Return to Greyhound API
In this section you will find questions that previous consumers have raised while interacting with our API. If you have a question that isn't answered here then please get in touch with us via help@timeform.com.
The data updates to races happen when the PA send us an update.
All the official race header data becomes available at the point we receive the first meeting card from the PA, which is usually 3-5 days prior to the meeting starting. At this point they tend to only send through declared entries for a few of the races in the programme, with entries for the other races coming through as we get closer to the meeting - once we receive the first meeting card, we usually receive an update to that meeting once a day up until the day of racing.
There are multiple updates to each entry object. Timeform greyhound entry data such as the fair odds, position prediction, star rating, proxy ratings, smart stats, one line comments, verdict etc become available at the point runners for the race are declared – so as above this can be 3-5 days prior to the meeting starting. Then from this point out the entry data is updated once a day up until a day before it takes place (which is when the PA send their final meeting card update). On the day of racing the entry data is only updated if an entry is declared a non-runner or a reserve dog replaces an entry in the race.
The performance object is updated only twice. The first update happens usually about 10 minutes after the race finishing (the race state name will be set to ‘Final Result’) – this will provide race official information such as positions, official run times, official sectional times, etc. The second update happens when the meeting has finished (the meeting state name will be set to ‘Finished’), so usually 10 minutes after the final race has been run – this will provide Timeform data such as performance ratings, master ratings and Timeform going allowances.
We have no set time due to the fact a dog can be replaced by a reserve dog at any given time.
If a dog is replaced by a reserve dog, then all the entries for that race have to be updated – if it was left then the 1-2-3s, comments, etc would be inaccurate.
There is no minimum time. You can make requests as often as you wish to, however our guidelines are that you should poll our API for updated:
a) Greyhound information – 2 times per day
b) Entry information – once every 5 minutes for races on the current and next day (2 times per day beyond that)
d) Race information – once every 5 minutes for races on the current and next day (2 times per day beyond that)
e) Meeting information – once every 5 minutes for races on the current and next day (2 times per day beyond that)
f) Track information – once per day
We do have monitoring systems in place and calls that are too memory intensive will be raised as a concern. Advice will be offered to increase both your experience with the API and our server performance.
About 135, though many more on a Friday or Saturday.
We usually receive around 15 feeds per race on the day of racing, so approximately 2000 on an average day. We also receive around 35 feeds for meetings on a later date.
There’s the possibility for an update to happen following every feed that’s received.
We are continuously recieving feeds from the PA throughout the day - the shortest time will be a few seconds.
The PA delivery schedule for final declarations is:
Mon – Tuesdays cards
Tue – Wednesdays cards
Wed – Thursdays cards
Thu – Fridays cards
Fri – Saturday and Sundays cards
Saturday – Mondays cards
After we have processed the final card information from the PA we update the meeting_state_name to ‘Final Card Processed’, with the final Timeform content updates available shortly after.
It is in development. Customers will be notified when this field is to become populated.