The Epsom ‘Dash’ – The Worlds Fastest 5f Sprint
The Epsom Dash is one of the most unique and exciting sprint races in British racing. Run over just 5 furlongs at Epsom Downs Racecourse during Derby weekend, it is widely regarded as the fastest five furlongs in the world because of the severe downhill nature of the track. Horses race downhill for almost the entire trip before climbing slightly in the final stages, creating incredible speed from start to finish. What makes the Dash so fascinating is that raw speed alone is not enough. Epsom is an unusual course with cambers, undulations, and a downhill run that can catch inexperienced horses out completely. Horses need balance, early pace, and the ability to handle the unique track. Many sprinters who perform well elsewhere struggle badly at Epsom, while certain specialists thrive year after year because they are suited to the demands of the course. The race was originally known as the Night Rider Handicap before becoming the Epsom Dash in 1993. Over the decades it has developed a reputation as one of the most competitive sprint handicaps of the season, often attracting huge fields and producing dramatic finishes. It is also famous for shock results, with outsiders regularly outrunning their odds due to the chaotic nature of downhill sprint racing. One of the most important moments in the race’s history came in 2012 when Stone Of Folca set the current world record for 5 furlongs with a staggering time of 53.69 seconds under jockey Luke Morris. That record still stands today and perfectly highlights how lightning-fast the Epsom track can be. Some horses have become legends of the Dash because of repeated success in the race. Caspian Prince became one of the most famous sprint handicappers in modern times by winning the race three times between 2014 and 2017. His natural gate speed and ability to handle the downhill course made him perfectly suited to Epsom’s unique challenge. Recent winners have continued to show how unpredictable the race can be. Horses like Ornate, Tees Spirit, Navello and Jm Jungle all came from different backgrounds and running styles, but each possessed the key ingredients needed for Epsom: early speed, balance, and toughness. Who is going to win today? Good question and not an easy one to answer, but lets take a look. First at the rankings card for this race. Top three ranked are Lexington Blitz, Kinswoman and Democracy Dilemma. The draw for this race is really inconclusive but a higher draw would be preferable, given you can keep out of trouble. Good luck with that one! Click image to enlarge it. |
Handicap Ratings
Looking at the handicap ratings and specifically the handicap marks graph for Democracy Dilemma - all handicap runners have this graph so you can follow their handicap career - you can see he is running off the same mark that he won off at Haydock last September.
So he is certainly well handicapped for the race.
Click image to enlarge it.
Race Pace
Finally, what about the pace of the race? This is a tough one because luck in running and that aim to get out quickly for most of the runners, can lead to almost anything happening in the first couple of furlongs.
Our race calculations suggest that something that is going to be close to midfield or further back could take this one, due to the number of horses that are going to want to lead or get to the front.
Top ranked Lexington Blitz and Eclairage are those who are most likley to want to have the lead, if everything goes their way. With a number of other runners also wanting to be at the forefront of the race and the reason why it is likley something can pick up these leaders when they hit the slightly rising ground in the final furlong.
Click image to enlarge it.
So Lexington Blitz has the pace, the ranking position 1 and a top score of 9 on the race insights. The draw is not ideal - and not the worst either - but at only around 7/1 is a bit too short in a crazy race like the Epsom Dash.
Lexington Blitz and Stormy Impact
Picking one of those who will probably be able to come from the back, I would go for Stormy Impact. He may be able to weave his way amongst runners under Warren Fentiman and who is also around the 12/1 mark currently.
With the ground being on the soft side today, I don't expect Stone Of Folca's record to be broken. But it will be an exciting spectacle and a greater watch for me than the Epsom Derby, run 45 minutes later this afternoon.
