HORSE RACING & BETTING TERMS |
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| A |
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Accumulator
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A bet on four or more horses in different races. Winnings from one race are placed on the next race and so on. |
| Accumulator bet |
A bet involving two or more selections in different races: winnings from one are placed on the next. |
| Age |
All Thoroughbreds celebrate their birthday on 1st January. |
| All Weather Racing |
Refers to racing on artificial/synthetic surfaces. |
| Allowance |
A weight concession of up to 7lbs given in a race to compensate for an inexperienced rider. Or a concession made to fillies from male rivals in novice/maiden races, or to younger fillies or colts racing against an older horse (weight-for-age allowance). |
| Also ran |
A racehorse that doesn't finish as one of the placed horses in a race. |
| Amateur |
You can identify a non-professional rider on any racecard as their title Mr, Mrs, Ms, Captain etc appears in front of his or her name. |
| Ante-post |
Betting in advance of the race itself. This happens most often before major races. |
| Ante-post |
Betting that takes place before a big race, often weeks and sometimes even months beforehand. |
| Apprentice |
A young jockey contracted to a trainer while learning how to race-ride. |
| At the post |
The point at which horses gather before the start of a race and usually the last moment that a bet can be accepted. |
| B |
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| Backward |
A term applied to a horse which needs time to mature or isn't fully fit. |
| Bar |
Excludes horses for which a price is quoted e.g '6/1 bar two' means that odds of 6/1 or better are available for all horses except the first two in the betting. |
| Bay |
The colour of a horse which has a brown body and black mane and tail. |
| BHB |
British Horseracing Board – this is the governing authority of horseracing in Britain. |
| Blinkers |
This is a type of hood that fits over a horse’s head to prevent the horse from seeing sideways and helps it concentrate its attention ahead during a race. |
| Blood line |
A horse's family tree. |
| Bloodstock |
The collective term for Thoroughbred horses. |
| Blown up |
When a horse starts to drop out of contention in a race due to lack of fitness. |
| Bookmakers |
Essentially, these can be divided into on-course bookmakers who operate a “book” at the racecourse, and off-course bookmakers who operate via betting shops, telephone credit account services and, most recently, online via the internet. |
| Bottomless |
When the ground condition or the going is very heavy. |
| Break (a horse) |
To train a young horse to wear a bridle and saddle, carry a rider and respond to a rider’s commands. Usually done when the horse is a yearling but can be done later. |
| Breeder |
Owner of a mare or stallion who actively seeks to breed from their horses. |
| Bridle |
Equipment that goes onto a horse's head to assist the rider in controlling the horse. |
| Broken down |
When a horse sustains an injury - normally a tendon/soft tissue injury requiring a long rest to recover. |
| Broodmare |
A Thoroughbred filly or mare that is used to breed a horse. |
| Bumper |
A colloquial term – see National Hunt Flat race. |
| Bumping and Boring |
When a horse veers off course near the end of a race and bumps an opponent. |
| Buried |
A racing accident when the horse has fallen on top of the jockey. |
| By or Out of |
This indicates the parentage of the horse – we say BY a Sire (stallion) and OUT OF the Dam (broodmare). |
| C |
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| Canadian or Super Yankee |
Twenty-six bets on five selections in different events. For example, 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-folds and 1 five-fold. To bet a £1 Canadian/Super Yankee will cost £26. |
| Card |
Abbreviation for racecard which is the official programme of runners on sale at the racecourse. The programme of runners is also published in newspapers. |
| Chestnut |
The colour of a horse with a “ginger” body, mane and tail. |
| Claimer |
An apprentice flat race jockey. |
| Clerk of the Course |
The person responsible for the overall management of a racecourse during the raceday. |
| Clerk of the Scales |
The person responsible for checking a jockey's weight against the allocated weight the horse is allowed to carry. |
| Colours |
Shirts or ‘silks’ worn by jockeys to identify a horse to a particular owner. |
| Colt |
A young, ungelded (see gelding) male horse aged four years old or younger. |
| Conditional Jockey |
A young National Hunt jockey (under 26) who receives a weight allowance for inexperience until he has ridden a certain number of winners. |
| Conformation |
The physical make-up or bodily proportions of a horse – how its put together. |
| Connections |
The owner and trainer of a racehorse seen together in the parade ring. |
| Course specialist |
A horse which runs well on a particular track. |
| Cover |
When mating takes place i.e’ He (the Stallion) covered a Mare’. |
| Cut in the ground |
A description of the ground condition, when there is give in the surface, aslo called ‘soft going’. |
| D |
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| Dam |
The mother of a foal (the broodmare). |
| Declarations Clerk |
On a raceday the trainer confirms his or her intention to run and the jockey booking to the Declarations Clerk (based in the Weighing Room). |
| Declare |
When a trainer formally notifies the authorities that he/she intends to run a horse in a certain race. The runners and riders for each meeting are declared the day before. |
| Distance |
The length of a race. Five furlongs is the shortest, four and a half miles (the Grand National) the longest. Also refers to the margin by which a horse wins or is beaten. This can range from ‘a short head’ to ‘a distance’ which is in excess of 30 lengths. |
| Double |
A bet on two different races, win or each way. The winnings from the first race are placed on the second race. |
| Draw |
A Flat racing term denoting a horse's position in the starting stalls. |
| E |
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| Ease up |
When a jockey stops putting pressure on a horse, allowing it to slow down. |
| Enquiry |
May be held by racecourse Stewards if any incident has occurred in the race and may affect the result which is duly announced following the 'Steward's Enquiry'. |
| Evens or Even Money |
When the stake and the winnings are identical e.g. if your stake is £5 at evens you win a further £5. |
| Evens or Even Money |
When your stake equals your winnings e.g. £5.00 at evens wins a further £5.00. |
| F |
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| Favourite |
The horse (or horses – if there is a joint favourite) in a race with the shortest (smallest) odds. Other phrases used to describe the favourite include market leader and the jolly. |
| Field |
All horses in the race. |
| Field The |
Term for the runners in a race, for example a field of 8 are on their way to the start for the next race. |
| Filly |
A female horse four years old or younger. |
| Firm |
Description of ground conditions - also called fast going. |
| First time out |
The first time a horse has run during a racing season. |
| Five-fold Bet |
One bet on five selections in different events. All five must be successful. |
| Foal(ed) |
A horse of either sex from its birth until 1st January the following year. As a verb, Foaled is to give birth. |
| Forecast |
Predicting the result (often used in horse race bets to predict the first two places in a race). |
| Form |
A horse's race record denoted by figures next to its name in a racecard e.g. 1=1st, 2=2nd etc. |
| Four-fold bet |
One bet on four selections in different events. All four must be successful. |
| Furlong |
One eighth of a mile or 220 yards or 201 metres. |
| G |
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| Gelding |
Not unlike the way cats and dogs are operated on to stop them from straying, most types of competition horses are often castrated (gelded) as the temperament of a stallion is usually not ideal for an extended racing career. The horse is then referred to as a Gelding. |
| Gestation Period |
Carrying of the young in the womb – around 11 months. |
| Get the trip |
Usually said of a horse that stays the particular distance of the race. |
| Going the |
The conditions underfoot on the racecourse. Official Jockey Club going ranges are: heavy – soft – good to soft – good – good to firm – firm – hard. |
| Green |
A horse is described as green or running green when he or she shows signs of inexperience. |
| Grey |
A horse with a coat that is a mixture of black and grey hairs. It's mane, tail and legs may be either black or grey unless white markings are present. As grey horses get older they become lighter in colour, almost white - they too are still referred to as grey. |
| H |
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| Hacked up |
When a horse has won easily. |
| Hand |
A unit of measurement for the horse equivalent to four inches. A horse’s height is measured from the top of the shoulder to the ground. Racehorses measure at least 15 hands and at most 18 hands. |
| Handicap |
A handicap race in which the weight each horse is to carry is individually allotted (by the official handicapper) according to past performance to make the chances of all horses in the race more equal. |
| Handicapping |
Assigning weights or points to horses, players or teams participating in a particular event to reflect their strength or weakness and to forecast the outcome of future events or contests. |
| Hands and heels |
Riding a horse without using a whip. |
| Handy |
A description of a horse who is in a prominent position during a race. |
| Home Straight |
The distance of straight track before winning line. |
| Horse |
An ungelded male horse 5 years or older will be referred to as a horse. |
| I |
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| In Foal |
Pregnant mare. |
| In Hand |
A horse winning a race with speed and energy in reserve. |
| In the frame |
A horse placed in the top three or four of a race and in contention for a place. |
| J |
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| Jockey Club |
The organisation responsible for the regulation of horseracing. |
| Judge |
The official responsible for declaring the finishing order and declaring the distances between runners. |
| Jump Racing |
see National Hunt racing. |
| Jumper/National Hunt |
A horse that races over steeplechases or hurdles. |
| Juvenile |
A two year old horse (Flat) or a three year old horse (National Hunt). |
| L |
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| Lead |
Weights inserted in the weight cloth on a horse's back to make the allocated racing weight. |
| Left handed track |
A racecourse where the horses run anti-clockwise. |
| Length |
The length of a horse from its nose to the start of its tail. Also used to describe the winning margin, although winning distances are given out in lengths, they are in fact measured by time. Due to the greater speed in Flat racing 1 second is equal to 5 lengths, whilst in Jump racing 1 second is equal to 4 lengths. |
| M |
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| Maiden |
A horse that has not yet won a race or a female horse that has never had a foal. |
| Mare |
A female horse five years and over. |
| Marker |
A furlong post or other racecourse sign. |
| Monkey |
Betting parlance for £500. |
| Multiple bet |
A bet on two or more teams or outcomes, whereby the original stake and subsequent winnings are re-invested into as many selections as the bettor includes in his bet. |
| N |
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| Nap |
A tipster's main bet selection at a given meeting. |
| National Hunt |
This covers racing over steeplechases and hurdles – often referred to as Jump racing. |
| National Hunt Flat race |
A flat race for young National Hunt horses yet to race over hurdles or steeplechases and that have not run under the rules of Flat racing. |
| Nomination fee |
The fee for a stallion to cover a mare. |
| Numbers board |
An information board bearing the race number, horses’ numbers and jockeys’ names. |
| O |
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| Objection |
A complaint by one jockey against another regarding breach of rules during a race. |
| Odds against |
When the amount you win is more than the amount you bet. |
| Odds on |
When the winnings are less than the stake e.g. if you bet £2 at 2-1 on you win £1. |
| Odds-on |
Where the potential winnings are less than the stake e.g. £5 at 4/5 wins £4, although your stake is returned. |
| Off the pace |
When a horse isn't keeping up with other horses in a race. |
| Open ditch |
A steeplechase fence with a ditch on the take-off side. |
| Over the top |
A horse past his peak for the season. |
| P |
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| Pace |
The speed at which a race is run. Up with the pace means close to the leaders, off the pace means some way behind. |
| Paddock/Parade Ring |
The area where horses can be viewed prior to a race. |
| Patent |
Seven bets in one. Select one horse in each of three races, and three single bets, three double bets and a treble operate simultaneously. |
| Pattern |
The elite races, divided in Flat Racing into Groups One, Two, Three and Listed and in National Hunt into Grades One, Two and Three. |
| Pecked/Nodded |
When a horse's head nearly lands on the ground after jumping a fence. |
| Pedigree |
A horse’s 'Family Tree'. |
| Penalty |
Additional weight carried by a horse on account of previous wins. In a handicap, penalties are added to the allotted weight of a horse if it has won since the weights for the race were published. |
| Photo finish |
Electronic photographic equipment which decides who has won in a close finish. |
| Ping |
To ping is a verb often used to descirbe when a horse is jumping in particularily good style. |
| Public Stud |
A stud where there are broodmares and stallions. |
| Pulled up |
To stop a horse from continuing in a race. |
| R |
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| Racing Plate |
Lightweight horseshoes specially fitted for racing. |
| Refused |
When a horse stops instead of jumping over a fence. |
| Rule 4 |
The betting rule which covers deductions from winning bets if a horse is withdrawn after the betting has been set up but before the horses go under starter’s orders. The amount of the deduction depends on the price of the withdrawn horse. |
| Run free |
A horse going too fast too early, which then can’t settle into the race. |
| S |
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| Saddle |
Equipment that enables a rider to sit on a horse. |
| Schooling |
Teaching a horse to race or jump. A well-schooled horse is less likely to show signs of inexperience or greeness. |
| Scope |
The potential a horse has for physical development. |
| Selling price |
The lower figure quoted by an Index bookmaker. |
| Silks |
The colours worn by a jockey to identify a horse's owner. |
| Sire |
The father of a horse. |
| Skull Cap |
A jockey's helmet, vital for head protection and obligatory. |
| SP/starting price |
The official price of a horse at which bets are settled in betting shops. |
| Spread a plate |
When a racing plate or horseshoe comes off, sometimes causing delay as the horse is re-shod. |
| Stallion |
A male horse used for breeding. |
| Stand |
This describes the name of the stud at which a stallion is based. |
| Starting Price/SP |
The official price of a horse at which bets are settled in betting shops. |
| Starting Stalls |
Used to accommodate horses in a line at the start of a race. Used in flat racing only. |
| Stayer |
A horse with endurance or stamina. |
| Steeplechase |
A horse race over fences, open ditches and water jumps. |
| Stewards |
The group of people responsible for ensuring adherence to the rules of racing. |
| Stewards’ enquiry |
Enquiry by the stewards into the running of the race. |
| Stud |
A breeding farm. |
| T |
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| Teaser |
A male horse used at studs to determine when a mare is ready to be covered by a Thoroughbred stallion. |
| The Odds |
Prices at which a bookmaker lays bets. |
| Thoroughbred |
A horse whose family tree can be traced. |
| Tic-tac |
The hand signals by which bookmakers relay odds information to their colleagues on the racecourse. (Now a mobile phone is more likely to be used). |
| Tic-tac |
Hand signals by which bookmakers relay odds information on the racecourse. |
| Top of the ground |
Description of ground conditions – also ‘fast’. |
| Tote |
Short for, The Horserace Totalisator Baord. All money bet on horses in a race goes into a 'pot' or 'pool' and following the race, this pool is shared out amongst all those who have placed winning bets. |
| Treble |
A bet on three different races, win or each way. The winnings from the first race are bet on the second choice, and the total is bet on the third. |
| Trixie bet |
Four bets on three selections in different events. For example, 3 doubles and a treble. To bet a £1 Trixie will cost £4. |
| Turn of foot |
Acceleration or speed as applied to a horse. |
| U |
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| Under starter’s orders/under orders |
The racecourse announcement that They're under starter's orders....they're off indicates the start of a race. |
| Undulating Track |
An uneven racecourse. |
| V |
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| Valet |
A person responsible for looking after a jockey's equipment. |
| W |
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| Walkover |
A race with only one runner. |
| Weanling |
A foal of less than one year which has been separated from its mother. |
| Weatherbys |
The commercial organisation that handles administration on behalf of the racing industry. |
| Weigh in/out |
Weighing the jockey before and after the race to make sure the horse carried the right weight. The ‘weighed in’ announcement means the result is official and all bets can be settled. |
| Weight cloth |
A cloth with pockets for lead weights placed under saddle. |
| Weights |
Lead strips placed in a weight cloth to bring the jockey and tack up to the handicap weight. |
| Y |
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| Yankee |
A combination bet of four selections in different races: six doubles, four trebles and one four-horse accumulator. |
| Yard |
A trainer's premises. |
| Yearling |
A horse in its second calendar year of life, beginning 1st January of the year following its birth. |
