Reading race pace

[gcomuser1]

I watched a horse race where the leaders went off very quickly, and a horse that looked miles behind came past them near the finish. Does the early pace really make that much difference to the eventual result? How can the expected early pace of a horse race change the chances of front-runners and late finishers?

 

[maxpayeen]

It can shape the entire race. If several horses all want the lead, they may use more energy than usual early on and leave an opening for a patient runner. But a slow early pace can favour a front-runner who still has plenty left at the end. I look at each horse's usual running style before treating a fast or slow start as good news. For context, I came across live betting while looking at sports pages; the linked section is separate from the tactical point here.