Horse racing is one of the UK’s most popular and historic sports. With either flat or jump race meetings taking place almost every day of the year, there is plenty of top racing action for everyone to enjoy.
What makes horse racing so exciting is that there are so many different variables. Factors such as field size, distance, ground type, and form can all play a key role in whether a horse will succeed or not.
To limit the impact that some of these factors can play, many sports have turned towards using enhanced data and technology.
The rise of data analytics has changed the face of sport, and horse racing is one sport where data is now playing a pivotal role. It can aid trainers and owners identify how they can improve their horses, or even determine what horses to buy.
With data helping take horse racing into the future, in this article we will look at the different ways how data analytics and horse racing look set to continue to work together.
Why data matters in horse racing?
Simply put, data helps look beyond the facts. When a horse suffers a defeat, data can examine why and how the defeat occurred and what can be done to improve on that result in the future.
Let’s examine the most prestigious jump race at the Cheltenham Festival – The Gold Cup as a prime example.
It isn’t uncommon for a horse who is at the top level to run in the Gold Cup numerous times and depending on the result, data will be used to try and squeak out some additional improvement every time they participate.
With the click of a button, a trainer can look at a horse’s record over the distance and determine what areas can be improved. Questions such as where is the horse losing touch? Can be heavily investigated and variables such as furlong times and splits can be forensically measured. Depending on the results, specific parts of the race can be targeted, and specific training can be implemented in an attempt to boost overall performance.
Cheltenham is famed for its famous hill, positioned just before the finish line. Any horse that wants to win at the Cheltenham Festival must have enough in the tank to conquer the gruelling finish. Trainers can look at the data and see the times that victorious horses have been able to record and can compare those times to their own horses. Depending on the outcome, trainers can once again factor this into a horse’s training and overall strategy.
Other crucial factors such as the type of ground a horse encounters can also be measured. With heavier conditions resulting in slower overall times, data scenarios can be run which can help suggest which times a horse may need to run in order to be successful.
Based on the ground conditions, data can also determine which opposing horses will thrive and who will struggle. Horses who were previously not considered as threats could be viewed as major contenders due to the fact they will now be running on ground they love.
Can data be used to identify future champions?
Trainers and owners will always have one eye on the future and much work goes into identifying the next breed of future champions.
The purchasing of horses certainly isn’t the cheapest and the very best horses can fetch millions at the sales.
However for those unable to spend at the very top table, data can help unlock some hidden gems and can play a huge role in the buying process. With data having the ability to go back in time, extensive analysis can be done on potential broodmares and stallions. The number of successful foals they have produced, the optimum distance and average speed figures off their previous foals can all be deduced from data and give a paint a real picture over what any young horse could go onto achieve.
Data can help provide an edge and can effectively whittle down a potential pool of horses to just a select few. With owners looking for the best possible horse that their budgets can afford, the effective use of data will greatly increase the chances of buying not only the best horse but the right one.
The relationship between horse racing and data is only set to grow further. With data becoming more sophisticated and some of the world’s biggest operations now employing data specialists, the sport of kings has been brought into the new age.
