Form books, form experts, form summaries - form is everywhere in racing. Whether you're standing in the bar at Beverley races or just watching the action on TV, there is always someone blathering on about form. But what is form and why is it so important? And if IE readers want to really delve into the subject, what are the best sources of form to track down and use?

Horse racing form is all about solid facts. The best place to find these are in the official Form Book (published by Raceform, see raceform.co.uk) which, in two versions, provides details of every race run on the flat and over the jumps each season.