If you’re interested in betting on horse racing, then it’s essential to read the form of horses.
While there are many factors to consider when deciding which horse to bet on at Rabona, there is nothing more important than the current form of the horse.
After all, there’s nothing that gives bettors and indeed bookmakers more confidence than knowing an in-form horse is arriving at the racecourse.
However, evaluating the form of a horse isn’t as easy as it seems. There are many things to consider and in this article, we’ll go over them.
Horse Racing Form Explained
Form in horse racing means the past results of a particular horse. It is an indicator of how well that horse is faring in races, and can therefore be used as a metric to estimate whether or not it could win a race.
Form is a big statistical metric in all sports. However, unlike sports like football or hockey, where it’s about winning, drawing, or losing, in horse racing, form is about finishing positions.
Of course, if you’re seeking a winner then you’ll be on the lookout for plenty of 1s and 2s.
How to Read Horse Racing Form
So how to tell the current form of a horse? Let’s have a look.
The horse racing form is a list of numbers that signify which positions the horse has finished in its previous races.
The form reads left to right, with the oldest race on the left and the most recent on the right.
Let’s say that the Desaray Girl has a racing form of 55P6U1 from her last six outings. The numbers signify the finishing position of races Desaray Girl has completed.
Letters are also used in the horse form guide to signify outcomes. Here is what you need to know:
● P – The horse was pulled up by the jockey and didn’t complete the race.
● R – The horse refused to race.
● BD – The horse was brought down by another horse.
● U – The horse unseated its jockey.
● F – The horse fell during the race.
In this instance, Desaray Girl has pulled up and unseated her jockey in two of her six races this season.
That doesn’t look too good. However, she won her last race, so perhaps her form is about to pick up.
Why Should You Consider the Form of Horses?
Once you know how to examine the current form of horses, betting will become much easier for you at Rabona.
You’ll be able to quickly tell what the numbers mean and how to use them to your advantage.
This, together with the horse racing odds, could be enough for you to place a wager at Rabona.
Form is also a great indicator when deciding not to bet on a horse. Take Desaray Girl as our example again.
Here, the seven-year-old has struggled in her previous races and even upended her jockey at one stage. She then went on to win her last race.
So why is that? It might be that she was dropped into a lower standard of race and therefore had a greater chance of winning.
A punter would likely seek to understand this outcome before taking a risky bet.
You should also take into account the form when looking at horse racing from a purely sporting perspective, rather than racing.
Often jockeys and horses forge formidable partnerships that lead to glittering success. This is certainly the case with US thoroughbred racing, where jockeys can sometimes guide a horse through its entire career.
If a jockey/horse partnership is producing top form, then wagering on them again isn’t a bad idea at all.
What Else You Should Take Into Account When Betting at Rabona
As mentioned, horse racing form isn’t the sole metric punters use when betting on horse racing.
Here are some other things to take into account;
● Weight the horse is carrying.
● The going of the track.
● The relationship between horse and jockey.
● The jockey’s experience level.
● Previous results at this racecourse or track.
● The standard of the opposition.
