Horse Fall Frequency in Jump Racing - A Deep Dive

Winning a horse race involves more than just luck; the weather conditions, form of the horse, and competing runners are vital, especially if a horse stumbles – its chances are dashed.

Horses falling during races is common, yet many novice punters overlook the likelihood of a potential fall when choosing their bets.

Topics covered in this piece include:

1. An exploration of various types of horse races and their influence on the probability of a horse falling
2. How often horses fall
3. How to obtain compensation for bets when a horse takes a tumble

Types of Horse Races

Different races exist but the notable classifications are flat and jump races.

Flat Races

In a flat race, the absence of obstacles significantly narrows the risk of a fall. The rare slip in flat races generally doesn't warrant concern.

Jumps Races

When navigating jumps, should the horse misjudge its leap or land poorly, both it and the jockey could go down.

Jumps in races vary in size – larger, challenging hurdles mean higher chances of falls.

Hurdles

Obstacles in hurdle races are smaller, meaning fewer falls compared to other jumping events.

Chases

Steeplechase races feature towering fences that are tricky to clear, increasing the possibility of a jockey getting unseated or a horse falling.

How Often Do Horses Fall?

The following table outlines faller rates among British race participants from 2004-2019.

As illustrated, Britain's jump race falls have remarkably declined. There's been a substantial 33% drop in fall rates over two decades!

Why Are Less Horses Falling?

This decrease in race falls arises from proactive safety enhancements to fences and tracks for the protection of horses and riders.

For instance, in the landmark year 2012, thirty new safety procedures were integrated into the Grand National framework.

• More forgiving fences
• Safety innovations like fence leveling aid horses in smoother jumps and landings, while the introduction of padded hurdles in 2014 at several venues led to a 15% fall rate reduction by 2017.
• Improvements to the ground

Several factors – course design, race conditions, rider skill, and jump difficulty – impact race falls.

The legendary Grand National, held annually in April, covers 4 miles and entails 30 demanding jumps, resulting in many fallers. Back in 1984, just 23 out of 40 finished, whereas 1928 recorded a mere two!

During the Cheltenham Festival, 28 races unfold over four days: 13 chase events, 13 hurdles, and 'bumpers', attracting great interest. Aintree Racecourse In 2019, 498 competitors in 28 races witnessed 20 falls, translating to just above 4%. Eight of those were in an amateur event, possibly influencing this rate.

Various factors may increase fall probability during a race, such as:

The nature of the jumps – larger in chases and smaller in hurdles. The National Hunt Chase Our expert racing tipsters meticulously evaluate these dynamics when crafting their guidance.

offers cashback if your horse trips in a race, sometimes extending to incidents of unseating.

• Under particular conditions, horses generally don't fall frequently, but if the race conditions are adverse and a bookie promises refunds, it could be advantageous. A Grand National refund offer is appealing, given its completion rate below 57.5%, with a historic low in 1928.
• The number of obstacles to be jumped
• The conditions of the course
• The experience level of the jockey
• How competent the horse is at jumping

Selective jumps races may feature specific fall refund promotions from bookmakers like Grand National tips each year.