Dubai World Cup: How you win a race from difficult gates

Starting stalls or gates are the equivalent of the starting blocks in athletics and the grid in Formula 1 racing. They provide the system by which all the competitors are assured an even, level and fair start. In theory, that should be true but horses being horses, a flight animal, the theory does not always work out as one would like.

A runner knows he has to keep his feet motionless on the blocks or the sensors will signal a pre-emptive movement resulting in immediate disqualification.

Formula 1 drivers have to earn their position on the grid during the course of several practice days leading up to the race.

In horse racing, the spot (number) in the gate is decided by way of a ‘draw’, as with a lottery ticket!

So there you have it, all the hard work, sweat and tears in the build-up to any race can be dismissed, with just the roll of a dice!

Each year millions of pounds, dollars and yen are invested in the thoroughbred bloodstock industry.

But the success or the failure of that investment is influenced by a method similar to a child’s monopoly game.

Horses, like humans, have different preferences in their lives. Some like company and others prefer to keep their distance, a little aloof maybe. One may be a bully and the other can easily be intimidated by even the quietest of horses, never mind the bullies.

As with humans, there are leaders, there are followers and there are those who just like to be with the crowd.

So you can begin to visualise how a starting gate position can have a huge influence on an individual’s performance in any given race. A suitable gate number on one day that results in a win can be flipped on its head in the next race by a different gate position.

The author is a former Derby-winning trainer and the mother of world-renowned jockeys James and Sophie Doyle