Whether you’re a seasoned punter or a? horse racing enthusiast, having access to reliable and up-to-date horse racing statistics is essential for making informed betting decisions.
I’ve put together a list of the best horse racing form sites for casual bettors, as well as a list of databases recommended for professional bettors. From free-to-access platforms to paid subscription services, these sites offer a wealth of information on racehorses, jockeys, trainers and tracks to help you make informed betting decisions and boost your chances of success.
So without further ado, let’s dive into the top horse racing form sites and professional databases to help you stay ahead of the game.
Article Contents
Best Horse Racing Form Sites
The following websites offer up-to-date form stats on racehorses, jockeys, trainers, and tracks. I recommend these for casual bettors.
1. The Racing Post
Launched on April 15, 1986, the Racing Post is a daily national print and digital publisher dedicated to the horseracing industry, greyhound racing and sports betting. Racing Post is the only National daily paper focused on horse racing and is one of the most popular,?free betting resources.
The Racing Post blends breaking news from the horse racing and betting industries with tipster content, race previews and reports, columns and features. In addition to daily editorial, the newspaper includes cards and horse racing form for each day’s racing, plus entries and results. The paper’s greyhound section previews upcoming racing in addition to offering cards, form and results, while the sports section offers tipping across an extensive range of sports worldwide, including football, rugby and golf.
The website has a tiered membership structure where most information can be gained for free but other premium and in depth information (like racing post ratings and top speed tips) is subscription only.
2. Timeform
Timeform Publications is a publishing company from?Halifax, West Yorkshire, England founded in 1948 to provide information to fans,?bettors, and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by the sports betting exchange Betfair in December 2006.
Founder, Phil Bull, once described the effect of the going as “the most important consideration of all” in horseracing analysis. It is fair to say that this perception has lessened at Timeform in the decades since Bull’s remarks. But, that the going is important — to some degree or other — remains undisputed. Nowadays Timeform aims?to be the?ultimate horse racing form guide, providing analysis, flags and ratings for?every runner in every race?in Britain and Ireland.
The company’s?association with Betfair means they’re in a very strong position to provide detailed sports data to customers. They offer a suite of form tools, enabling Backers and Layers to compare the runners in any given race quickly and effectively all in one place — as well as their analysis and packaged data.
Again, to fully benefit from the service you need to upgrade. Timeform “Race Passes” can be purchased here.?Subscribers?have access to additional features with?extra levels of insight, including complete performance histories, a form archive and unlimited use of the Horse Search facility.
3. At The Races
At The Races is a website that provides horse racing news, results, and live streaming of horse racing events from around the world. The website was launched in 2004 and has since become one of the most popular sources of horse racing information on the internet.
At The Races offers expert analysis and tips from industry professionals, as well as racecards with all the latest information about horses and jockeys, and results from all the major horse racing events. The website also provides betting odds and bookmaker offers, allowing users to place bets on the races they are watching.
In addition to the website, At The Races also operates a TV channel, which is available on satellite and cable platforms in the UK and Ireland. The TV channel broadcasts live horse racing from around the world, as well as expert analysis, interviews, and features.
Whether you are a seasoned bettor or a casual horse racing fan, the website provides all the information you need to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the world of horse racing.
4. Sporting Life
The Sporting Life website is a comprehensive sports news and betting platform that covers a wide range of sports, including horse racing, football, cricket, tennis, golf, and more. The website was first launched in 1998 and has since become one of the leading sources of sports news and analysis in the UK and beyond.
The horse racing section of the Sporting Life website features a racecard section that lists all of the upcoming horse races, including details of the horses, jockeys, trainers, and odds. The site also provides in-depth previews of major races, such as the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National.
Sporting Life also offers live streaming of horse races from various tracks around the UK and Ireland, as well as live commentary and analysis from experts in the sport.
In addition to horse racing news and analysis, Sporting Life also offers a range of betting tips and predictions for upcoming races. The site’s team of experts provide detailed analysis of the form and odds of the horses, helping users to make informed betting decisions.
5. Punter’s Lounge
Punter’s Lounge is a popular online community for sports bettors. The website was launched in 2004 and has since grown to become one of the largest and most active sports betting forums on the internet.
One of the main features of Punter’s Lounge is its forum, which allows members to discuss horse racing, share tips and strategies, and exchange information about upcoming races and betting opportunities. The forum is moderated to ensure that discussions remain civil and productive.
The website also offers a range of betting tools and resources, including a horse racing tips section that provides expert analysis and predictions for upcoming races. The site also features a horse racing results section, which provides up-to-date results for races across the UK and Ireland.
In addition to its horse racing features, Punter’s Lounge also covers other sports, including football, tennis, and golf.
Best Horse Racing Databases
The following websites provide detailed “raw” horse racing statistics. These give bettors a stronger chance of finding an edge than by simply referring to the form. I recommend these sites for experienced or professional bettors.
1. Betwise
Betwise is a data analysis and betting strategy platform that provides horse racing enthusiasts with detailed insights into race data, betting trends, and handicapping statistics. The platform is designed to help bettors make more informed decisions when placing bets on horse races.
Betwise offers a range of features and tools, including horse racing results and statistics, daily racecards, advanced form analysis, and betting tips. The platform also provides real-time odds and betting trends, as well as access to expert handicappers and tipsters.
One of the standout features of Betwise is its detailed form analysis, which takes into account a wide range of factors, such as a horse’s past performances, track conditions, jockey and trainer statistics, and more. This information can help bettors identify horses that are likely to perform well in upcoming races, and make more accurate predictions about the outcomes of those races.
Betwise also provides users with a range of betting tools and calculators, including a Dutching calculator, a Hedging calculator, and a Lay betting calculator. These tools can help bettors manage their risk and optimise their betting strategies.
2. Proform Racing
Proform Racing is a software and data analysis platform for horse racing enthusiasts, trainers, and professional bettors. The platform provides users with access to a wide range of detailed data, statistics, and analysis tools to help them make more informed betting decisions and improve their overall success rates.
One of the standout features of Proform Racing is its comprehensive database of horse racing results and form, which allows users to analyse and compare the performance of horses over time and across different racecourses and conditions. The platform also provides users with access to real-time odds and betting trends, as well as in-depth analysis of jockeys, trainers, and other key factors that can affect the outcome of a race.
In addition to its data and analysis tools, Proform Racing also offers a range of betting tools and calculators, including a Dutching calculator, a Lay betting calculator, and a Hedging calculator. These tools can help users manage their risk and optimize their betting strategies.
Proform Racing is also known for its advanced horse racing simulations, which use historical data and statistical models to simulate the outcomes of upcoming races. These simulations can help users identify potential winners and make more accurate predictions about the outcome of a race.
3. Horse Race Base
Horseracebase is a comprehensive data analysis platform for horse racing enthusiasts and professional bettors. The platform provides users with access to a wide range of historical data and statistical analysis tools to help them make more informed betting decisions and improve their overall success rates.
One of the standout features of Horseracebase is its extensive database of horse racing results and form, which includes detailed information on the performance of horses, jockeys, trainers, and racecourses over time. The platform also provides users with access to real-time odds and betting trends, as well as in-depth analysis of key factors that can affect the outcome of a race.
In addition to its data and analysis tools, Horseracebase also offers a range of betting calculators and tools, including a Dutching calculator, a Hedging calculator, and a Lay betting calculator. These tools can help users manage their risk and optimize their betting strategies.
One of the unique features of Horseracebase is its focus on statistical analysis and machine learning algorithms. The platform uses advanced statistical models and algorithms to analyse historical data and identify patterns and trends that can help users make more accurate predictions about the outcome of a race.
4. Betfair
Betfair is one of the world’s largest online betting exchanges, and as such, it has accumulated a wealth of historical data on horse racing events from around the world. This data includes information on the performance of horses, jockeys, and trainers, as well as racecourse conditions, weather conditions, and other key factors that can affect the outcome of a race.
The historical data at Betfair can be accessed through the platform’s API (Application Programming Interface), which allows developers and data analysts to access and analyse the data programmatically. This data can be used to build models and algorithms that can help users make more informed betting decisions and improve their overall success rates.
One of the unique features of Betfair’s historical data is its focus on exchange data. Because Betfair operates as a betting exchange rather than a traditional bookmaker, it allows users to both back and lay bets, creating a more dynamic market and more accurate odds. This exchange data can be used to identify betting trends and patterns that may not be visible in traditional bookmaker odds.
5. Adrian Massey
Adrian Massey is a well-known data analyst and horse racing enthusiast who has developed a unique and highly respected approach to analysing horse racing data. Massey’s approach is based on a proprietary algorithm that he developed over many years of research and experimentation.
Massey’s algorithm takes into account a wide range of factors that can affect the outcome of a horse race, including the performance of the horse in previous races, the form of the jockey and trainer, the conditions of the racecourse and weather, and the weight carried by the horse. The algorithm then assigns a score to each horse based on these factors, providing users with a ranking of the most likely winners of a given race.
Massey’s approach has been praised for its accuracy and reliability, and his algorithm is used by many professional bettors and horse racing enthusiasts around the world. Massey himself is also highly respected within the horse racing community, and he regularly shares his insights and analysis on his website and in various publications.
6. The Racing API
The Racing API is a comprehensive live horse racing data provider, offering a high-performance API that delivers racecards, results, and odds from a vast database. This service is designed for companies, developers, and tech-savvy sports bettors who require reliable and up-to-date horse racing data.
The API covers over 35 years of global horse racing data, updated every 10 minutes. It includes information from major racing regions such as the UK, Ireland, France, USA, Australia, Hong Kong, UAE, and South Africa. Users can access a wide range of features through various subscription plans, from basic daily racecards to advanced racecards, live results, historical data, and betting odds.
The Racing API supports multiple programming languages, making it versatile for different development environments and ideal for building models, applications, and web content integration.
Best Bookmakers For Horse Racing
Here are some recommended bookmakers where you can apply your strategies using horse racing statistics:
Why Statistics Are Vital For Horse Racing
Horse racing and statistics share a strong interdependence.
The sport heavily relies on betting to sustain its ecosystem, with a significant portion of its funding being derived from it. For racing enthusiasts, analysing form and seeking an advantage while spectating is an integral part of the sport. This symbiotic relationship between horse racing and statistics makes it a unique an exciting sport to watch and engage with.
Statistics are powerful for predicting horse races and identifying the top contenders. Compared to team-based sports, key statistics are more meaningful in horse racing. For instance, Football has many more variables to consider including managers, starting line-ups, injuries, player/team motivations, and the impact of the stadium crowd. Horse racing is less “muddled” by human factors and is easier to predict from a narrower set of variables.
So what statistics are commonly used in horse racing prediction? What historical factors can be used to predict how a horse will perform in the future?
Key Statistics
Horse racing bettors analyse a variety of statistics or “variables”? to help them make informed betting decisions. Here are some of the types of statistics that can be considered:
- Past Performance: Bettors often look at a horse’s past performance, which includes information such as the horse’s finishing position in previous races, speed figures, and jockey and trainer statistics.
- Track Bias: Bettors also look at track bias, which is the tendency of a particular racetrack to favour horses with certain running styles or post positions.
- Class of Race: The class of a race can be a key factor in determining a horse’s chances of winning. Bettors often consider the level of competition in a race, as well as the prize money and other factors.
- Odds and Betting Patterns: The odds and betting patterns for a particular race can also be analysed to determine where the money is going and which horses are being heavily backed by the betting public.
- Weather Conditions: Weather can have a significant impact on horse racing, so bettors often consider factors such as the track conditions and weather forecast when making their picks.
- Distance and Course: The distance and course of a race can also play a role in determining a horse’s chances of winning. Some horses are better suited to certain distances or types of tracks than others.
- Age: Younger horses may be more inexperienced and may not have fully developed their racing skills, while older horses may have more wear and tear on their bodies.
- Sex: Male and female horses may have different physical attributes and racing styles that could impact their performance in a given race.
- Weight: The weight that a horse carries in a race can also impact its performance, with heavier weights potentially slowing a horse down.
- Jockey and Trainer Statistics: Finally, bettors may also consider the track record of the jockey and trainer associated with a particular horse, as well as any recent trends or patterns in their performance.
Horse racing bettors analyse a variety of these factors, and assign varying levels of importance to them when making their betting selections. Some bettors may choose selection methods that are as basic as picking horses from a racing post, while others may analyse thousands of data items using tools like Excel or advanced data mining techniques. Ultimately, the selection method used depends on the individual bettor’s preferences and skill level.
Learn more about the factors that influence horse racing from my Horse Racing Betting Guide.
Limitations Of Analysing Horse Racing Form
Betting on horses can be a fun experience for many punters, and using form guides like the Racing Post or Timeform add to the excitement. However, if your ultimate goal is to earn a long-term profit, I don’t believe that relying solely on these popular data sources will give you the maximum chance of success.
To be a successful bettor, you need to uncover little-known information that others aren’t aware of. Just like in business, finding a niche gives you an edge over your competitors. The more research you put into your betting system, the higher the chances of finding a competitive advantage.
The issue with popular data sources like the Racing Post is that they offer the same information to everyone. It’s unrealistic to expect to find an edge when so many others are using the same data to inform their bets. Both recreational and professional punters analyse the same data sets, which means profitable opportunities are scarce and short-lived.
To increase your chances of success, you need to delve deeper. Don’t just rely on popular sources of form that everyone else is using. Look for unique angles and sources of information that others aren’t aware of. By doing so, you’ll increase your chances of finding profitable opportunities and achieving long-term success in horse racing betting.
Using Tipsters To Support Your Selections
If you don’t have the time, inclination, or data analysis skills to develop your own betting system using ‘raw’ horse racing data, then you may decide to invest in one or more specialist horse racing tipsters as a basis for your selections.
There’s some risks you need to be aware of in following tipsters — but there are many punters who’ll attest to the value provided by a small minority of legitimate services.
I maintain lists of the best horse racing tipster from every month:
- 10bet Review | A Reputable And Safe Bookmaker? [2024] - August 22, 2024
- 32Red Sport Review | The Casino Giant’s Sports Offering [2024] - August 20, 2024
- NetBet Review | A Reliable, Trustworthy Online Bookmaker? [2024] - August 19, 2024