Race riding tactics

[Supermaster]

I was thinking this would be about tactics in general, so no slagging off a jockey for a particular ride please, although you could use illustrative examples of good practice to make your point.

One thing that has puzzled me for quite a good while is this idea that a horse that makes the running will tire in the closing stages and be passed by the hold up horses

Even if the runners are quite well strung out the distance between the first and last horse is pretty small compared to the length of a NH race - at least 2 miles

So is it the fact that the lead horses face greater wind resistance, and also there's the idea that animals with a herd instinct don't like being out on their own for too long.

What is clear is that some horses prefer to be held up and others prefer to make the running. If you watch the same horse in different CD races they invariably plot a similar route each time - due to horse and/or jockey.

To my thinking being in front can offer some definite advantages: dictate the pace of the race, not be brought down, clear sight of fences etc. though there is more chance of being interfered with by a loose horse

I also have a subjective impression that horses that make the running are doing better in recent years - superior fitness levels?

[FinalFurlong91]

"One thing that has puzzled me for quite a good while is this idea that a horse that makes the running will tire in the closing stages and be passed by the hold up horses"

This only happens if their is competition for the lead and the front runner or runners go faster than they want to, they are running too fast and will suffer at the end setting it up for the closers

if they get a freebie like frodon in the king George and get to dictate a pace they are comfortable with then they can be hard to pass

[Supermaster]

Thanks for responding FinalFurlong91. My point is that often the distance from first to last doesn't change that much during a race and is much less than the distance of the race. So in actuality all the horses are running at virtually the same speed throughout the race.