One in 50 men believe they can outrun a HORSE, poll reveals

Other animals they think could outpace include crocodiles (27 per cent) and elephants (20 per cent).

Another 11 per cent of the 2,000 men polled think they could outsprint a house cat over 10 metres – even if it caught them up before the final 100 were up.

But women were more likely to admit they’d lose a race to a non-human creature than men.

A spokesperson for freebets.com, which commissioned the research, said: "People maybe overestimate themselves.

“As the Grand National approaches, it’s interesting to see so many men reckon they’ve got it in them to outsprint a horse.

“The fastest horse ever recorded managed a speed of more than 40mph - it’s worth remembering Usain Bolt’s fastest ever speed was 27.78mph, before you go challenging one in your nearest field.”

“While we might have a competitive spirit [...] most animals are built for survival in ways we simply aren’t”

The study went on to find 11 per cent estimate they could get around the entire Grand National course – of four miles, 514 yards – in less than 10 minutes.

The course record as it stands was set at eight minutes and 47 seconds, by Mr Frisk as far back as 1990.

Just under three in 10 (28 per cent) have also been out and about, clocked an animal and thought to themselves ‘I could outrun that’.

And more than a tenth (11 per cent) have tried to do just that, the OnePoll research found.

These include showdowns with dogs (61 per cent), cats (26 per cent) and even goats (19 per cent).

And while 60 per cent are happy to admit they were soundly beaten, 26 per cent considered themselves winners, and 14 per cent called it an honourable draw.

The rest of the animal kingdom is also up for challenging, as 22 per cent of adults are confident they could lift a chimpanzee off the ground, despite them weighing up to 60kg.

And 18 per cent would back themselves to beat one in an arm-wrestling match - rising to 26 per cent of men, and just 11 per cent of women.

As 72 per cent of all respondents admitted men are more likely to believe they could beat an animal in a feat of strength, than women.

Freebets’ spokesperson added: “It's fascinating how confident people can be when it comes to taking on the animal kingdom.

“Whether it’s outrunning a cheetah, outswimming a dolphin, or wrestling a bear, we tend to overestimate our own abilities and underestimate the sheer power, speed, and endurance of nature’s finest athletes.

“While we might have a competitive spirit, the reality is that most animals are built for survival in ways we simply aren't."

15 animals Brits reckon they could beat in a 100 metre race:

1. Crocodile
2. Elephant
3. Hippopotamus
4. Rabbit
5. Goat
6. House cat
7. Swarm of bees
8. Mongoose
9. Kangaroo
10. Cheetah
11. Ostrich
12. Fox
13. Deer
14. Zebra
15. Horse