Horse racing is filled with moments that are as nail-biting as they are adrenaline-pumping. With records being made and broken ever since the inception of the sport, one of them is the aspect of the highest win-percentages. Where the average horse has experienced lapses after impeccable maiden performances, there are some who have been habitually consistent, thereby resulting in untarnished records. On that note, here are a few horses who have achieved quite the same, and have invariably etched their names into history.
Kincsem
While it is rather asinine to assume complete perfection in any sphere of life, Kincsem would prove otherwise. Being a thoroughbred horse in the late 19th century, Kincsem has a 100% win-rate—possibly one of the few horses to achieve that.
Technology has made it easier for ones to place bets on said horses, and if Kincsem were alive, punters who deal in horse racing betting with Betfair would do so at the skip of a heartbeat. After all, there isn’t another horse with 54 wins from 54 starts.
The Goodwood Cup is one of the most exhilarating flat races in the UK. To express sheer dominance in the said event is something only Kincsem would be able to do, it seems.
Eclipse
Reliving the English spirit of the 18th Century, Eclipse was close to perfect. After having been named due to the solar eclipse, Eclipse truly shadowed his foes. With an impeccable 18 wins from 18 starts, this horse had a perfect win-ratio too.
Achieving major accolades all across his career, Eclipse is undoubtedly one of the pioneers of modern-day thoroughbreds. Being bright chestnut in colour with dazzling yet serene locks, Eclipse was by far one of the most majestic horses to look at.
If there is any horse with winning rates as great as aesthetic appeal, Eclipse has to be the one.
Crystal Ocean
While horses in the previous centuries had their charm, the competitive sphere was not as great as it is now. In that regard, Crystal Ocean is one of the most successful thoroughbreds in modern England.
With eight wins in 17 starts, Crystal Ocean might have a 50% win-rate on paper, but there is more than meets the eye. The English thoroughbred has always held a position in the said races.
The average bookmaker knows that, while this cannot be accounted for as the aforementioned thoroughbreds, winning positions in all races have their own value.
Enable
Running as recently as October 2020, Enable has been one of the most successful British thoroughbreds in modern-day racing. Emerging as one of the most dominating middle-distance horses in Europe, she has a great record of 15 wins in 19 starts, making it close to 80% win-ratio.
Owned by Khaled Abdullah, Enable has had a royalty trait from all ends, be it in terms of raising, or participation. Having been appreciated by the Royal Family too, Enable is truly one of the most unique additions to this list—not to ignore her dominance in the King George VI Chase and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2011.
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It takes a gargantuan amount of effort to raise and breed horses. Right from the diet, to training, raising a horse is not a simple affair. However, as with other things, all horses are not created equal—and the aforementioned ones are genetically more gifted than the average joe.