What does this mean in a horse racing context?

There are many letters and numbers you will come across when reading form on a racecard and some of them might not mean anything to casual fans or people who are new to the sport. Here we take a look at what it means when you see PU in relation to a horse’s form and the reasons for pulling up a horse.

What Does PU Mean in Horse Racing: The Deliberate Stop

In the simplest terms, it means a jockey has deliberately pulled a horse up in order to end their race early and there are a number of reasons why they would do so. 

We will take a look at some of the main reasons, both good and bad. It’s also worth noting that it’s often represented in form figures as just P, so there is no difference between PU and P, they both mean exactly the same thing.

Why Do Jockeys Pull Up: Welfare, Fatigue, and Tactics

Jockeys bear a large responsibility for a horse’s welfare during the race and that is the main reason to pull a horse up. In a National Hunt race. If a horse makes a bad mistake at a fence or hurdle, it can often be wise to pull a horse up as a loss of confidence can lead to more errors in the race, at which point a horse’s welfare becomes an issue.

Sometimes horses will lose their action which results in a massive loss of momentum and can be potentially damaging. Jockeys usually pull up the horse if this happens and they would have to explain what happened and their reason for doing so to the stewards.

In Jump races over longer trips, especially when the ground is heavy, horses can get very tired and they slow down significantly as a result. At the point in which the jockey decides the horse has run as well as they can, a horse will often be pulled up.

Respiratory issues can lead to a horse being pulled up too, where jockeys report that the horse’s breathing is irregular to the point where they can ‘hear a noise’. Burst blood vessels can lead to bleeding in the nose and horses are immediately pulled up if this is noticed.

In severe cases where a horse ‘goes wrong’ the jockey will pull the horse up immediately and dismount as safely and efficiently as possible. Serious injury to a horse’s leg is often fatal so it’s vital that they receive veterinary care immediately.

There are some cases, particularly in handicap races, where horses are tactically pulled up in order to encourage the handicapper to decrease a horse’s mark. This could give them a competitive advantage in other races further down the line and the BHA police this strictly.

The BHA Regulatory Follow-up: Interviews and Inspections

The BHA Stewards will ensure that a pulled up runner will be subject to a Veterinary Officer inspection and the results will be added to their official reports. You will often see comments like ‘the vet reported that the gelding had bled from the nose’ or was reported as ‘clinically abnormal post-race’.

Racing’s governing body is responsible for enforcing welfare so they will investigate and sometimes punish jockeys for not pulling up horses when it was in their best interests to do so. 

It is worth noting that in the vast majority of cases, the stewards concur with the jockeys.

Betting Implications and Form Study in the UK

Officially when a runner is pulled up, it counts as an incompletion and whilst there are a number of potential factors, it often suggests that a horse is below-par, fatigued, doesn’t like the trip, is struggling on the ground or is not jumping with fluency.

From a betting point of view, unfortunately it results in a losing bet and is not eligible for a refund. Horses who pull up fairly frequently aren’t usually the most reliable but if it happens sparingly, it would be unwise to read too much into it.

Conclusion: The Jockey's Responsibility to the Horse

Seeing horses being pulled up can be frustrating for fans and punters alike but the key thing is that it’s a vital part of welfare in horse racing and is a huge positive in the grand scheme of things. British racing needs to always strive to promote and support horse welfare and these amazing equine stars should always be put before profit.