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 1.53L per run over 12f to 15f, across 218 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-0.03L2,053
Low-middle+0.32L2,096
Middle-0.18L2,147
Middle-high-0.17L2,091
High+0.05L2,054

Over 5f to 6f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.59L1,078
Low-middle-0.14L1,075
Middle-0.17L1,103
Middle-high+0.32L1,077
High+0.58L1,080

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-0.40L807
Low-middle-0.09L800
Middle+0.03L838
Middle-high+0.04L802
High+0.42L810

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-0.95L574
Low-middle+0.16L482
Middle-0.08L535
Middle-high+0.60L482
High+0.39L574

Fields of 12-15 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-0.30L223
Low-middle-0.23L225
Middle-0.52L207
Middle-high+0.34L224
High+0.67L225

Over 7f to 8f

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.83L363
Low-middle-0.24L379
Middle-0.55L374
Middle-high+0.20L379
High-0.22L365

On good ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low+0.88L279
Low-middle-0.69L288
Middle-0.47L295
Middle-high+0.19L289
High+0.13L281

Fields of 2-7 runners

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-middle-0.46L120
Middle-0.26L101
Middle-high+0.35L120

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-0.06L217
Low-middle+1.10L223
Middle+0.77L238
Middle-high-1.53L218
High-0.37L216

On good ground

DrawLengths vs field averageRuns
Low-1.07L176
Low-middle+0.53L182
Middle+1.38L191
Middle-high-0.96L177
High-0.01L175

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-0.76L108
Middle-1.15L104
High+1.27L108

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 35711.6% of 6569.6% of 4265.9% of 576
Low-middle24.8% of 31512.9% of 6599.4% of 4905.5% of 602
Middle21.7% of 35513.7% of 67910.7% of 4385.3% of 638
Middle-high24.3% of 34611.3% of 6178.8% of 4666.4% of 641
High23.3% of 38210.8% of 60013.6% of 3916.5% of 657

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.