54% ...

Olympic team gold, World Championship double gold, the highest-rated horse (810) since ratings began and now on the cusp of becoming a back-to-back World Cup Champion.

King Edward is already a horse that we will talk about for generations, but what he achieves over the next few seasons will determine how many future generations hold him in the same regard. Back-to-back World Cup championships is a very valid notch on the CV of these generational greats.

To appreciate the challenge he faces, the EquiRatings prediction centre has quantified the task ahead. Even after his opening wins on the first two days of the finals, the King has only just moved the odds in his favour (54%) in terms of it being 'more likely than not' (50%) that he will win.

We say time and again that show jumping is the easiest sport for the best competitor to lose. It is undoubtedly a game of immense skill, but chance is a menacing presence at all times. These horses are athletes with incredible physical talent and their desire to work with their human counterpart brings a joy to spectators that is unrivalled. But this sport is also a mental game for the human athlete which requires enormous resilience.

If you want to manage your chance of success, measure it.
If you want to understand and appreciate performance, quantify it.
EquiRatings is here to help.