What Does Going Mean In Horse Racing?

I’ve followed horse racing in the United States for years.

Recently, I was introduced to another horse racing enthusiast through a friend, who is originally from the United Kingdom.

While I expected there to be slight differences between the sport in other countries, I was surprised to find out that there was so much to learn about how horse racing operates outside of the United States — starting with the terminology!

One of the terms my new horse racing enthusiast friend used frequently was “Going,” which I had never heard before.

So, I decided to do a bit of research to learn more of the terms used in horse racing in the U.K.

Today, I’d like to present the information I found about the term “Going.”

So, without further ado, here is the answer to the question: “What does ‘Going’ mean in horse racing?”

The answer is that, in horse racing, going is related to the condition of the track. It is a term primarily used in the UK and is determined by the amount of moisture in the ground. Generally the going is determined by an official steward on the day of the race, because it can impact the performance of the horses.

Let’s look into this in a bit more detail!

 

Why do surface conditions matter?

The surface condition of the track has an important role in the performance of the horses. #

The surface conditions, combined with the type of surface and track configuration are crucial to understanding how the race will play out.

 

What determines the surface conditions of the track?

The surface conditions on the track are influenced by the type of surface — including soil type and if the track is dirt, turf, or artificial material.

The surface density, porosity, compaction and moisture content (or going) all help determine the conditions of the track.

 

How is the going determined?

In the UK, there are seven grades of surface:

• hard
• firm
• good to firm
• good
• good to soft
• soft
• heavy

For artificial surfaces, the grades are:

• fast
• standard to fast
• standard
• standard to slow
• slow

The Going is decided using a device called a Going Stick.

The device was introduced not too long ago in 2007, and it is not mandatory to use on British racecourses as the way to determine track conditions. The Going Stick measures how much moisture there is in the ground and produces a number.

Each grade has a range of numbers assigned to it, so whichever number the Going Stick gives as its reading is easily pegged to a Going grade.

Before the Going stick, a clerk from the racecourse would simply walk the track and stick their boot into the turf at various points along the course.

Of course, this did not produce reliable or consistent results.

 

Are all the grades acceptable for race day?

Generally, no.

The “hard” grading is usually deemed far too dangerous to race on for both horses and jockeys.

Most of the time, a race will not occur on a track with a “hard” grade.

“Heavy” is also not a particularly desirable track grading for many horses, trainers, and jockeys.

Each horse prefers a different grade of track, but when a track is graded “heavy” it means the track is very wet and hard to run on.

It is sometimes referred to as a “bog,” because of how much it can slow down a horse.

This grade of track is a huge test of a horse’s stamina.

 

What about the other grades of going?

“Firm” is a more common grade found in the summer, when the racing surface conditions are very dry.

A dry surface results in quicker race times because horses can run faster.

“Good to firm” is on the slower side, but still a firm surface that allows most horses to run quickly.

This is a common grade for racecourse staff to create artificially, because when conditions are too dry they will add water to the track — especially if there is no forecasted rain — to create a more desirable condition for racing.

This will usually result in a “good to firm” track.

“Good” is the most common of the track conditions.

Some argue it is also the fairest racing conditions for the majority of horses.

It is fairly easy for any horse to run on.

When a track is graded as “good,” it is suitable to a wider range of horses, meaning that the race will attract bigger fields of competitors.

For this reason, it is a track condition that many racetracks strive for.

“Good to soft” is a track condition often found in the colder, winter months.

It is still suitable for running, but the track is holding onto a decent amount of water that can become concerning if it begins to rain or snow.

“Soft” is a going grade found most often when the weather is wet and the temperature is low.

It is quite difficult for horses to run on “soft” tracks, because the ground moisture runs deep causing the horses to run much slower.

 

Do horses have a Going preference?

Actually, yes!

Many horses (along with their trainers and jockeys) have a preference on their Going grade during any given race.

While it is widely known that Soft is particularly difficult to run on, there are some horses that strictly train and prefer to run on soft tracks.

Most horses can perform on any type of track, but some will be restricted to very specific Going grades.

For example, one of the most well known horses in the U.K. racing scene is Mr. Frisk.

In 2011, Mr. Frisk won the Grand National on a track that has been officially graded as “Firm.”

Throughout his career, he has displayed a distinct preference for ground faster than “Good.”

This is in comparison to other horses, like Master Oats, who distinctly prefers to compete on tracks that are much more wet.

 

Is the Going determined the same way in other countries?

Surprisingly, no.

Each country has their entirely individual process for figuring out the track conditions.

In fact, the term is not “Going” outside of the U.K.

In the U.S., the term is Track Condition, while Australians use the term Track Rating.

In each country, there are also different ratings for the track conditions — though they are similar to those found in England.

In the United States, Track Condition grading is divided between dirt tracks and turf tracks.

For turf tracks, the terms are fairly similar to the terms used for the U.K.’s Going system.

However for dirt tracks, the grading system is entirely different. The terms for dirt tracks are:

• Fast
• Wet Fast
• Good
• Muddy
• Sloppy
• Slow
• Sealed

Most of the terms are fairly self-explanatory and give an indication of the horse’s likely performance on each track.

The only term that may lead to some confusion is “Sealed.”

When a track is dubbed “Sealed,” it means that the dirt is packed so tight that the water runs off of it.

This reduces the amount of moisture that can be absorbed and is used with wet tracks to prevent them from becoming unusable.

As you can see, the going is an incredibly important factor in horse racing.

Horses, trainers, and jockeys all have very specific preferences about the grade of going before they set foot on a track.

Theories exist as to whether or not the going will determine the final outcome of the race, but it is hard to tell how exactly the track conditions slow down different horses.

Often, it comes down to how each individual horse is conditioned to perform on a specific type of track.

In any case, it remains one of the most important technical terms in horse racing.