Lingfield draw bias (all weather)

Gently sloping, 1.2 mile semi-triangular course with tight bends, using Polytrack (freshly renewed in 2009). The configuration is apt to promote a muddling, tactical pace.

The Lingfield all weather track is the 7th hardest course in the country to win from the front (less than 10% of races here are won in this way). Because of this Mark Johnston initially found things difficult here, but has successfully adapted his approach.

Winners tend to come up the middle to stands' side in the straight - which is why a tight inside rails draw is not necessarily helpful over sprint distances. An ability to settle and a sharp turn of foot are the prime attributes needed on the Lingfield polytrack. It is not a good venue for inexperienced jockeys.

Jockeys naturally adapt over time to a draw bias, so we have focussed on the last 2 years' results - to challenge existing opinions and to make the data as current as possible, but cross checking results over longer periods.

Percentages are wins to runs, to 06/01/2010:

5fl 0yds - stalls position HIGH

Stalls 3 to 6 enjoy a significant advantage. Those drawn in stall 1 or stalls 8-9 are at a significant disadvantage. Stalls 7 & 2 are broadly neutral. There is an anomaly regarding stall 10 which is the 3rd most successful overall, and which also holds true over 5 years+.

Best stalls: 3 to 6 (average 15.81%), also stall 10 (16.3%)
Worst stalls: 9 (5.4%), 8 (8.1%), 1 (8.4%)
Neutral stalls: 7 (9.8%), 2 (11.9%)

Std-slow: avoid stall 7 or above
Std-fast: results become erratic
Slow: avoid stall 7 or above

6fl 0yds - stalls position LOW

Stalls 2 & 3 do best, other stalls are broadly neutral except stalls 1 and 12. Stall 1 has been particularly poor recently - in 2009 stall 1 was 2-89 (2.2%). Of the 'neutral' stalls, stall 6 is borderline (although better long term), but in recent years has been two points below average and worse again in 2009, returning 5-84 (6.0%).

Best stalls: 2 (16.0%), 3 (14.1%)
Worst Stalls: 1 (6.4%), 12 (7.0%)
Neutral stalls: 4 to 11 (average 10.73%) - note concerns re: stall 6

Std-slow: avoid stall 10 and above
Std-fast: results become erratic
Slow: insufficient data

7fl 0yds - stalls position LOW

No draw bias