The short version: Australia races three codes: thoroughbreds (the gallops), harness (the trots) and greyhounds (the dogs). Each code starts its races differently, sorts runners by ability in its own way and writes up form differently. Read the race type and you know who's allowed in, how weights or starts are set, and what a form line means.
This guide covers the codes, the race types you'll see on every racecard, and the numbers that matter in each.
General information only, not advice. There are no guaranteed winners and every bet is a risk. 18+ only.
Key takeaways
Race type tells you the class of the field. A maiden and a Group 1 are different worlds.
Thoroughbreds are sorted by wins, ratings or prestige. Weights come from a handicap, set weights or weight-for-age.
Harness horses are sorted by National Rating (NR). They start behind a mobile barrier or from a standing start, and mile rate is the key time figure.
Greyhounds are sorted by grade. Above a certain level, the grade can depend on the track and distance.
Track ratings run from 1 to 10. The higher the number, the wetter and slower the track.
What are the three racing codes in Australia?
Thoroughbreds: horses ridden by jockeys, starting from barrier stalls. Races are sorted into maiden, class, benchmark, Group and Listed. Watch the weight, the barrier and the track rating.
Harness: Standardbreds pulling a sulky, steered by a driver, starting behind a mobile barrier or from a standing start. Races are framed in ratings bands. Watch the gait, the draw, the start type and the mile rate.
Greyhounds: dogs chasing a mechanical lure from numbered boxes. Races run from maidens up through the grades to Free For Alls. Watch the box, early speed and run times.
Many betting apps and form guides use R, H and G (or an icon) for the gallops, harness and greyhounds. The meeting name usually gives it away too.
How does thoroughbred racing work?
Thoroughbred racing is the biggest code in the country. It runs from Tuesday country meetings to the Melbourne Cup. Flat races go from about 800m sprints up to 3,200m cups, mostly on turf, with some meetings on synthetic tracks. Jumps races are longer.
Turf tracks are rated from 1 to 10: Firm (1 to 2), Good (3 to 4), Soft (5 to 7) and Heavy (8 to 10). The rating can be upgraded or downgraded during the day as the track dries out or rain comes in. Synthetic tracks carry their own rating.
Jumps racing, over hurdles and steeplechase fences, now runs only in Victoria.
What are maiden, class and benchmark races?
Maiden: for horses that haven't won a race yet. One win and they're out.
Class races: capped by wins. A Class 1 race is for horses that haven't won more than one race on the flat. Class 2 allows two wins, and so on up the ladder.
Benchmark (BM): every horse carries a rating, and the weights are set from that rating. The number in the race name is the benchmark.
How a benchmark race sets weights: in Victoria, each rating point is worth 0.5kg. In a BM90, a horse rated 90 carries 60kg and a horse rated 80 carries 55kg, down to a 54kg minimum. Other states write their own conditions, so read the race conditions on the card. Our guide to Victorian handicapping explains ratings and weights in full.
Why it matters: a horse rated at the bottom of a BM race gets a big weight break, but it's there because it's rated lower. Ratings move after runs, so the same horse can be well weighted one start and harshly weighted the next.
How are weights set in thoroughbred races?
Handicap: the handicapper gives the better horses more weight to even up the field. The Melbourne Cup, the Doncaster Mile and the Epsom Handicap are all Group 1 handicaps.
Set weights: weights depend only on age and sex, not on ability. The Golden Slipper is a set-weights race for two-year-olds.
Weight-for-age (WFA): a national scale sets weights by age, sex, distance and time of year. Younger horses get a weight allowance that shrinks as they mature. The Cox Plate is the best-known WFA race, which is why it's often called a true championship. The Turnbull Stakes at Flemington is another Group 1 WFA race.
Set weights and penalties (SWP): set weights, plus extra weight for horses that have won certain races.
Apprentice jockeys can also claim weight off their horse, usually up to 3kg, and the claim shrinks as they ride more winners. Look for the claim next to the rider's name. Our handicapping guide explains how claims work.
What are Group and Listed races?
These are the "black-type" races (wins and placings in them are printed in bold in sales catalogues), and they sit at the top of the ladder:
Group 1: the highest level in Australian racing, such as the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper.
Group 2 and Group 3: strong races just below the top level, including many lead-ups to the big races.
Listed: black type below Group level, usually feature races at major meetings.
A race's status isn't permanent. It's reviewed each year against the quality of its fields, and races can be upgraded or downgraded. A Group 1 can be a WFA race, a set-weights race or a handicap. The status tells you the class of the race, and the weight conditions tell you how it's framed.
How does harness racing work?
Harness horses are Standardbreds pulling a lightweight two-wheeled cart called a sulky, with a driver sitting in it. Menangle in Sydney and Melton in Melbourne are two of the main harness tracks. There are two gaits:
Pacers move the legs on the same side together, and wear hopples (straps that help them hold the gait). The large majority of Australian harness races are for pacers.
Trotters, also called squaregaiters, move diagonal legs together. They usually race in trotters-only events.
A horse that breaks into a gallop has to be steadied back to its gait. Stewards can penalise a horse that gains ground while galloping.
How do harness starts, draws and ratings work?
Mobile start: the field lines up in two rows behind a moving car with folding wings and is released at speed. The back row starts behind the front row, so inside front-row draws are prized.
Standing start: horses start from a standstill, and handicaps push the better ones back in metres. Horses start 10m further back for every 5 rating points, so a horse with a National Rating (NR) of 50 starts off the front and an NR55 starts off 10m.
Ratings: every harness horse gets an automatic National Rating (NR) after each run, based on where it finished and the prizemoney on offer. Races are framed in rating bands, such as NR55 to NR65.
What is mile rate in harness racing?
Mile rate converts a run into the time it would take to cover a mile (about 1,609m) at the same pace, so you can compare runs over different distances. A mile rate of 1:56.3 means one minute 56.3 seconds per mile, and lower is faster. Context still matters: a fast mile rate from a horse that led with an easy run isn't the same as one from a horse that sat three wide with no cover.
How does greyhound racing work?
Greyhound races usually have eight dogs jumping from numbered boxes after a lure, at tracks such as The Meadows in Melbourne and Wentworth Park in Sydney. Box 1 is on the inside rail and box 8 is on the outside. Each runner's rug colour matches its box number:
Box 1: red
Box 2: black and white stripes
Box 3: white
Box 4: blue
Box 5: yellow
Box 6: green
Box 7: black
Box 8: pink
Reserves wear 9 (green and white stripes) and 10 (red, white and blue). They keep their own numbers when they fill a box left empty by a scratching.
How do greyhound grades, boxes and distances work?
Grades: states run their own systems. In Victoria, a maiden that wins goes to Grade 7, then Grade 6 and Grade 5 with each further win, and those grades apply at every track. From Grade 5 up, a dog only moves up a grade at the track and distance where it won. Free For All races, the top level, are for dogs graded 4 to 1. A higher number means a lower class.
Box draws: these are normally random. NSW has trialled preferred box draws in selected races, where dogs are placed by running style: railers inside, straight runners in the middle and wide runners outside.
Distances: categories vary by state. In Queensland, for example, 441m to 530m is a sprint, 531m to 640m is middle distance and 641m and up is staying.
Early speed is the big one in the dogs. A dog that can lead from box 1 avoids most of the trouble at the first turn.
How do you read a racecard?
Code and venue: are you looking at the gallops, the trots or the dogs, and where?
Race type and conditions: maiden, BM70, NR55 to NR65 or Grade 5, plus any age, sex or win restrictions.
Distance and start: barrier stalls, mobile or standing start, or boxes.
Draw: barrier, front or back row, or box number. Its impact depends on the track and distance.
Weight or handicap: kilograms and apprentice claims for gallopers, metres behind for standing-start harness horses, and grade for dogs.
Changes: scratchings, rider or driver changes, reserves and track rating updates. Check these last, right before the race.
Line it all up with live Australian racing fields, odds and race schedules. For what the odds themselves mean, read our guide to horse racing betting strategies, and keep an eye on the live odds and market movers. If you're comparing fixed odds with the tote, our guide to fixed odds vs tote betting breaks down how each one pays. Australian tote is moving to One Pool, a single national pool, and our One Pool explainer covers what that means.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a maiden race?
A race for runners that haven't won yet. Once they win, they move up to class, benchmark or graded races.
What's the difference between a handicap, set weights and weight-for-age?
A handicap gives better horses more weight. Set weights depend only on age and sex. Weight-for-age uses a national scale based on age, sex, distance and time of year.
What does Group 1 mean?
It's the highest level of Australian thoroughbred racing, above Group 2, Group 3 and Listed races. Race status is reviewed each year and can change.
What do track ratings mean?
Turf tracks are rated from 1 to 10: Firm (1 to 2), Good (3 to 4), Soft (5 to 7) and Heavy (8 to 10). The higher the number, the wetter and slower the track.
What's the difference between pacers and trotters?
Pacers move same-side legs together and wear hopples. Trotters move diagonal legs together. Most Australian harness races are for pacers.
Are greyhound grades the same in every state?
No. Each state sets its own grading rules. In Victoria, grades from Grade 5 up are specific to the track and distance.
More answers in the punter help and FAQ.
Disclaimer: General information only, not advice. Punt Hub is not a bookmaker and does not accept bets. Racing rules, grading and conditions vary by state and change over time, so check official race conditions. No outcome is guaranteed.