How to Read Your Racecard

Our easy guide to getting the most from your racecard. Our new racecard key identifies the main runner and rider elements: coloursno horse

5 KELTIC RHYTHM (IRE) (19) 2253P5 age st-lb

7 11-0

B g Milan - Ballinaroone Girl (IRE) Trevor Whelan (3) Stephen Lower Insurance Services Ltd Neil King, Newmarket

Michael Fennessy

TIMEFORMVIEW Runner-upall4startsinIrishpointsandintheframemoreoftenthatnotunderRules Runpoorlylast2starts,however,andsomething to prove now going chasing.

Racecard Key

1. Saddle Cloth Number

2. Horse Name

3. Country Code

4. Days since last run

Star Ratings Explained:

5. Form Figures

6.Age

7.Weight in St & Lb

8. Jockey Colour

Each horse has been given a star rating, these are defined below:

★★★★★ Selected to win the race.

★★★★✩ Good chance of being placed.

9. Form Guide

10 Star Rating

11. Official BHA Rating

★★★✩✩ By no means out of the reckoning but at least one or two hold stronger claims ★★✩✩✩ Unlikely to win but not totally without hope

Can be given little or no chance

Official BHA Ratings

The BHA Handicappers allot ratings to horses once they have taken part in a sufficient number of races to enable the Handicappers to make a numerical assessment of each horse’s ability. The principal purpose of the ratings is to determine the weight to be carried by each runner in handicap races, with the Handicappers aiming to provide each participant with an equal chance based on its best recent form under its optimum conditions A horse rated 100, for example, would be set to carry 1lb more than a horse rated 99 (ignoring any penalties or allowances). The ratings published in the racecard for handicap races are the ratings that were used to calculate the weight to be carried by each horse, whilst in non-handicaps races the rating shown is that of each runner at the time that the entries for the race were confirmed. Any subsequently published change to a rating, either up or down, is shown in brackets following the rating.

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Look out for the charity Racing to School today; you shouldn’t miss them as they will be leading a group of local pupils and their teachers through every corner of the racecourse for an action-packed day of fun challenges and discovery. The charity works nationwide with over 250 schools, and this year will reach around 16,000 young people – at UK racecourses, trainers’yards and studs.

They deliver free, outdoor activity days to support the learning and to boost the self-confidence of children aged nine and above. Racing to School uses racing venues as unique, fast-moving classrooms full of opportunities to practise and improve subjects like maths, literacy and problem-solving.

The charity is only able to support young people’s education through the kind donations it receives. Please scan this QR code to donate, if you can.

Proud to support the industry through our sponsorship of over 100 races in 2023.