How to get the right forms value from a button click - php

Question

Overview of what my question is:
I have an array that is populated via XML inputs, and from this I am the using it to populate a web form with form controls. From here I want to be able to select the exact form that is clicked, but to do that I need to give the controls some form of unique identifier, which is an issue...
As the site is of a betting nature and I am currently working with horse racing, each horse is given a unique identifier by default, I have tried to add this identifier to the forms.
e.g:
<?php
//Values from feed examples: 123, 234, 345
$valuesFromFeed = array(123, 234, 345); //These are not in my code, they are values from the XML feed
while ($uniqueIdentifier = $valueFromFeed) {
<form name="horse_<?php echo $uniqueIdentifier; ?>_frm" action="#">
<input type="hidden" name="horse_<?php echo $uniqueIdentifier; ?>" />
<input type="button" value="Place bet" />
</form>
}
?>
But then the problem comes when I try to reference this name of "horse_123", I need to know exactly what the value of that name is, which is impossible as there are millions of horses, tracks and races.
Example of trying to get post:
<?php
if (isset($_POST['horse_' . $uniqueIdetifier])) {
echo "You got the right thing here.";
} else {
echo "Still no joy.";
}
?>
The issue with the code above, is that once the $uniqueIdentifier has been used in the while above, it is removed and is no longer usable in this scope.
So to conclude, my point and question:
How do I get the correct name from the form in a submit for the specific horse that I wish to reference and get information on?
How do I use this information as I need to?
Better Description:
I have been given an XML feed and site as part of a handover, this feed contains many hundreds of races and horses.
When this information is loaded into the page, it is also stored in a database on the server, as well as sending it through some different loops (which are messy, but someone else's code I'm trying to clean up!) which split it down and then make up a dynamic menu containing all the races, horses, odds and information. (All information on a single horse within a race is kept in one form)
Next to the information stated in the prior paragraph, is 2 buttons, one that allows the user to take odds and another that allows users to take starting price.
On either of these button clicks, I need the information attached to said horse, and then populate a betting slip. In the form (mentioned above) the name is "horse_<?php echo $uniqueIdentifier; ?>_frm".
The problem that occurs to me is, yes data is stored on the server when it is loaded, that I cannot seem to get the right form via the unique identifier that is put into the form name
Edits
Added form surrounding my input as this is there, I just missed it in original question
Added the button that transmits data to where I need it
Added a better description of my problem

Answer 1

You can use multiple forms, one for each horse. Each form has a different action, where the URL includes the id of the horse. For example:
<form action="/horses/my_unique_horse_name">
...
</form>
<form action="/horses/another_horse_name">
...
</form>
Or you could have multiple forms all with the same action, with a hidden field for the name of the horse:
<form action="/horses/">
<input type="hidden" value="my_unique_horse_name">
</form>
<form action="/horses/">
<input type="hidden" value="another_horse_name">
</form>
Alternatively, you could have a button for each horse:
<form method="/horses/">
<button type="submit" value="my_unique_horse_name">My Horse</button>
<button type="submit" value="another_horse_name">Another Horse</button>
</form>
Beyond that, I don't entirely understand the problem. What kind of data are you submitting and retrieving?