Whether you're a seasoned bettor or new to the sport, understanding the patterns behind winning horses and jockeys can give you an edge. From the ideal age for a racehorse to the jersey colours that seem to bring the most luck, our research offers insights beyond chance.
The team at Spin Genie UK have explored the factors that are thought to contribute to horse racing success. If you want to improve your betting chances, these findings might just increase your odds of backing a winner.
How old are the luckiest horses?
We analysed horse race winners over the last 25 years and found the average winning age is 6.42. The youngest winners were all seen in the Arc de Triomphe, with 12 three-year-old horses winning the race since 2000. The oldest champion, Amberleigh House, won the 2004 Grand National at 12 years old.
Green is the luckiest horse jockey jersey colour
Many bettors consider the jockey’s jersey colour when placing a bet, often backing what they believe to be lucky colours. Although this may seem insignificant to a horse’s success, our research revealed that green and blue appeared most frequently on winning jockeys' jerseys.
In the past 25 years, over 40 winners from races like the Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup, Kentucky Derby, Ascot Gold Cup, and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe wore green or blue. Green stood out, featuring on more than a third (35.77%) of the winners' jerseys.
Plain jockey jerseys bring the most luck
We also examined whether a jockey’s jersey pattern affects race outcomes. The patterns on racing silks actually represent the owner of the horse, rather than the jockey, and are used to easily differentiate which horses belong to which owner. Surprisingly, plain jerseys top the list for luck, with 41 wins in major races over the past 25 years. That represents a third (33.33%) of all winners.
Horizontal stripes come next with 13 wins, followed by star patterns with nine wins. Chevron, quartered, and diagonal stripe patterns tied, each contributing to seven wins.
The jockey names with the most wins
Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori is a legendary jockey known for his longevity and success in the sport. With 11 major wins, he leads the pack as the most successful jockey in this analysis. This includes six wins at the Ascot Gold Cup and five at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Each win was with a different horse, aside from Stradivarius, who achieved three consecutive victories at the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Ascot Gold Cup, and Enable, who won the 2017 and 2018 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. His iconic "flying dismount" celebration has become a signature move.
Ryan follows with seven wins, six of which are attributed to Ryan Moore, who is widely celebrated for his calm demeanour and tactical riding style. Paul and Johnny share third place, each with five wins. Ruby, Jim, and Kieren round out the top five, each with four race wins.
Chorisbar is the racehorse with the most wins of all time
Chorisbar is the most successful racehorse with the most wins in horse racing history, achieving an astounding 197 victories. Foaled in 1935 in Puerto Rico, Chorisbar won 324 races between 1937 and 1947 and is the Guinness World Record holder for the most career wins. Chorisbar's long career made the horse a legend in racing, competing at top levels across numerous seasons.
Yaucono comes in second with 160 wins, followed by Condado with 152. Galgo Jr and Lenoxbar complete the list with 137 and 132 wins, respectively. All five horses with the most race wins of all time were Puerto Rican and were widely considered natural treasures.
Winx is the highest-earning racehorse of all time
Winx is a retired racing legend from Australia. She is known for her 33-race winning streak from May 2015 to April 2019. Her earnings of almost £14.6 million to date make her the highest-earning racehorse in history. Winx dominated races like the prestigious Cox Plate, which she won four consecutive times. Her career was characterised by consistency, and she became a fan favourite due to her versatility on the track.
In second place is Arrogate, an American thoroughbred who earned over £13.6 million. His major wins included the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Dubai World Cup, where he showcased his power and running ability.
Almond Eye, a Japanese horse with over £13.1 million in earnings, is a superstar in Japan, winning major races such as the Japan Cup twice. Thunder Snow, with earnings of almost £12.7 million, is known worldwide for being the first horse to win the Dubai World Cup twice. The US Hall-of-Fame Thoroughbred Gun Runner earned over £12.2 million and performed as a top American racehorse. He was known for winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Pegasus World Cup.
Methodology
We looked at the winners of the Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup, Kentucky Derby, Ascot Gold Cup, and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe since 2020. For each race, we sourced the winning horse, jockey name, horse age, jersey colours, and jersey pattern.
We sourced the winning horse names, jockey names, and horse ages using the Grand National, Racing Post, the Kentucky Derby, World of Horses, and Racing and Sports. We sourced jersey colours and jersey patterns using Racing Post. All data is accurate as of 11/10/2024.
Note that winning ages from the Kentucky Derby were excluded due to the race being restricted to three-year-old horses. No data was recorded for races that did not take place, including the 2020 Grand National and the 2001 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
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