Understand the Structure in Minutes
Every race is displayed as a ranked list of runners, ordered from highest Top Figure to lowest — instantly establishing the ability hierarchy.
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Your job is to assess:
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• Proven ability
• Current form
• Suitability to today’s conditions
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Using structured, objective data.
What Is a Paceform Figure?
A Paceform Figure is a performance rating.
The higher the number, the stronger the performance.
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Every horse in a race is assigned two key figures:
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Top Figure – the horse’s best performance in the last 12 months on today’s surface
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Last-Time-Out (LTO) Figure – how the horse performed on its most recent run
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These numbers allow you to instantly see:
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Which horses are capable
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Which are in form
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You are not predicting improvement.
You are identifying horses that have already shown the required level.
The Two Numbers That Matter Most
1. Top Figure – Proven Ability
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The Top Figure shows what a horse is capable of at its best.
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Ask one question:
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Has this horse already achieved a level high enough to win this race?
Because the table is ranked from highest to lowest Top Figure, the ability hierarchy is already established for you.
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Higher Top Figures indicate stronger proven ability.
2. Last-Time-Out Figure – Current Form
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The LTO Figure shows how the horse performed on its most recent run.
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This tells you whether the horse is:
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Running near peak level
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Improving
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Or below its best
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When a horse’s LTO figure is close to its Top Figure, it is operating near its maximum ability.
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Strong ability + strong recent form = serious contender.
Where to Find These Numbers
🔴 Red Outline – Top Figure
The horse’s highest performance in the last 12 months on today’s surface.
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âš« Black Outline – Last-Time-Out (LTO) Figure
The horse’s most recent performance rating.
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Higher numbers represent stronger performances.
Surface Indicator
In the figures panel:
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Red boxes represent Turf runs
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White boxes represent All-Weather runs
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The Top Figure shown will always relate to today’s surface.
The Conditions & Suitability Panel
Raw ability is only part of the picture.
The Conditions Panel shows whether a horse is suited to today’s specific race setup.
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It measures each horse’s best career Paceform Figure under four factors::
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Course – Has it performed well at this track?
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Distance – Has it delivered at this trip?
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Going – Has it handled this surface/ground?
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Weight – Has it carried similar weight successfully?
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These figures indicate whether the horse can realistically reproduce its best performance under today’s conditions.
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Strong suitability strengthens the case.
Weak or missing data introduces uncertainty.
How to Read Negative Numbers​
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In the Conditions panel, negative numbers (e.g. –2) show how far below the race-best that horse sits.
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If the highest Course figure is 91 and another shows –2, its best Course figure is 89.
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Negative numbers simply show the gap to the best in that race.
Where to Find the Conditions Ratings
Right-hand panel – Conditions & Suitability
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Read across each row to compare runners.
You are building a profile, not chasing one number.
What a Strong Profile Looks Like
A strong contender usually:
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Ranks near the top on Top Figure
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Has a competitive LTO Figure
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Shows solid Course, Distance, Going or Weight scores
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You are not looking for perfection. You are looking for alignment.
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You are identifying the horse most likely to reproduce a competitive level today.
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If nothing aligns clearly, the race may not offer a structured opportunity — and that is valuable information too.
How to Use Paceform Figures Today
Step 1 – Check Proven Ability
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Start with the Top Figures.
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Who has already shown a number high enough to win this race?
Step 2 – Check Current Form
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Now look at the Last-Time-Out (LTO) Figures.
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Which of those high-ability horses are currently running near their best?
Step 3 – Check Suitability
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Review the Conditions Panel.
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Are those leading contenders proven at:
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This course
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This distance
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This going
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Under similar weight
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When ability, form and suitability align, you have a strong analytical profile.
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When they don’t, you step aside.
See the Framework Applied
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If you’d like to see this process walked through step-by-step on a real race:
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New to Paceform?
If you prefer a filtered starting point, use Paceform Qualifiers.
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The initial screening has already been done for you.
The Purpose of the Figures
Paceform Figures are not designed to predict certainties.
They are designed to show:
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Which horses are capable
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Which are in form
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Which are suited to today’s race
Used consistently, they provide a structured and objective way to assess any field — without emotion.
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