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Speed Maps |
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To help make the run-style and pace analysis easier, we provide
a Speed Map for each race. These are graphics that attempt to
forecast the running positions of each horse in the coming race,
usually about 300 metres to 400 metres after the start when
the field is approaching the first bend. They are prepared by
experienced racing men based on data such as the running styles,
the actual pace each horse has recorded in previous runs - as
shown in its early sectional times - and the barrier positions
for the coming race. Speed maps can be valuable aids for the
punter. At a glance, they can show:
- whether a horse is likely to be trapped wide on the turns,
meaning it will cover more distance than other horses;
- how the race is likely to be run. For example, whether there
are too many horses that like to lead, resulting in a damaging
pace battle, or whether there are too few pace horses to guarantee
a truly run race.
When horses in a race are closely matched in ability, the winner
often is the one that gets the best "trip". Speed maps
can help us identify these runners. They also can point to the
horses that will be best positioned to take advantage of any prevailing
track bias. It may be a bias in favour of on-pace horses, or one
that benefits those that finish fast from the rear of the field.
It may favour horses racing on or near the inside rail - or the
opposite, a bias that favours horses racing two or three horses
off the rail. But bear in mind that a Speed Map is just a guide
to what is likely to happen. No one knows when a trainer or jockey
will decide to try and force a horse to race in a different style,
possibly because of a bad barrier draw. |
 
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Body Weight |
Leading up to a race, the Jockey Club weighs each runner twice - once on the day the race card is declared, usually two days before the race, and again on race day an hour or so before the horse joins the pre-race paddock parade. The aim is to give us a guide as to whether the condition or fitness of the horse is the same as it was for previous runs, or is better or worse. Changes in bodyweight can be significant and suggestions on how to interpret any changes are included in SpeedPOWER's on-line User Guide.
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Run Date |
| The date of a horse's previous run. |
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Days |
| The top figure in this column is
the number of days since the horse last raced, and the other figures
are the days between its previous races. When the spacing between
runs shortens it often indicates the trainer believes the horse
is coming into top form. When there is an unusually long break
from the racetrack, it can mean the horse has had a problem. |
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CSE |
| No mystery here, this refers to
the courses on which the past performances were run. ST
means the Sha Tin turf track; HV is Happy Valley, and AW refers
to the Sha Tin All-weather track. The three courses are very different
from each other with characteristics that suit different horses.
It is worth noting when a horse shows a liking for one track and
not others, so that this can be taken into account when assessing
its recent past performances. For example, if you know a horse
does not go well at Happy Valley and its last few races have been
at that track, and it now is returning to Sha Tin, its a signal
that a better run can be expected. |
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DIST |
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The distance of a previous race. Most horses have favourite
distances at which they perform best and this can often be seen
by studying the Speed Figures it has recorded for each distance.
It pays to keep track of such likes and dislikes and take an
especially close look at a horse that is returning to its favourite
distance.
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GOING |
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These are abbreviations representing the Jockey Club's official
ratings for the speed of the track surface on the day of the
race. From fastest to slowest, the abbreviations and their full
descriptions are, Turf track: "F" for
Firm, "GF" for good to firm, "G" for "Good",
"GY" for "good to yielding", "Y"
for "yielding", YS" for "yielding to soft",
"S" for "soft" and "H" for "heavy".
All-weather track: "WF" for "wet
fast", "FT" for Fast, "GD" for "good",
"SL" for "slow", "WS" for "wet
slow". Two other ratings, "RA" for "rain
affected" and "NW" for "normal watering",
also may appear on old form but are no longer used.
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WGT |
| The handicap weight the horse will
carry today and those it carried for its previous starts. A sudden
increase in the handicap weight can mean the horse has recently
won a race and been raised in the ratings; or that the trainer
has dropped it down a class in the hope that the higher weight
it will carry will be offset by the fact it is racing against
weaker rivals. A sudden drop in its handicap weight can mean its
recent form has been poor, or that it has been struggling under
big weights in one class and has been entered in a higher class
in an effort to get weight off its back. |
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Jockey |
| This column shows the jockey for
the coming race (top line) and the jockeys who rode it at its
previous starts. Jockey changes sometimes are significant, sometimes
not, but they are always worth close consideration. With so many
top jockeys now not attached to any one stable, they are all chasing
rides on what they consider to be the best chances in a race.
So when someone with good judgement, such as Douglas Whyte, suddenly
jumps on a horse in place of an apprentice, it can be a signal
that our champion jockey has seen enough to believe the horse
is a top chance to win the coming race. |
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RP/FP/ST |
| Three numbers that, from left to
right, refer to the horse's running position after the field settles,
its finish position and the number of starters in the race. Read
the discussion on running positions in the User Guide. |
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Speed Figure |
| The Speed Figure is the heart of
the form guide. It is a single number which represents the worth
of the horse's past performance. It is calculated from the horse's
final time for the race after it has been adjusted for the daily
track variant and for checks and bumps and other trouble it struck
during the course of the race. For the busy punter with little
or no time for form study, much of what he needs to know about
each horse in a race is encapsulated within these simple numbers.
(For more details on Speed Figures, read The what, why and how
of Speed Figures) |
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Horse Sectional Times |
| These show the raw times recorded by the horse itself over three sections of its previous races. The first section (which varies in length according to the distance of the race) is measured from the start to the 800m point, the second section is from the 800m to the 400m, and the third is from the 400m to the Finish. None of these times have been adjusted for a daily track variant. |
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Odds |
| The horse's final betting odds at
its previous runs. Note that these are quoted differently to the
practice in many other racing countries. For example, in Hong
Kong tote-board terms, the figure "11" in the odds column
means the horse is paying $110 for the win on a $10 ticket, i.e.
a profit of $100 plus the $10 stake. Dramatic variations in a
horse's odds that are unexplainable are worth close examination.
For example, if a horse was well beaten at 30 to 1 at its previous
start in the same class and at the same distance as today's race,
and today the odds are only 16 to 1, you are entitled to wonder
whether bettors close to the stable have seen something to indicate
the horse has suddenly returned to form. |
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Comments |
These are comments by an experienced race video watcher on how the horse raced and the good or bad trip it had. These comments also can help to clarify our mental picture of a horse's racing style and characteristics. The following abbreviations are used to save space:
"2W3W" means there were two bends in the race and the horse had two horses between it and the inside rail as it went around the first bend, and was the fourth horse out on the second bend.
Pace Slow(+) - The horse was helped by the slow pace of the race.
Pace Slow(-) - Harmed by slow pace.
Pace Fast(+) - Helped by fast pace
Pace Fast(-) - Harmed by fast pace
Pace Too Slow(+) - Helped by pace that was consistently slow throughout.
Pace Too Slow(-) - Harmed by pace that was consistently slow throughout.
Rail Bias(+) - Helped by a bias favouring horses racing on the rail.
Rail Bias(-) - Harmed by a bias favouring horses racing on the rail.
Off Rail Bias(+) - Helped by a bias favouring horses racing off the rail.
Off Rail Bias(-) - Harmed by a bias favouring horses racing off the rail.
Pace Bias(+) - Harmed by a bias favouring horses racing on pace.
Pace Bias(-) - Harmed by a bias favouring horses racing on pace.
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Current Fitness |
| These are ratings of the horse's fitness, made by an experienced track work analyst. There are four ratings, expressed graphically by thumbs pointing either up or down. Three thumbs up means the horse is at peak fitness; two thumbs up means its fitness is good; one thumb up means its fitness is average; one thumb down means the horse is not ready. (Race-day fitness reports are given during pre-race broadcasts on television and on course.) |
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