How Age Affects A Thoroughbred's Racing Performance

How age affects a thoroughbred's racing performance

Ireland is the home of some of the best thoroughbreds in the world. It has a reputation for having many of the very best stables, trainers and jockeys. All race horses that originate in northern hemisphere countries like Ireland are given the same birthday, January 1. When horses first start racing, they do so against other horses that were born in the same year. This means that an actual birth date that is close to January 1 can give them an advantage as they are older than most of the other horses in the race, which means that they have greater racing maturity.

If you are betting on a horse that is still at this point in its career, this is a factor that is worth considering. Choose the horse you are betting on wisely. If you are looking for sports betting in Ireland [1], you should also make sure that you only place a bet with a bookmaker that is licensed and regulated. This is a vital consideration, no matter which horse you choose.

What happens as thoroughbreds age?

Thoroughbreds are not always raced against horses of the same age. This usually happens until they are around three years of age. After this point the ages of horses in a race can vary greatly. It's not uncommon for a horse to race until its ten years old; some carry on for a few years after this. This means that you get older horses competing in the same field as a young and strong four-year-old. This does not mean that the younger horse will win; experience counts for a lot, especially in steeplechase races, such as the world renowned Grand National [2].

The peak performance age of a thoroughbred

Peak performance figures can be influenced by which type of racing a horse participates in. Looking purely from the perspective of speed on the flat, it would seem that the peak age for top performance from a thoroughbred is 4-5 years of age. This study [3] in the Journal of Equine Science looked at 274 male thoroughbred race horses in the US. The findings suggested that performance improves dramatically up to the peak performance age, then falls off slowly, followed by a more dramatic decline after the age of eight.

It's important to remember that all horses are different and some horses, just like some human athletes, can continue to perform well at a more advanced age. If you are going to place a wager on a thoroughbred, you need to think about several different factors including experience, overall form, previous form at the same track, reputation of the jockey and reputation of the trainer. All of these factors come together to help you decide whether a horse is a good bet or not. It's also worth remembering that, no matter how hotly a horse is favored, there is always a chance of an upset. Sometimes, it's worth paying attention to your instinct as well as what the form statistics say.