followed by no runs on the current side – can indicate a horse returning from a long absence. First-time-out horses after a break need careful assessment, particularly over jumps.

Incident and Non-Completion Figures

Figure	Meaning	What it tells you
P	Pulled up – did not complete	Horse stopped before finishing – check the reason
F	Fell	Horse came down at a fence or hurdle
BD	Brought down	Knocked over by another horse – not the horse’s fault
U	Unseated rider	Jockey dislodged – not a fall by the horse
R	Refused	Declined to jump a fence or hurdle
S	Slipped up	Lost footing on the flat or going into a bend
O	Ran out	Left the course or bypassed an obstacle

What these figures mean for betting:

A BD (brought down) or U (unseated rider) should not be held against a horse in your form assessment. These are incidents outside the horse’s control – another horse fell in its path or the jockey simply came off. Always look at what the horse was doing before the incident. A horse that was travelling well when brought down can be well worth backing next time.

A P (pulled up) requires investigation. Was it pulled up because it was tired and out of contention, or did it stop due to a physical problem? Horses pulled up for injury need time to recover. Check trainer comments and post-race reports before backing a horse on its first run back after being pulled up.

An R (refused) is the most concerning figure, particularly if it appears more than once. A horse that repeatedly declines to jump has lost its jumping confidence and needs careful handling. Some horses are schooled back to confidence, others never fully recover it.

An F (fell) is more neutral. Some horses fall and bounce straight back with no lasting effect. Others need time to regain confidence at fences. Watching a horse jump in its next few runs after a fall is always worthwhile.

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Going Abbreviations

The going describes the condition of the racecourse surface on raceday. It appears in the race conditions at the top of the racecard and also in a horse’s historical form to show what ground it has previously run on.

Turf Going

Abbreviation	Going
Hd	Hard
F or Fm	Firm
GF or G/F	Good to Firm
G or Gd	Good
GS or G/S	Good to Soft
S or Sft	Soft
Hy or Hvy	Heavy

Going runs from Hard (firmest – typically summer flat racing) through to Heavy (most testing – typically winter jump racing). The full spectrum from firm to heavy covers dramatically different racing conditions.

All-Weather Going

Abbreviation	Going
Std or Stand	Standard (the normal all-weather description, equivalent to Good on turf)
Std/Sl	Standard to Slow
Sl	Slow

All-weather surfaces – Polytrack, Tapeta, Fibresand – do not use the same going descriptions as turf. Standard is the typical all-weather description.

Why going matters for betting: Many horses have strong preferences for specific ground. A horse that has consistently won on Good to Firm but has never run on Soft is an unknown quantity when the ground comes up testing. Equally, some stayers relish heavy ground that would stop a quicker, more lightly-framed horse. Always cross-reference the current going against a horse’s form figures to check its record on similar ground.

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Horse’s Headgear

Headgear abbreviations tell you what equipment, if any, a horse was wearing on its head during previous races – and crucially, whether it is wearing something for the first time today. A first-time headgear fitting is always noted and can be significant.

Abbreviation	Headgear
b	Blinkers
p	Cheekpieces
v	Visor
h	Hood
e	Eye hood
e/c	Eyecover
e/s	Eyeshield
t	Tongue-tie
Ht	Hood and tongue-tie

A superscript 1 or the word “first time” next to a headgear abbreviation indicates the horse is wearing it for the first time in a race. First-time blinkers in particular are frequently associated with improved performance – trainers fit them to sharpen a horse’s focus, and the response on debut in blinkers is often positive.

Blinkers (b): Restrict peripheral vision to keep the horse focused forward. Often fitted to horses that have been looking around or not concentrating in races.

Cheekpieces (p): A milder version of blinkers. Felt strips fitted to the cheeks that partially restrict side vision. Many trainers use cheekpieces as a step before going to full blinkers.

Visor (v): Similar to blinkers but with a small hole in the side cups, allowing limited peripheral vision. Less restrictive than full blinkers.

Hood (h): Covers the horse’s ears and poll to reduce noise and distraction. Often used on nervous or excitable horses in the parade ring and at the start.

Tongue-tie (t): A strap that holds the tongue down to prevent it from obstructing the airway during a race. Used on horses with breathing issues. Not a visual signal but worth noting as it can improve performance in horses with the relevant problem.

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Type of Race

These abbreviations appear in the race title and conditions to describe what type of race is being run.

Abbreviation	Meaning
AW	All-Weather
Ch	Chase (fences)
Cls	Class
Div	Divisional (split race)
Gd	Grade 1, 2 or 3 (jump racing)
Gp	Group 1, 2 or 3 (flat racing)
Hcap	Handicap
H	Hurdle
List	Listed race
Mdn	Maiden
NHF	National Hunt Flat (bumper)
Nov	Novice

What race type tells you:

Gd/Gp (Graded/Group): The highest quality races. Grade 1 and Group 1 are the championship events. Form from these races – particularly recent form at Grade/Group 1 level – is the most valuable benchmark in the sport.

List (Listed): One step below Group races on the flat and Graded races over jumps. Still high-quality events with significant prize money.

Hcap (Handicap): All runners carry different weights allocated by the BHA based on their OR. Handicaps are the most common type of race in Britain and the hardest to assess – the weight system is designed to give every horse an equal chance in theory.

Mdn (Maiden): Restricted to horses that have never won a race. Maiden form is harder to assess because many runners are unexposed – their true ability is unknown. A horse that has run once in a maiden and finished close to a subsequent winner has strong form.

NHF (National Hunt Flat): Also called a bumper. A flat race run under National Hunt rules for horses being introduced to racing before going over jumps. Bumper form is often a strong guide to a horse’s future jumping potential.

Nov (Novice): Restricted to horses that have not won in that discipline before the current season. A novice hurdler is making its way in hurdle racing; a novice chaser is new to fences. Novice form should be assessed against other novices rather than open company.

Div (Divisional): A large field has been split into two divisions. The race is run twice with different runners in each. Results from both divisions count as form and the time comparison between the two is often informative.

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Quick Reference – Form Figures at a Glance

Figure	Meaning
1-9	Finishing position
0	Outside top 9
–	Year break
/	Season break
P	Pulled up
F	Fell
BD	Brought down
U	Unseated rider
R	Refused
S	Slipped up
O	Ran out

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Quick Reference – Headgear at a Glance

Abbreviation	Headgear
b	Blinkers
p	Cheekpieces
v	Visor
h	Hood
t	Tongue-tie
e	Eye hood
e/c	Eyecover
e/s	Eyeshield
Ht	Hood and tongue-tie

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FAQs

What does CD mean on a racecard?

CD means the horse has previously won at the same course and over the same distance as today’s race. It is one of the most reliable positive signals on a racecard – the horse has already proven it handles the specific conditions.

What does BF mean on a racecard?

BF means beaten favourite – the horse was sent off at the shortest price in a previous race and was beaten. It is worth noting as context but is not automatically a negative. Many horses win next time after being beaten favourite.

What does P mean in horse racing form?

P means the horse was pulled up during a race and did not complete the course. Always check the reason – a horse pulled up through tiredness is different to one pulled up with a physical problem.

What does BD mean in horse racing form?

BD means the horse was brought down – knocked over by another horse rather than falling of its own accord. This should not be held against the horse in form assessment as it was an incident outside its control.

What does NHF mean on a racecard?

NHF stands for National Hunt Flat race, also known as a bumper. It is a flat race under National Hunt rules for horses being introduced to racing before starting their jumping careers.

What is OR on a racecard?

OR is the Official Rating – the BHA’s numerical assessment of the horse’s ability. A higher number means a better-rated horse. It is used to allocate weights in handicap races.

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More Horse Racing Guides

• Horse Racing Terms Explained
• NAP of the Day
• Lucky 15 Tips
• ITV Racing Tips
• Cheltenham Festival Tips
• Horse Racing Free Bet Offers
• Non-Runner No Bet Guide
• Free Bets and Sign-Up Offers

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