RatingTheRaces
Draw Bias · Right-handed · Turf

Ripon draw bias

What each part of the draw has really been worth at Ripon, 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-high draws have cost 1.73L per run over 12f to 15f, across 220 runs.

The whole picture, every trip

Every stalled run at Ripon 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-0.00L2,068
Low-middle+0.35L2,112
Middle-0.20L2,161
Middle-high-0.18L2,107
High+0.05L2,069

Over 5f to 6f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.60L1,089
Low-middle-0.12L1,087
Middle-0.17L1,113
Middle-high+0.33L1,089
High+0.57L1,091

On firm ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.34L114
Low-middle-0.73L113
Middle-0.36L113
Middle-high+0.45L114
High+0.30L113

On good ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.42L818
Low-middle-0.08L812
Middle+0.02L848
Middle-high+0.06L814
High+0.42L821

On soft ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-2.20L157
Low-middle+0.06L162
Middle-1.13L152
Middle-high+1.60L161
High+1.59L157

Fields of 2-7 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.51L194
Low-middle-0.15L279
Middle+0.15L270
Middle-high-0.09L280
High+0.65L194

Fields of 8-11 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.98L580
Low-middle+0.19L488
Middle-0.07L541
Middle-high+0.62L488
High+0.36L580

Fields of 12-15 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.30L228
Low-middle-0.26L231
Middle-0.56L211
Middle-high+0.35L230
High+0.71L230

Over 7f to 8f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.84L364
Low-middle-0.23L380
Middle-0.57L376
Middle-high+0.19L380
High-0.21L366

On good ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.89L280
Low-middle-0.67L289
Middle-0.50L297
Middle-high+0.17L290
High+0.15L282

Fields of 2-7 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-middle-0.42L121
Middle-0.34L103
Middle-high+0.30L121

Fields of 8-11 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.67L186
Low-middle-0.45L156
Middle-0.79L180
Middle-high+0.15L157
High+0.34L188

Over 9f to 11f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+1.24L324
Low-middle+1.42L345
Middle-0.65L355
Middle-high-1.02L344
High-0.97L321

On good ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+1.00L240
Low-middle+1.50L246
Middle-1.03L262
Middle-high-1.25L246
High-0.13L237

Fields of 2-7 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+1.39L116
Low-middle+1.46L170
Middle-0.30L159
Middle-high-0.94L170
High-1.75L115

Fields of 8-11 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+1.38L180
Low-middle+1.77L144
Middle-1.12L170
Middle-high-1.34L144
High-0.67L179

Over 12f to 15f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.16L219
Low-middle+1.19L225
Middle+0.76L239
Middle-high-1.73L220
High-0.47L218

On good ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.79L178
Low-middle+0.66L184
Middle+1.37L192
Middle-high-1.21L179
High-0.15L177

Fields of 2-7 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-middle+0.20L122
Middle+3.12L116
Middle-high-0.32L119

Fields of 8-11 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.31L110
Middle-1.13L105
High+1.03L110

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 Ripon. A front runner drawn low and one drawn wide are not the same bet, and no course average says so.

DrawLedProminentMidfieldHeld up
Low23.2% of 35811.7% of 6589.5% of 4315.8% of 583
Low-middle24.9% of 31712.9% of 6609.4% of 4985.4% of 607
Middle21.6% of 35713.7% of 68010.5% of 4465.3% of 641
Middle-high24.1% of 34911.3% of 6228.7% of 4716.4% of 643
High24.0% of 38810.8% of 60113.6% of 3976.5% of 659

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 Ripon 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.