RatingTheRaces
Draw Bias · Left-handed · Turf

Brighton draw bias

What each part of the draw has really been worth at Brighton, in lengths against the field average, measured from every Flat race here since 2014. Positive figures finish closer to the winner than the field does; negative ones give lengths away at the stalls.

The strongest measured effect: Middle draws have been worth +2.24L per run over 12f to 15f, across 225 runs.

The whole picture, every trip

Every stalled run at Brighton together. The trip tables below tell the finer story: a bias at 5f can vanish, or flip, at a mile.

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.40L2,180
Low-middle-0.13L2,236
Middle+0.27L2,310
Middle-high+0.11L2,228
High+0.14L2,177

Over 5f to 6f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.25L640
Low-middle+0.33L655
Middle-0.08L716
Middle-high-0.08L654
High-0.42L638

On firm ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.34L330
Low-middle+0.43L343
Middle+0.10L374
Middle-high-0.23L341
High-0.66L328

On good ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.14L259
Low-middle+0.40L258
Middle-0.24L281
Middle-high+0.25L259
High-0.53L260

Fields of 2-7 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.33L268
Low-middle+0.47L349
Middle-0.11L366
Middle-high-0.16L350
High-0.57L268

Fields of 8-11 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.11L306
Low-middle+0.26L236
Middle-0.10L283
Middle-high-0.05L234
High-0.18L304

Over 7f to 8f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.37L996
Low-middle-0.40L1,021
Middle+0.10L1,019
Middle-high+0.15L1,018
High+0.51L996

On firm ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.26L529
Low-middle-0.08L546
Middle+0.03L549
Middle-high-0.21L541
High+0.53L528

On good ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.79L396
Low-middle-0.56L397
Middle+0.01L395
Middle-high+0.53L398
High+0.81L397

Fields of 2-7 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.93L250
Low-middle+0.36L345
Middle+0.12L335
Middle-high-0.27L344
High+0.64L250

Fields of 8-11 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.21L550
Low-middle-0.97L463
Middle+0.19L501
Middle-high+0.05L462
High+0.39L551

Fields of 12-15 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.92L184
Low-middle-0.38L201
Middle-0.45L167
Middle-high+1.15L200
High+0.49L183

Over 9f to 11f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.59L337
Low-middle+0.21L340
Middle+0.19L350
Middle-high+0.42L340
High-0.25L335

On firm ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-1.74L168
Low-middle+0.46L165
Middle+1.30L182
Middle-high+0.34L165
High-0.45L167

On good ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.47L143
Low-middle+0.26L150
Middle-1.27L142
Middle-high+0.53L150
High-0.03L142

Fields of 2-7 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-middle+0.42L122
Middle+0.02L129
Middle-high+0.14L122

Fields of 8-11 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.00L182
Low-middle-0.03L153
Middle+0.11L163
Middle-high-0.16L153
High+0.06L180

Over 12f to 15f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-2.24L207
Low-middle-0.80L220
Middle+2.24L225
Middle-high-0.02L216
High+0.67L208

On firm ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.99L107
Low-middle-0.70L119
Middle+1.11L122
Middle-high+0.51L117
High-0.05L108

Fields of 2-7 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-middle-0.54L104
Middle+1.81L103
Middle-high-1.23L103

Fields of 8-11 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-3.22L111
Middle+2.26L102
High+1.10L113

Run styles from each part of the draw

Win rates for horses ridden in each early-position style from each part of the draw at Brighton. A front runner drawn low and one drawn wide are not the same bet, and no course average says so.

DrawLedProminentMidfieldHeld up
Low16.1% of 41714.7% of 61910.1% of 52410.1% of 544
Low-middle21.1% of 37412.7% of 67811.6% of 4988.8% of 593
Middle21.6% of 36512.2% of 64811.3% of 52910.5% of 664
Middle-high17.6% of 31314.6% of 6529.7% of 5368.3% of 651
High20.7% of 34312.9% of 58012.5% of 45710.4% of 703

How to read these figures

The draw is read as a rank among the stalls actually occupied, cut into five bands from Low to High, so an 8-runner field and a 20-runner field compare honestly. Fallers and horses pulled up carry no beaten distance and are left out of their race’s average, races with fewer than 5 stalled runners are skipped, and a figure is only published where at least 100 runs sit behind it. The full method is on the draw bias index.

This is on every Brighton racecard

Premium members get the draw read per stall on the card itself, next to the ratings, the pace map and each horse’s own running style. Five days free, no card.