What the pattern suggests
These results only take into account the period since the course was re-opened in 2005, so there isn't a great deal of data. However, this small sample suggests a surprisingly large bias favouring high-drawn runners over five furlongs at Doncaster. As other distance analysis tends to confirm, the stands side is definitely the place to be, with the highest-drawn runner winning nearly a third of the races over 5 furlongs.
How to read the chart
Each mark represents a winning stall number plotted against the total number of runners. This reveals whether winners repeatedly cluster towards the low, middle or high side.
The source chart covers horses aged three and older in handicaps from 2024–2025.
Stall-numbering note: Stalls at Doncaster are always positioned on the inside of the track.
Historical winning-stall chart
|
WINNING STALL NUMBER |
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | ||
| No
of R U N N E R S |
8 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | x1 | 11 | 1 |
H'caps Only 2024 - 2025 |
|||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 1 | 1 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 111 | 1 | 111 | 1 | 1 | 11 | |||||||||||||||
| 13 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 16 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||
| 18 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
2 |
|
3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
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How to use the bias
- Pace: identify where the likely early leaders are drawn and which runners can secure a good position.
- Going: consider whether the inside or outside is riding faster on the day.
- Field size: draw effects are often more meaningful when runners are crowded into larger fields.
- Recent evidence: rail movements, watering and weather can alter the effective bias.
Conclusion
These results only take into account since the course was re-opened in 2005 hence their not being that many, however this small sample size suggests a surprisingly large bias favouring high drawn runners at Doncaster over 5 furlongs. As the other distance analysis tends to back up the stands side is definitely the place to be. With the highest drawn runner winning nearly a third of the races over 5 furlongs at Doncaster.