Shaun,
Is this the info you are trying to extract? (stats from 1st runner Blinkin Easy)
I'm not quite sure what you mean by "it gets all messed up over 10 starts"?

My excel web queries are a bit rusty but vb2010 is pretty close:

1. extract Dis = "13:2-1-3" using Instr()
2. Career()=Split(Dis,":") giving Career(0)="13" & Career(1)="2-1-3"
3. Place()=split(Career(1),"-") so Place(0)="2" Place(1)="1" Place(2)="3"


Is this what you are trying to do and having troubles when runs at distance > 9 , Good=31...etc?

Probably need a little more info to give any further help

cheers