Reading the Race Navigator

Overview

The Race Navigator is the left panel of the HRT trading terminal. It is your entry point for every race you trade. It shows all of today's UK and Irish Flat and Jump racing markets that are available on Betfair, ordered by scheduled off time.

Race entries

Each entry in the Race Navigator shows:

• Venue and race name — e.g. "Ascot — 2m Handicap Chase"
• Scheduled off time — the advertised start time
• Countdown — a live countdown to the off that updates every second once the race is within 60 minutes
• Status badge — the current market status
• Runner count — the number of runners declared
• Total matched — the total money matched in the market so far, refreshed every few seconds

Clicking any race loads it into the ladder and AI Intelligence panel.

Market status indicators

OPEN

The market is open for pre-race trading. This is the normal state for races that have not yet started. Prices are moving and you can place, amend, and cancel orders freely.

IN_PLAY

The race is running. In-play markets move very fast — often several seconds of real-world racing are reflected in fractions of a second of price movement. HRT defaults to a brief stale-data lockout during in-play to protect you from acting on outdated prices. You can adjust this in Settings → Trading Preferences.

SUSPENDED

The market has been temporarily halted. This commonly happens at the off (while the start is confirmed), during a false start, or when there is a significant incident. Orders cannot be placed or cancelled during a suspension. Existing orders remain in the queue and will resume when the market reopens.

CLOSED

The race is finished and the market has settled. Closed markets are visible in the Navigator for reference but cannot be traded.

Countdown to off

Once a race is within 60 minutes of its scheduled off, the Navigator shows a live countdown. At 5 minutes to off, the countdown turns amber. At 1 minute, it turns red.

Betfair times are based on the scheduled off, not the actual start. UK and Irish racing frequently starts slightly late — the `IN_PLAY` status change is the reliable signal that the race has started.

Switching between races

You can switch to a different race at any time by clicking it in the Navigator. If you have open orders on the current race, a warning indicator shows on that race entry so you do not forget to manage your position.

Switching races does not cancel your existing orders — they remain active on the exchange. Always manage open positions before navigating away from a race if you want to avoid exposure you are not monitoring.

Filtering the card

If you prefer to focus on specific meetings or race types, use the filter controls at the top of the Race Navigator. You can filter by venue or show only races within a specified time window.