Home › Glossary › PU (Pulled Up)
PU means Pulled Up — the jockey stopped riding the horse before the finish, so it did not complete the race.
A pulled-up horse shows as PU on the result and as P in its form figures.
Why horses are pulled up
The jockey pulls a horse up when carrying on would do more harm than good. The usual reasons are:
- Tiredness. The horse has nothing left, most often in long jump races or on heavy ground.
- Injury or lameness. The jockey feels the horse go wrong and stops at once.
- Lost action. The horse stops moving freely, sometimes because of a breathing or heart problem.
- A tack problem. For example, a saddle that slips or broken equipment.
- No chance. The horse is so far behind that there is no point in finishing. The jockey saves it for another day.
Pulling up is far more common over jumps, in hurdles, chases and point-to-points, than on the Flat.
PU in a horse’s form
In a form string a pulled-up run is shown as P. The other letters mark the other ways a horse can fail to finish:
| Letter | Meaning |
|---|---|
| P | Pulled up: the jockey stopped riding before the finish. |
| F | Fell. |
| U | Unseated rider: the jockey came off, but the horse did not fall. |
| B | Brought down by another faller. |
| R | Refused to jump, or ran out. |
| S | Slipped up. |
For example, form of 21P-3 means the horse finished 2nd, won, was pulled up, and then, after a season break, was 3rd last time. The most recent run is on the right.
What PU means for your bet
A pulled-up horse is a loser. It did not finish, so a win bet loses and an each-way bet loses both parts: a horse that did not complete the race cannot be placed.
Is a pulled-up run a bad sign?
Not always. Read the reason before you judge it. One P after a long break, on ground the horse hates or with a vet’s report that explains it is often forgiven. A run of Ps, or a P with no excuse, is a warning sign. The race comment on the result, such as “pulled up before 3 out”, usually tells you when and why it happened.
PU on RaceMetrics
RaceMetrics shows the full form string on every racecard. A pulled-up run counts as a non-finisher, so it scores 0% for PRB (percentage of rivals beaten).
Common questions
What does PU mean in horse racing?
PU means Pulled Up: the jockey stopped riding the horse before the finish, so it did not complete the race.
What does P mean in a horse’s form?
P in a form string means the horse was pulled up in that race. F means fell, U unseated rider, B brought down, R refused or ran out, and S slipped up.
Do you lose your bet if a horse is pulled up?
Yes. A pulled-up horse is a loser. A win bet loses and an each-way bet loses both parts, because a horse that did not finish cannot be placed.
Is a pulled-up run a bad sign?
Not always. One P after a long break, on unsuitable ground or with a vet’s report that explains it is often forgiven. A run of Ps, or a P with no excuse, is a warning sign.