Horses for courses

The old adage 'Horses for Courses', can still prove useful in assessing a horse's form. If a horse has previously won at a certain course, it can be a good general indicator of its favour for the course - the shape, the orientation and the setting.

But what is it that gives a horse a liking for a particular racetrack? Most of the literature on this subject points to the same conclusion, which is that for the most part it is a mystery. The only way this mystery could ever be solved would be by talking to a horse to find out what they think.

Despite this, there are certain areas worthy of study that may provide some kind of insight into how you can expect a horse to perform at a track. At the bottom of the race guide you will usually find information relating to how a horse did at a particular track in previous races. This should provide some sort of indication of how the horse may fare in the future.

Another area to look at is whether a certain horse has a liking, or an aversion, to a left or right hand track. For instance there are countless examples of horses who would hang to the left as part of their individual running style. Naturally, on a course that bears right these horses would often prove less than outstanding. On a course that bears left however, they could be champions.

Another important aspect of the relationship between horse and course is the horse’s stamina and how that relates to a particular track. A horse that can barely run a mile on a short track, will almost certainly not be capable of exceeding seven furlongs on a tough galloping course like Aintree. It is for these reasons that, in order to win it is important to know the characteristics of different racecourses around the country. This knowledge will provide a platform from which to judge what type of course a particular horse prefers.

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