Timeform is one of the longest-established names in racing form and ratings. Its ratings, which put a number on every horse’s ability, are used throughout the industry by punters, trainers and bloodstock buyers, and its race analysis is a staple of the build-up to the Cheltenham Festival.
What are Timeform ratings?
A Timeform rating expresses a horse’s ability as a single number, adjusted for weight, so horses can be compared directly even when they have never met. The higher the rating, the better the horse. At Cheltenham, where many runners come from different countries and different form lines, a common rating scale is a useful way to cut through the noise.
Timeform also attaches comments and symbols to horses, flagging things like an unreliable temperament or a horse expected to improve, which add context that a raw number cannot.
Where to find Timeform’s Cheltenham tips
Timeform publishes race previews and selections for the Festival on its own website, with some content free and some available to subscribers. Check Timeform directly during Festival week for its latest tips and ratings for each day’s card.
How to use Timeform at the Festival
Ratings are a starting point, not a final answer. A horse with the top rating can still be unsuited by the ground, the trip or the way the race is likely to be run. The best use of ratings is to identify which horses have the ability to win, then use form study, pace and conditions to narrow it down.
Ratings are also useful for spotting value. When a horse’s rating suggests it is better than its odds imply, it may be worth a closer look, particularly in the big Festival handicaps.
More Cheltenham tipsters
Compare different approaches with our guides to Andy Holding tips, Kevin Blake tips, Rob Wright tips, Robin Goodfellow tips and Templegate tips, or start with our Cheltenham Festival tips hub for our own day-by-day selections.
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