From the Starting Gates to the Finish Line

by Tiffanie BEURTEY-LARA

🐴 I recently had the opportunity to chat with Jane Williams, who's an expert on horse performance - Head of Research and an Associate Professor at Hartpury University - and a huge horse lover.

We talked about the research she conducted with Isobel Wells and Hayley Randle : "Does the Start of Flat Races Influence Racehorse Race Performance" ?

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What Jane found during her investigation is fascinating. 🤩

⏱ She discovered that horses that spend less than 50 seconds inside the starting stalls are more likely to win or finish in the top three.

😌 Horses showing no adverse behavior prior to loading were also more likely to win or place first to third respectively

💦 And get that : very sweaty horses were more likely to win !

🧍‍♂As for jockeys, statistics say that those who push their bodyweight forwards during loading have a better chance of placing well too!

What is there for horse trainers and organizers : this research highlights how important warm-up protocols and gate training are to maintain horse racing integrity.

These findings, with additional future studies, could lead to significant changes in horse racing rules and regulations.