Racing terms
Going
Going is the official assessment of the track surface, published as a rating before racing and updated as conditions change. Australia uses a ten-point scale: Good 1–4, Soft 5–7, Heavy 8–10, plus Synthetic for artificial surfaces. Going affects tempo, bias and which horses are advantaged — some horses are demonstrably better on rain-affected ground, and form on Good tracks does not automatically transfer to Heavy.
In use
The track was downgraded from Soft 6 to Heavy 8 after the second race.
Related terms
GoodA firm, fast track rated 1 to 4 on the Australian scale.SoftA rain-affected track rated 5 to 7.HeavyA very wet track rated 8 to 10, the most testing conditions.SyntheticAn artificial racing surface rated separately from turf.Track BiasA systematic advantage to a running style or part of the track.