How Weather Affects Horse Racing Betting Odds

There is no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to gambling, but doing your homework can seriously improve your chances of success. In horse racing, many people will study the form, jockey, and trainer to get a better idea of how a race might go.

Another important factor that must be considered when betting is how the weather will affect the horse and overall race. The best betting sites will take weather into consideration when pricing up a race, and this can even affect which horse is the favourite.

The Course

The surface of the racecourse will determine how it is affected by different weather. The two main track types in the UK are turf and all-weather.

Turf

Turf tracks are relatively self-explanatory and the British climate lends itself well to grass courses throughout the year. The biggest factor to affect turf racecourses in the UK is rain.

Turf courses are more likely to have meetings cancelled due to bad weather, and waterlogging or frozen racetracks are the biggest reasons for cancelled meetings.

All Weather

All-weather courses are significantly less likely to be affected by weather and are usually made up of sand, rubber, and wax mixtures that are known as tapeta.

Heavy rain and frost will not impact all-weather courses as badly. However, meetings can still be cancelled for safety reasons in thick fog or if there has been heavy snow.

What is the “Going”?

The “going” refers to the underfoot condition of courses and helps gamblers understand which horses are most likely to perform well in a race.

British racing will describe the going in the following ways:

• Heavy – If the going is heavy, it means the track is very wet and soft underfoot. This results in a slower race that is much more difficult to run in and horses require a lot of stamina to compete.
• Soft – Soft refers to a course that isn’t as bad as heavy conditions but is still soft and slow. It is most common during the jump season when the weather is cool and wet.
• Good to soft – A good to soft surface still holds a bit of moisture but more horses are able to cope well with these conditions.
• Good – If the going is good, this is optimal racing conditions as the surface is not too hard or soft.
• Good to firm – Good to firm implies that sections of the course may be harder underfoot than others.
• Firm – A firm racecourse will result in a quick race as the surface will be resilient and won’t allow the hoof to sink.

Horses will be better suited to specific conditions and a change in the weather could favour one over another. This can be good for people betting on the ante-post market who have a good understanding of how the course might be for the meeting.

Weather

It is not just the underfoot conditions that can affect how a horse performs. The weather conditions during the race can be as influential.

Heat

While hot temperatures typically result in a firm racing surface and a quicker race, it can also impact how a horse performs. Horses are kept well hydrated and cooled off after the race.

Jockeys can also be found to wear gloves to give them a better grip on sweaty reigns.

Cold

Cold weather also affects horses and jockeys and keeping covered and warm before a race is essential. Cold snaps can result in courses freezing and meetings being cancelled, but they can also affect a horse’s performance depending on its health and coat condition.

Rain

Rain will affect the going of UK racecourses, and during races, it can also impact rider and horse visibility. Rain during a meeting can also result in the course cutting up during the day and leaving significantly worse and heavier conditions for later races.

Wind

The going won’t be affected by winds, but running into a headwind can cause greater fatigue for horses. A tailwind might be better suited to a horse that likes to leave it late and overtake.

Strong winds can also impact the safety of the course for riders, horses, and spectators.

Conclusion

Seasoned gamblers will know all about how the weather will affect races and studying form will provide a good idea of the horses that are most likely to perform in different conditions.

Betting odds will regularly change in the lead-up to a race based on betting patterns and how the horse has previously performed in similar weather. This can help bettors get as much valuable information before a race as possible and improve their chances of winning big.