Was looking at the lineage of some horses in the league and noticed a large percentage of horses in the more successful yards have small builds and the lineage shows the small build characteristic going deep into the breeding. Some horses I saw have all small builds in their lineage going back 3 generations on both sides.

What gives? Maybe I missed it but I don't recall anyone mentioning this - what appears to me to be an advantage by small build horses. Is this something you guys have been keeping close to the vest?

Do small build horses have a pronounced advantage in the league races???

I don't think it makes any difference to be honest mate, I just breed with whatever best is available to me. It probably isn't ideal in terms of NH which is could be why my horses aren't as good as I'd hoped but it won't make any difference on the flat between a small and normal build animal, or even a large build.

Are a vast majority of horses in the UK schedule (Which I'm just guessing is your preferred schedule) of small build? Small build horses in the US schedule aren't prolific in terms of the amount of them.

The horses of yours that I looked at have small builds all the way back through their lineage. The same for the most part with jalupen, nashwan, pj and probably akhc last year from what I briefly looked at. Ghostzapper seems to not have an abundance of small builds in his yard.

Really appears to me there is some sort of advantage.

Just looking at a small selection from last years top trainer Keith B's horses and some more from AKHC and they all are predominantly small builds throughout their lineage.

i have never even looked at the build of a horse since buying SO5 2 years ago

i did though just look through twilighted's 4 gens and they are ALL small builds on all sides the whole way back

I have also just looked through all the horses i have in racebuilder for trialing they are all small builds by small builds

very interesting

not sure it gives any advantage must check my jumps team

some of my jumps team are average build mostly all small builds

i cant prove one way or another if small builds have an advantage id be surprised

Seems strange to have all small builds in a lineage 3 deep just by chance. Small builds aren't very common in the US schedule not to mention the rarity of top tier small build performers. I'm very intrigued by what I see.

I have said to you before Sirius playing any other version of so5 outside the UK version does not produce as good horses as the UK version
remember i posted screenshots of the same horse exported in ire/usa/aus/UK the UK version was a few lengths ahead of the rest
i said any1 playing an overseas game was at a disadvantage in the CK

I started an Irish game a few weeks back and the horses stank in CK compared to my UK breds then i remembered the disadvantage thing
several wasted hours later

do you solely play the USA version mate if so i strongly recommend you start a uk game transfer in your lge horses and breed you will see a big difference in class between US bred & UK Breds

you could have 5 very nice subs for the window

That I have accepted long ago. I like the US schedule for some reason. I am just very intrigued by all the small builds I see.

Maybe worth throwing your best lge horses into a uk game and breed a couple gens you could have g1 horses
you have already done the hard work breeding your lge team
would love to see if i am right that your new UK breds would be a couple lengths clear of your USA lge horses

I am not overly pressed to be the greatest trainer. I like churning out my horses and seeing what I have. Happy to compete.


Essentially what intrigues me is given that small builds are a bit of a minority in the game (at least in the US game) - is why the vast amount of top runners in the league are strictly small builds throughout their lineage.

Are small builds in the UK schedule quite numerous?

In my experience, yes.

i never looked at the build of an horse but i will have a look in a few of the auctions now to see

8 horses in my first thursday sale

1 large build
3 average
4 small

so 50% so far