Track Pace Bias: 6f

One of the complexities of betting on British horse racing is the nature of the tracks. Every racecourse is different, with variations in the number of bends, inclines and the surface. 

The aim of this investigation is to ascertain whether some tracks favour early pace more than others.

We have examined all 6f races on every UK track from 2000 to 2012, recording the number of horses who ‘made all’. The simple theory being the higher percentage of horses that ‘make all’ the more the track favours early speed.

Percentage of horses that have Made All over 6f.

The first thing to notice is the probability of making all over 6f is much lower than it is over 5f. However, there is also variation in the power of early speed by track.

Chester has one of the highest percentages of horses ‘making all’ almost certainly because of its turning track and short home straight.

Hamilton has the highest win percentage of all the tracks, which is surprising as it is regarded as a stiff track that should favour horses coming from off the pace.

It is difficult to make all on the straight tracks of Doncaster and Ascot but again this might be down to the large fields rather than an inherent track bias.