Complex sentence: Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having beaten Oxford by three-and-a-half lengths in the previous year's race, and held the overall lead, with 64 victories to Oxford's 51.
Split into simpler sentences: Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having beaten Oxford by three-and-a-half lengths in the previous year's race. Cambridge held the overall lead, with 64 victories to Oxford's 51.