You may not think there is much in the draw for a race like the Arc. The field breaks with a long, slightly uphill run ahead of them, in theory giving plenty of time to get organised before the first sweeping bend.
Only getting a good position is crucial to any horse’s chances, and the small edge of a good draw can have a noticeable effect on the outcome.
Since 1988, 24 of the 38 winners (63 per cent) have come from the neighbourhood of stalls two to seven. These stalls save ground and let jockeys pick their optimum place in the pack as the field turns out of the back straight, and organises for the denouement on the false straight.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in