Racecard



A racecard is a printed card used in horse racing giving information about races, principally the horses running in each particular race. Racecards are often given in newspapers. Also known as a race book (form guide in Australia), which in this case is a small booklet issued for use at a race meeting.

A typical racecard lists information not only about the horse's name, but also its age and the weight it has to carry in the race. The rider and trainer are listed, plus figures indicating the horse's recent form.

Race
gd - good going
 * Race name
 * Time of race
 * Prize money
 * Distance
 * Going

g/f - good to firm

fm - firm

g/s - good to soft

sft - soft going

hvy - heavy going

ap - all weather - polytrack

af - all weather - fibresand


 * Status of race - the premier races are Class 1 (Flat racing) and Grade 1 (National Hunt racing)
 * Number of runners

Individual horses
Previous season's races are shown before a hyphen (-) BD - brought down
 * Position drawn in stalls
 * Number horse is wearing (saddle cloth number)
 * Form figures and previous races

CO - carried out DNF - did not finish F - fell HR - hit rails N/R - non-runner P or PU - pulled up RO - ran out R - refused RTR - refused to race SU - slipped up U or UR - unseated rider C = course winner D = distance winner BF = beaten favourite If the horse has recently run under a different code (either flat or jump) the days elapsed since that race are shown in brackets. B = blinkers 1st time b = blinkers, worn before
 * Horse name
 * Horse's age
 * Course/distance form
 * Weight
 * Days since last ran
 * Headgear

V = visor 1st time v = visor, worn before

H = hood 1st time h = hood, worn before

C = eye cover 1st time c = eye cover, worn before

E = eye hood 1st time e = eye hood, worn before

T = tongue strap 1st time t = tongue strap, worn before ex = penalty for recent win
 * Trainer
 * Jockey
 * Penalties & out of handicap

oh = out of the handicap
 * Jockey's colours
 * Owner