| I feel the need the need for speed | | | | most likely be looking at the winner as he will be able |
| Remember that line from Top Gun? A great line from | | | | to dictate the pace and when he quickens at the end |
| a great film. Ok, maybe not so great a film but still a | | | | of the race he will be difficult to catch. |
| great line. | | | | But what about big field handicaps |
| But does it work for horse racing? Does the fastest | | | | Things change in favour of the fast horse when he is |
| horse always win? | | | | faced with big field handicaps. The pace is usually |
| The answer simply is no. It does not always work and | | | | frenetic which allows the horse with the high cruising |
| no the fastest horse does not always win. | | | | speed to lay up with the pace and because they are |
| But why? If a horse is faster than the other horses in | | | | already going a strong pace he/she does not have to |
| the race, should it not automatically be the best horse | | | | quicken all that much to reach top speed. The only |
| in the race? Once again no. The reason lies in tactics | | | | other factors to take into consideration here are |
| and the need for some horses to lie up behind horses. | | | | weight and ground conditions. The weight a horse has |
| To be covered up. I'm sure you have heard race | | | | to carry in relation to the weight carried by the other |
| commentators saying this time and time again. | | | | horses in the race is a crucial factor, as weight in a |
| This is a requirement of all too many horses. | | | | fast run race becomes a greater issue and a few |
| Remember horses are herd animals and their instinct is | | | | pounds wrong here or there can be the difference |
| to run with the herd. It is often apparent that a horse | | | | between winning and losing. |
| performs best when it is covered up during a race. | | | | The ground conditions also have a major bearing on a |
| Once it is exposed it runs green or expends a huge | | | | horses ability to run at its fastest pace. Quick ground |
| amount of nervous energy which causes the animal to | | | | favours top of the ground horses and naturally enough |
| under perform and lose the race. | | | | it is while the ground is quick that the fastest times are |
| Another disadvantage of having a horse that requires | | | | clocked while soft ground favours horses with better |
| to be covered up is that the pace of the race can be | | | | stamina but the times clocked will be much slower. |
| slow, especially in small fields, which allows less | | | | Keep track of horses who clock fast times and note |
| talented competitors to be in with a chance in the final | | | | the ground conditions and field sizes that they are |
| furlong. When a race develops into a sprint in the last | | | | made in. Make up an excel file and make a list of the |
| couple of furlongs, a lot depends on the gaps coming | | | | top 100 horses for the following ground conditions. |
| at the right time and so it is not always the fastest | | | | 1. Gd to Firm |
| horse that wins the race but the horse who can | | | | 2. Good |
| quicken the best off the slow pace and/or the horse | | | | 3. Gd to Soft |
| that gets the first run. | | | | 4. Softand break each ground condition into two field |
| You have to understand that there is a major | | | | sizes 10 runners or less and 10 runners plus. This will |
| difference between a horse who can cover 5 furlongs | | | | help you to make better judgment calls when working |
| the fastest and a horse who can quicken appreciably | | | | out the probable winner of any race. |
| in the last couple of furlongs off a slow pace. | | | | You can get the speed figures directly from the |
| On the one hand you have a horse who can maintain | | | | Racing Post website or you can buy them privately. A |
| a very fast pace but who may not have the ability to | | | | very good source of accurate and reasonably priced |
| change gears and accelerate at the end of a race. (If | | | | speed figures can be bought at Alternatively you can |
| you can find a horse who can do this pay special | | | | make your speed ratings. I won't get into how to go |
| attention as you will have found a real money spinner.) | | | | about that in this article. I will save that for another time. |
| On the other hand you have a horse who cannot | | | | Understanding how fast a horse runs especially on UK |
| maintain a very fast pace but who can change gears | | | | tracks where the variations make it incredibly difficult |
| and accelerate at the end of slow run race. This | | | | to get to grips with the true facts, can be very |
| allows a slower horse to win in tactically run slow | | | | rewarding financially when you get it right. Take the |
| races. Any race with six or less runners runs the risk | | | | time to get to grips with speed and tactical variations |
| of being tactical. Look for a front runner who has | | | | that come with field size and horse types. It will be |
| clocked a fast time or who has the proven ability to | | | | worth it. |
| quicken appreciably at the end of a race. You will | | | | |