Understanding Speed Figures in Horse Racing

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Speed figures try to answer a simple question: how fast did this horse actually run, accounting for the conditions? The raw finishing time of a race tells you something, but not much on its own. A horse that runs 7 furlongs in 1 minute 24 seconds on firm ground at Ascot and another that runs 7 furlongs in 1 minute 29 seconds on heavy ground at Catterick — which one produced the better performance? You can’t tell from the times alone. Speed figures exist to make those comparisons possible.

Timeform on The Race Lab

Understanding Speed Figures in Horse Racing