Horse Racing Ground Conditions & Track Types: Full Guide

Horse racing can be a complex sport, especially for newcomers. One of the most crucial elements in horse racing is understanding the ground conditions (often referred to as “the going”) and the type of track the horses run on. These factors can significantly impact race outcomes and betting strategies.

By the end of this guide, you’ll learn:

1. All the major ground types.
2. Common track types.
3. How ground conditions are determined (firm, soft, heavy, yielding etc).
4. Why these factors matter for horse racing and betting.

Horse Racing Ground Conditions Explained:

Ground conditions, or the “going,” describe the firmness or softness of the racetrack surface. The harder the ground, the faster the horses can run. Conversely, softer ground slows down horses and tests their stamina.

Here are the official ground types used in British turf courses:

• Firm (Fm): The hardest ground type, usually seen in summer when there is little to no rain.
• Good to Firm (GF): Slightly softer than Firm, thanks to light rain or watering.
• Good (Gd): Considered the most balanced and fair ground condition, suitable for most horses.
• Good to Soft (GS): Softer ground with more moisture, common in early spring or late autumn.
• Soft (Sft): Wet ground that significantly slows horses, requiring stamina.
• Heavy (Hy): The wettest, toughest ground where only the most resilient horses perform well.

Before we explain all of them in depth, note that it’s possible to have two types of ground in one description. For example, Good to Soft, Soft in places. This means that the track is mainly Good to Soft, but there are places of Soft ground along the way.

The most important factor to remember is the more it rains the softer the ground.

Firm (Fm) Ground

If we had no rain, the ground would be classed Firm. This isn’t as common as it once was because the racecourses now water their course to “keep the ground safe.” Basically, take the impact out of the ground so that less injuries occur. You will normally get this type of ground in the summer months. Firm ground means horses can run faster, and that’s usually when track records are set.

Good to Firm (GF)

After Firm ground, we have Good to Firm. This is when we’ve had enough rain (or watering) to take most of the firmness out of the ground but it’s still on the fast side. This is a lot more common than Firm ground because racecourses water the ground. Especially if there is no rain forecast.

Good (Gd)

This is when we’ve had enough rain to take all of the firmness out of the ground. It’s fair to say that this is the best type of ground, and usually the type of ground that suits most horses. It’s easy to run on for horses and produces big fields because it’s the fairest type of ground. Of course, you may have horses who like really Soft ground. However, they could still race on Good ground.

In comparison to Firm ground where they would have to withdraw. Good ground is the most common type of ground at all racecourses – it’s just the perfect ground to race on.

Good to Soft (GS)

Next up is Good to Soft Ground. This is simply Good ground that is holding more water. It’s as simple as that!

We usually get this type of ground at the start and towards the end of the jumps and flat seasons (out-of-season ground usually). It would suit the majority of horses. The only horses that struggle with this are those that run better on firm ground.

Soft (Sft)

This is when we’ve have had rain and it’s softened the ground, but the track can take more. Soft ground is very common in the jumps season. When we get more wet weather and it takes longer to dry out.

Horses will find this ground a lot harder to run on than Good ground, and the races will be much slower because of that. There are however horses that excel on soft ground and it would suit them better than racing on Good ground.

Heavy (Hy)

Heavy is the worst the ground can be – the most rain that the track can take as fallen without resulting in the race being called off. This is when a horses stamina is tested to the max and it’s a real struggle to run on Heavy ground. A very select number of horses would love this ground, but for most of them, it’s a real challenge and a tough day at the office!

Yielding Ground: What Is It?

If you’re following Irish horse racing, you’ll encounter the term Yielding Ground. This condition is similar to “Good to Soft” in British racing but slightly firmer. You may also see hybrid descriptions like:

• Good to Yielding
• Yielding to Soft

Yielding is common in Irish races, so understanding its characteristics is crucial for betting on these events.

You will see variations like “Good to Yielding” or “Yielding to Soft” in Ireland; Yielding is just a fraction less than Good ground and it is quite common to see Yielding in the ground description in Ireland. It would more than likely fall between “Good” and “Good to Soft” on the list in the UK.

 

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All Weather Track Surfaces:

All Weather Racing has different ground!

Most All Weather tracks are made of sand, among other more advanced components. Depending on the weather the track can change – this won’t be a huge change when compared to the turf courses. However it is still worth noting.

• Fast: Dry, compact surface that allows for quick race times.
• Standard: Optimal conditions for most races.
• Slow: Wet, moisture-heavy track that slows horses slightly.

So now you have all the ground descriptions, you’re probably wondering how they decide what to call the ground each day!

How Ground Conditions Are Determined…

In the past, the clerk of the course would walk the track on the morning of the race meeting and select which type of ground we had. That system worked pretty well for a while but as technology advanced it always came into question. Since we have started timing races, people used to often question the clerks decision. Then we had the introduction of The Going Stick.

What Is the Going Stick?

The Going Stick was introduced in 2007 but made mandatory for all British racecourses in 2008. It reads how much moisture is in the ground and produces a number. These numbers will fall into a category and the ground will be determined based on that.

The Going Stick measures the resistance of the ground by calculating:

1. The force needed to push the stick into the ground.
2. The energy required to pull it back at a 45° angle.

Each measurement corresponds to a specific ground condition, ensuring accurate and consistent assessments across courses.

Why Is The Ground So Important?

The Ground is the single most important factor in horse racing.

Think about it, for horses to run to their best they need their favourite conditions. If a horse likes Heavy ground then they just aren’t going to perform to their best on Good ground.  Or at least it’s much more unlikely to happen!

People within racing usually determine which type of ground a horse will enjoy by their knee action. A high knee action will usually enjoy Soft ground. This type of action is usually described as “grabbing at the ground” or an exaggerated knee action. On the other side of that, a low knee action will enjoy Firm or fast conditions. These horses won’t pick their knees up as much and run with faster action.

Obviously, like with everything in life, there can be exceptions. Horses are not machines after all and horses can enjoy the opposite ground than their knee action will suggest. There are also horses who can run their race on any type of ground. Every horse is a different individual at the end of the day. However, the knee action rule is a good standard to start with.

Track Types Explained

Another huge factor in Horse Racing is the track.

Even if a horse has their preferred ground, we also have horses who like certain tracks. Obviously this isn’t as common as horses to have a preference for ground. However it is still something we should be aware of!

Right-hand and Left-hand Tracks

Every track will have a way which the horses turn around the bend. You might think this is minor but for some horses, it’s actually a very big deal. Especially in the jumps season. you will see horses jumping out the “wrong” way and that costs them massive ground. Jumping left on the right-hand track or vice versa just gives away ground and at the elite level, you just can’t do that.

Right hand or left hand preference is less common in flat racing, but it does still happen. A lot of flat races take place on a straight course. But there are horses out there who perform much better going right or left handed. To sum up; this is definitely something to be aware of in jumps racing. It can be easily viewed by the horses jumping.

Flat And Stiff Tracks

You will hear racing commentators calling certain tracks flat and stiff. This is very important in relation to a horses stamina. A flat track is usually one where it’s easy to run on and you need speed. (It will suit horses who are short on stamina and have more of a turn of foot). The opposite happens on stiff tracks. (You more than likely have an uphill finish and it’s tough work for horses to finish their races).

Places like Sandown and Kempton are good examples of a flat track.

It’s a small flat ring and it will suit the speedy types. Whereas the likes of Chepstow and (the now gone!) Towcester are great examples of stiff tracks. They are big, open and have long uphill finishes that saps the stamina from horses. Obviously all tracks are different but some horses will really love certain tracks.

You might even find that courses with two tracks that are completely different even though they are the same place! Cheltenham is a good example of this. The inner track will suit the speedy types while the outer track will be more of a test. You might have the same ground and trip, but the layout of the track can really shape a race differently.

Combining Ground And Track Analysis For Sports Betting

A lot of work goes into getting the ground and track right for horses. Owners and Trainers will always be trying to get their horses to run in the conditions that suit them the best. You should take the time to look into race times more because they can tell you a lot about a race.

The times of each race will always tell you what the ground is riding like. Is it faster or slower than standard on the “official” ground. Professional Punters and Traders put a huge amount of work into getting these decisions right. It’s worth the time putting the work in to find an edge in the markets.

Often sports bettors will consider the form of the horse without looking at the conditions they performed on. Being able to identify the ideal conditions for a horse to run in, can be the difference between a bet that has a lot of value and one that has none.

After this reading article you should now have a much better understanding of horse racing ground and track types. This knowledge can really push you forward with your horse racing betting and trading!

Related: All Weather Racing Surfaces Explained (Polytrack, Fibresand & Tapeta)