Your Guide to Race Cards & Virtual Horse Racing

Horse racing is an ancient sport where knowledge of the first race seems to have been forgotten in prehistory. While the Olympic Games of Greece, which took place throughout 700-40 BCE, is commonly known to have had a four-hitch chariot and mounted races, people don’t consider that to be its origin. Regardless, the sport has changed with the inclusion of betting and horse racing in the 21st-century centres around gambling.

You will always find people ready to spend their money on horses, provided they know everything about the sport. And to gain such information, they require a race card. Essentially known as a guide, a race card contains all the information about the race, including who the favourite is to win the game. So let’s learn more about racecards and enter a detailed guide to understand why people use them for horse race betting. 

Introduction

Whoever introduced racecards has certainly made the process easier. You need not call up everyone on your contact list to try and gain information about a particular race. Instead, you need a race card, which is available online and also at events. One cursory look at the race card and a punter gets an idea of the event and where to place their money. It is more like a pamphlet of a product or an institution.

While we use pamphlets to know more about a product, punters use race cards to understand more about races, especially an upcoming one.

The Contents of a Race Card

While we can go on and on about how racecards contain all the information, it would not make sense until we disclose the information it holds. So without further ado, here’s a breakup of the contents in a race card.

• Race Number, Draw & Jockey Colours

The race number, draw and jockey colours are three of the most crucial things on a race card, and they are also the things that you notice first. Every horse will have a specific number, and if we are talking about an online race card, their order of listing will be according to their betting order, meaning the horse that is most favoured to win will go on top. So if there are eight horses taking part in the race, the one that is tipped to win will be no.1. 

Apart from the horse’s number, you will also notice a number in brackets, which refers to the starting stall of the horse. This number is known as a draw, and it is an essential factor in shorter races with a clear bias for faster grounds. And finally, representing these numbers and the owners will be coloured because every jockey will have a specific colour. So you can spot a particular jockey by identifying their colour and then looking into the numbers they represent. 

• Form

If you look at racing cards today, you will also find their recent form, indicated through numbers and many other terms. Understanding a horse’s form is crucial before placing bets as it gives you an idea of what you can expect from the race. While the form will be represented through numbers and might seem like a random collection of numbers, it will tell you about the horse’s recent performance. 

It needs to be read from left to right as the number on the furthest right represents the horse’s recent run by telling you the position in which it finished the race. The numbers between one and nine are used to indicate the position, and if the number 0 is attached to it, it implies that the horse finished outside the first 9. 

As a result, you need to be cautious of these horses and always be ready whether you are going offline mode or taking part through virtual racing cards. Apart from that, there are also specific letters that are used to tell you more about the horse’s form. For example, if you see ‘PU’ next to a horse, you need to understand that it means the horse was pulled out by the jockey. ‘R’ indicates the horse refused to participate and ‘BD’ means that the horse was brought down by another runner. 

While these letters are common, there are also others like ‘UR’, meaning that the horse unseated its jockey and ‘F’ indicates that the horse fell. 

• Names, Numbers & Abbreviations  

The easiest thing to spot on race cards or virtual race cards is the names of horses. But more importantly, are the numbers next to the names of these horses. These numbers in brackets indicate the number of days since the last race. So something like Lee (23) indicates that the name of the horse is Lee, and it has been 23 days since its last race. On the other hand, you might also find abbreviations next to the name and number, and they are listed below :

1. CD – implies that the horse has previously won over the course and distance.
2. BF – stands for beaten favourite, which means the horse was favoured to win in the previous game but failed to do so. 
3. C – implies that the horse has won on the course before.
4. D – implies that the horse won the same distance as the race before.

• Age, Weight & Jockey

A horse’s age and weight are other important factors that help to determine the outcome of the game. While horse racing has remained unpredictable for a long time, there are specific aspects that need consideration. The age of a racehorse will be between 2-5, although a few exceptions could come in between. The weight of a horse will be mentioned next to the age along with the jockey’s name. 

So looking for the horse with the correct form and a reputed jockey will be clear signs that take you towards the winner.

• Ratings

Ratings are an important factor as they take you close to the horse’s ability and speed. However, not all race cards or virtual horse racing cards will have ratings because horses need to participate in a sufficient number of races to get a rating. A numerical assessment has to be made, and only if they have the required data, a specific rating can be attached to the horse. 

• Runs, Wins and so on

Looking at virtual horse racing cards today may or may not give you information about runs, wins and other related aspects. The factors associated with bringing this information into effect will again be racing history and other details. So they need to be recorded and assessed, provided the horse has done it all.

Now that we have summed up the first part of our guide on racecards, let’s quickly go into the second part with virtual horse racing.

A Brief Take on Virtual Horse Racing 

While horse racing in its natural form has been the go-to route of racing for generations, there is a new format that people need to consider. This particular factor goes by the name virtual horse racing and thus will potentially involve racecards with virtual horse racing odds and whatnot. However, before heading in that direction, we need to first learn about virtual horse racing. 

Virtual horse racing is nothing but a real-life simulation of horse racing with digital racehorses and jockeys. Hence, it is different from the original, except that you can place bets on the same by looking at odds. To infuse realism, virtual horse racing also encompasses real-world racing formats since we get to view National Hunt races over a specific distance. 

Placing Bets on Virtual Horse Racing 

With horse racing ultimately coming down to betting, it is no doubt that virtual horse racing also follows the same line. Virtual horse racing, although far from UK horse racing cards, shares similarities in terms of odds. And the similarities end there. The odds are displayed, and looking at the same will help you get an idea on how to place bets and on whom to place bets. The process will end up being simple once you get the hang of it, and to do so, you will have to start somewhere. 

Notable Names in Virtual Horse Racing 

• Steepledowns Race cards

Today’s virtual racing is bound to involve a name like Steepledowns Racecards. From handicap chases to whatnot, the arena is filled with odds and settings that help you get close to the true definition of virtual horse racing. By exploring the same, you will not only be able to understand a notable aspect of virtual horse racing, but you will also come across the crucial elements that surround it.

• Portman Park Race cards

Scroll through today’s virtual racing cards and come across another notable name in the form of Portman Park Racecards. Taking on the aspect of handicap flats and showcasing odds, this race card has been and will continue to be a valuable aspect of virtual horse racing. While it all seems to be easy, it is important to keep an eye out for details before going ahead to look at the odds. 

• Sprint Valley Race cards

Another name taking shape for handicap races is SprintValley Racecards. Like the rest of the racecards, the SprintValley race card also helps players understand odds and get close to the virtual horse race betting experience. With the different features and elements that it promotes, it manages to take things further and bring about difference when it matters the most.