What is the 'Draw' or 'Barrier' advantage in horse racing?

Short Answer: The 'Draw' is the stall number a horse starts from. Depending on the track layout, certain draw numbers offer a massive statistical advantage.

1. Inside vs. Outside

On a circular track (like Greyville or Turffontein), an Inside Draw (Numbers 1-4) is usually an advantage because the horse has the shortest distance to run around the bend. An Outside Draw (Numbers 12+) forces the horse to run 'wide', covering more ground.

2. Straight Tracks

On straight tracks (like the Kenilworth 1200m), the draw advantage often depends on where the 'fastest' grass is on that specific day. Sometimes the horses drawn against the 'grandstand rail' have a faster surface than those in the center.