What Is a Racecard?
A racecard is the full information sheet for a race, listing every runner and all the data you need to make a selection. Whether you're at the track or betting online, the racecard is your starting point for race analysis.
Key Racecard Elements
Cloth Number & Draw
Each horse is assigned a cloth number (the number on its saddlecloth). In flat races, you'll also see the draw — the stall position the horse starts from. On some courses, a low or high draw gives a significant advantage depending on the distance and configuration of the track.
Horse Name & Silks
The horse's name is listed alongside the owner's colours (silks). Brackets after the name indicate the horse's country of origin if not GB or IRE.
Age, Weight & Headgear
- Age — Listed in years. Younger horses may still be improving; older horses have more form to analyse.
- Weight — In stones and pounds. In handicaps, better-rated horses carry more weight. Watch for horses carrying significantly less than their rivals.
- Headgear — Letters denoting equipment: b = blinkers, v = visor, t = tongue tie, h = hood, p = cheekpieces. A 1 after the letter means first-time — first-time headgear is often a positive sign.
Trainer & Jockey
The trainer and jockey are listed for each runner. Key things to look for:
- Trainer strike rate at the course — Some trainers target specific tracks and have much higher win rates there.
- Jockey bookings — A top jockey switching to ride a horse is often a strong signal. Our model scores jockey performance at each venue.
- Trainer-jockey combination — Certain partnerships have notably higher strike rates together.
Form Figures
The string of numbers and letters showing recent results. See our guide to reading form for a full explanation.
Official Rating (OR)
The BHA handicap rating. In handicaps, compare each horse's current rating to their highest recent rating — a horse running off a lower mark than its ability suggests may be "well handicapped."
Racing Post Rating (RPR) & Topspeed
Independent performance ratings. RPR measures overall ability, while Topspeed focuses on the raw speed figure achieved. Both are useful for comparing runners on objective terms.
Putting It All Together
The best punters use the racecard systematically — checking form, going preference, weight, draw and trainer/jockey stats before making a decision. Our algorithm does exactly this, scoring each factor to find the strongest contender in every race.