A free for all race (FFA) is a race for the top class of runners rather than one grade or rating band. Greyhound and harness racing use the name differently: on the dogs each state's grading rules decide which grades may enter, while a harness free for all has no National Rating cap.
Greyhound racing betting covers the dogs and harness racing betting the trots.
Free for all in greyhound racing
Each state sets the entry (checked 8 October 2026):
| State | Who an FFA admits | Document |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Grade 4 to Grade 1 | GRV guidelines, 5 August 2026 |
| NSW | First to third grade at that meeting class and distance category, plus some fourth graders | GRNSW policy, 26 March 2025 |
| Queensland | Grades 1 to 4 at City 1 and City 2 meetings, Grades 1 to 3 elsewhere | Racing Queensland trial, continued from 1 February 2026 |
| South Australia | Grades 1 to 5; the winner is not lifted a grade | GRSA guidelines, 16 June 2023 |
| Tasmania | Every greyhound, maidens included, as a free-to-all | Tasracing manual, 1 August 2026 |
Queensland renamed its races in March 2025: Free For All replaced Best 8 and Open replaced the old Free For All, so an older Queensland FFA can be a different race. The greyhound grading system covers the grades beneath and how to read greyhound form the form line.
Free for all in harness racing
Harness Racing Australia gives each horse a National Rating (NR) from 30 to 120, and races are programmed for a band between a front, the lowest rating, and a back, the highest (Australian Handicapping Rules, 1 January 2026). A free for all has no cap: its Melton fields for 20 December 2025 listed the night's free for all as No NR, beside races for NR 70 to 79 and NR 80 to 92.
How runners rise into FFA company
On the dogs it takes wins. In Victoria a maiden win makes a dog Grade 7 and two more Grade 5. From there each penalty-race win lifts it a grade at that track and distance only, so a fourth win makes it Grade 4, and FFA-eligible, there alone. GRV can also up-grade Group winners and high-class dogs.
In harness racing it takes rating points: a win in a race worth $16,001 to $26,000 adds 7, one worth $26,001 to $50,000 adds 8, and second in the latter 2. With illustrative results, an NR 76 horse wins a $20,000 race (76 + 7 = 83), runs second in a $30,000 race (83 + 2 = 85) and wins another (85 + 8 = 93). That puts it above the back of an NR 80 to 92 race, leaving races with no cap.
Are FFA markets tighter?
Add 1 / price for every runner: the excess over 100% is the overround built into the book, as market percentage explains. FFA runners have long, public form, which might leave less to price, but measure that rather than assume it.
Example: Illustrative books, not evidence. An FFA priced $3.40, $4.20, $5.00, $7.50, $10.00, $15.00, $23.00 and $34.00 adds up to 110.5%; a maiden priced $2.30, $4.40, $6.00, $8.00, $11.00, $15.00, $21.00 and $31.00 adds up to 119.1%.
One pair proves nothing: compare totals over many meetings, at the same time before the jump, with the bookmaker margin calculator.
Where B337 fits
The Terminal puts greyhound and harness meetings on one racing board, each bookmaker in its own column beside exchange back and lay, so you can add up an FFA's book. Prices come from 40+ bookmakers across racing and sports on a repeating cycle, so confirm one with your bookmaker before you bet. A free account opens a limited view of the Terminal with live odds.
Risk: Betting involves risk. A lower overround is not a winning bet, and the best runner in an FFA can still lose. See responsible gambling for limits and support.