As known from:
The SunFootball365Sportskeeda
Alerts
Latest Deals
Write a Review
Write a Review
Nothing Found
About betting.net
  • Betting.net on YouTube
  • About betting.net
  • The betting.net Crew
  • How We Rate
  • Play Responsibly
  • Contact us
  • Writers Wanted
  • Content Disclaimer
  • Affiliate Disclosure
Alerts
Latest Deals
Write a Review
Write a Review
Nothing Found
About betting.net
  • Betting.net on YouTube
  • About betting.net
  • The betting.net Crew
  • How We Rate
  • Play Responsibly
  • Contact us
  • Writers Wanted
  • Content Disclaimer
  • Affiliate Disclosure
Betting.net / Betting Terms A-Z / D / What is Distance in Horse Racing?

What is Distance in Horse Racing?

Publish Date: March 31, 2021
Fact checked by: Jesse M Cox

The term distance has two meanings in horse racing: the journey covered in a race and the gap between horses at the finishing line. The race distance is expressed in furlongs and miles and the margin between horses at the end of a race is expressed in lengths.

Races in Britain are run over distances from five furlongs to more than four miles. Flat races are shorter than races over jumps. Race distances have to be accurate and for each race the distance is shown on the racecard and in media publications.

The result of a race shows the distances between each horse at the finishing line. The time between each horse equates to a distance in lengths.

How is Distance used in Sports Betting?

The distance of a race is important for bettors on horse racing who follow past form. Horses are bred to run in certain types of races and the distance is one of the man factors.

Sprinters run in flat races from five to seven furlongs, middle distance horses run over one mile to one mile five furlongs and stayers run over more than 13 furlongs.

Race distances are measured in miles and furlongs. There are eight furlongs in a mile and 220 yards in a furlong, so a mile race is run over 1760 yards.

In jumps racing chasers are longer than hurdle races and the range of distances is from two miles to four miles and four furlongs.

The distance between horses is an important form indicator for future races. Distances range from a nose to anything over 30 lengths, which is given a generic name of a distance. The finishing distances are calculated by converting the time to a distance based on a scale which varies depending on the nature of a race.

Did you know…

Furlong as a unit of measurement dates back to the Anglo-Saxons, and originally meant the length of a furrow in one acre of a ploughed field. It was the length a team of oxen could plough without needing to rest

It was officially abolished as a unit of measurement outside of racing by the Weights and Measures Act 1985.

See Also

Photo Finish

Read Also
What is Middle Distances? Middle Distances Explained in 2 minutes
Flat races in Britain and Ireland are run over a range of ...
What is National Hunt Racing? National Hunt Racing Explained in 2 minutes
There are two types of racing in Britain and Ireland: Flat and ...
BetMGM Promo
What is Non Handicap? Non Handicap Explained in 2 minutes
There are different categories of races in horse racing which apply to ...
What is Flat Race? Flat Race Betting Explained
There are three types of race in British horse racing: flat, jumps ...
What is Four Furlong Sprint? Four Furlong Sprint Explained in 2 minutes
Five furlongs is the minimum distance for flat races in the UK ...
Top Betting Sites
Top Betting Bonuses
Bet365
4.6/5
BetMGM
4.6/5
FanDuel
4.5/5
Caesars
4.5/5
DraftKings
DraftKings
DraftKings Review
4.5/5
Bet365
Bet365 Bonus
Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose when you bet $5!
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
Subject to meeting qualifying criteria. Minimum wager $5. Minimum odds -500 or greater. $10 minimum deposit. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. Available in app only. Max. prize, game restrictions, time limits and T&Cs apply. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
BetMGM
BetMGM Bonus
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
FanDuel
FanDuel Bonus
Bet $5 Get $150 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins!
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Caesars
Caesars Bonus
First bet back as a bonus bet up to $1000
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
DraftKings
DraftKings Bonus
Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly!
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Our Team
David Genge
David Genge
Editor
Jesse M Cox
Jesse M Cox
Chief Editor
Alyx Tzamantanis
Alyx Tzamantanis
Editor
Simon Briffa
Simon Briffa
Sports Editor
James Leeland
James Leeland
Editor
Author Icon
Marcus
Content Writer
mikegoodpaster
mikegoodpaster
Head Content Writer
Get the latest updates in Sports and Casino via our Newsletter
Poker & Bingo

Full coverage of poker and bingo, from reviews of providers to guides and much more besides!

21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Trading financial products carries a high risk to your capital, especially trading leverage products such as CFDs. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times.
Virginia Town HallCloudflareSSLco² neutral
Close
Our Sports Pros recommend these awesome Social Casino sites this week:
Stake.us
Stake.us Bonus
55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
T&Cs apply, 18+
Promo Code:
Go to Stake.us
Get Bonus
Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins Bonus
Claim Your Free 650,000 Gold Coins & 1,400 Fortune Coins
T&Cs apply, 18+
Promo Code:
Go to Fortune Coins
Get Bonus
×
Your Promo Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Visit Site