What the pattern suggests
This is a very surprising result, with a massive bias favouring low-drawn numbers seeming to exist. Ripon is quite a tight right-handed course, and low numbers are on the inside, which could explain this. Ripon is also thought to be a front-runners' course, which would tie in with low-drawn runners being able to get the lead.
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: From 30 March 2011, stall numbering on right-handed courses changed so that stall 1 is always on the inside. Earlier Ripon results in the chart have been converted to the modern numbering convention.
Historical winning-stall chart
|
WINNING STALL NUMBER |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 11 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 9 | x1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
H'caps Only 2024 - 2025 |
||||||||||||||
| 10 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 11 |
||||||||||||||
| 11 | 1111 | 111 | 111 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 1111 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
|||||||||||||||
| 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 14 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | 11 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 11 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 13 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
|
4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
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
A very surprising result with a massive bias favouring low drawn numbers seeming to exist. Ripon is quite a tight right handed course and low numbers are on the inside which could explain this. Ripon is also thought to be a front runners course which would tie in with low drawn runners being able to get the lead.