Glossary
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Horse Racing Glossary

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Abandoned

Races are cancelled occassionally. Usually due to very bad weather in which racing would be unsafe. All bets that are placed on abandoned races are refunded and race go-ers would have their entrance fee refunded if less than three races have been run.

Accumulator

A compound bet covering two or more outcomes such as a double or treble.

All Out

A horse trying to run to the best of his ability.

All Weather

A surface designed to be raced on during the winter when turf ground could be frozen or water logged. Unfortunately the surface is not raceable when fogbound!

Amatuer

On racecards an Amatuer rider is listed with their title ie. Mr, Miss, Mrs, Captain etc. to indicate their amatuer status.

Amateur's are restricted to riding in special Amateur or gender specific race such as for Gentlemen or Lady Amateur's only.

Ante Post

A bet placed in advance of the day of a particular race. Any bets placed are lost if your horse is a non runner.

e.g. A punter may have spotted a 2yo horse winning in impressive style who is entered in the Derby. He can back the horse to win the Derby next June and get generous odds for placing the bet early. If the horse does not run his bet is lost.

Apprentice

Any lad or lass who has bound themselves to a licenced trainer with a view to becoming a professional jockey. Depending on the number of winners they have ridden all apprentices can claim an allowance of 3,5 or 7lbs against senior jockeys.

Bar

A term used in connection with bookmakers prices. For example "6-1bar" means that you can obtain at least 6-1 for any horse bar the first two in the betting. "10-1bar three" means at least 10-1 for any horse bar the first three in the betting.

Betting Exchange

A website which allows punters to back a horse to win and to lay a horse to lose.

Punters are betting against each other rather than with a bookmaker and thus set their own odds. The betting exchange earn their money in the form of commission from winning bets.

Bumpers Race

A race confined to amateur riders and designed to give purpose bred flat/steeplechasers/hurdlers an introduction to racing.

Classic Races

There are five English Classics:

• The One Thousand Guineas - Newmarket in the Spring
  
• The Two Thousand Guineas - Newmarket in the Spring
  
• The Derby - Epsom in June
• The Oaks - Epsom in June
• The St. Leger - Doncaster in September
  

They are all for three year olds only and are designed to test the best of the generations at level weight. However there is an allowance for female horses.

Collateral Form

When two horses A and B have run on seperate occasions against a third horse C, the form of A and B on a line through C is known as collateral form.

Colt

A male entire (not gelded) who is less than five years old.

Dead Heat

When the judges cannot split two or more horses that have crossed the line together and he therefore declares a dead heat. In these cases the prize money is divided between the winning owners. The punter receives full odds to half of his stake money.

Double

A multiple bet. In a win double both horses must finish first for the double to succeed. In an each way double if both horses place there will be a return.

Draw

In flat races a random draw is held to ascertain from which stall the horses will start. The draw can be of great consequence on certain courses in shorter races, especially when there are big fields.

Drifted

When the price of any horse lengthens. For example a horse may have drifted from 3-1 to 10-1.

Dual Forecast

Two named horses must gain the first two places in a race. You do not have to specify in which order they will finish.

Each Way

A horse that is backed each way is backed for both a win and a place. (upto 4th place depending on the number of runners). Place odds are generally 1/5th or one quarter of the starting price.

Equitrack

An all weather surface which is no longer in use in Britain. The surface was used at Lingfield and was often described as being harsh for both horse and jockey as the kick back was quite severe.

Favourite

The most popular horse in the race. The favourite will be the horse which the public have put the most money on.

Fibresand

One of the original all weather surfaces which is now only in use at Southwell. The surface is slower than polytrack and has more kick back.

Filly

A female horse who is less than five years old.

Foal

A foal is a horse of either sex in its first year of life. Often the prefix of Filly or Colt is added to differentiate the sex of the animal.

Forecast

Stating the winner and the second place as well. A straight forecast is 1st and 2nd in the correct order.

Form Book

A book recording the result of every horse race under jockey club rules. It shows the weight carried by each horse, the jockey, the draw, the distance between the first six horses, the winner's time, the starting prices and the comments in running.

Furlong

A furlong is 1/8th of a mile or 220 yards. 8 furlongs equals 1 mile.

Gelding

A male horse who has been castrated. A horse is usually gelded to make him more placid, making him easier to control.

Going

The state of the ground on which the horses are racing. On the turf the going is described as:

• Firm
• Good to Firm
• Good
• Good to Soft
• Soft
• Heavy

On all weather tracks the going is described as:

• Fast
• Standard to Fast
• Standard
• Standard to Slow
• Slow

The majority of the time the time the going is 'Standard' and unlike the turf the all weather surface actually speeds up after a lot of rain.

Green

A horse is said to be "green" when it shows signs of inexperience when racing.

Handicap

A race where weights to be carried by the horses are adjusted by the official handicapper. This is to equalise their chances of winning.

Hedging

Bookmakers often lay off excess money on a particular horse in order that their liability, should the horse win, be decreased.

Horse

A horse is a male entire (not gelded) who is five years old or older. The term 'horse' is often used to describe any gender but the true definition of a horse is an older male entire.

Jackpot

The Tote Jackpot bet operates each day at usually the main meeting of the day.

The bet involves finding the winner of the first six races of the meeting in a winner takes all fashion: You win the Jackpot if you get all six winners, but lose even if you have five winners and a second.

If there are multiple winners the Jackpot is shared between all winning tickets.

The Jackpot can sometimes be a value bet if it has not been won for a few days. This usually happens during the big festival meetings where huge pools can roll over to the weekend resulting in a pool of half a million pounds or more.

Key Races

Races which, because of their quality or the exceptional time in which they are run, are likely to act as an important guide in future contests.

Kick Back

Clumps of all weather surface kicked backwards by horses galloping.

Those in the rear will often be covered in the all weather surface and thus be at a disadvantage. Jockeys often wear masks when racing on the all weather but horses do not and can breathe in the substance.

The polytrack surface is a much fairer surface with virtually no kick back. Any kick back is often described as more like a powder puff.

Maiden

A horse of either sex that has never won a race.

Mare

A female horse who is five years old or older.

Market

A market is created according to demand by the prices offered for each runner by bookmakers at the course.

Martingale

A system of increasing stakes to ensure an eventual profit once a winning coup materialises.

Monkey

A term used for the amount of £500.

Mutuel

The American term for a totalisator.

Nap

A punter or tipsters best bet of the day.

Nursery

A handicap race for 2 year olds. No nursery races can be run before the 1st of July. Because assessing 2 year olds form early in the season is difficult.

On the Nose

This term describes a bet made out to win only.

Outside Stable

This is where a jockey rides for another stable as well as the stable where he/she is retained or employed, or for which he/she normally rides.

Over Round

The percentage of total stakes which the bookmakers will net as profit.

Over the Top

The horse is beyond its best.

Pari Mutuel

The term for a french totalisator.

Penalty

Horses that have incurred a penalty as a result of previous success, in terms of weight.

Place Bet

In Britain a place bet is one which you will get a return if the horse places 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th depending on the type of race.

• 2-4 runners pays for 1st place only - you can not do a place bet
• 5-7 runners 1st and 2nd
• 8 or more runners 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• 16 runner handicap races 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th

Placepot

The Tote Placepot bet operates on every horse racing meeting each day.

The bet involves finding the placed horses (either first, second, third of fourth depending on the number of runners and type of race) of the first six races of the meeting.

Plater

A moderate horse whose best form has been shown in the lowest type of race.

Polytrack

An all weather surface which is much kinder to horses than Fibresand or the old Equitrack surface as it has very little kickback.

Polytrack was invented by Martin Collins of Lambourn, Berkshire and is now being used across the globe.

Pony

A term used for the amount of £25.

Pulled

The horse has been prevented from winning or from getting a better placing by the jockey.

Rails

The dividing barrier between the Members Area and the Tattersall's.  Big bookmaking firms can be found here.

Retainer

A contract made between a trainer and jockey. The jockey will generally ride for this trainer only.

Ring

The bookmakers all together in one of the enclosures.

Scoop6

A pool bet operated by the Tote where you have to find the winners in six nominated races. There is also a consolation prize if your bet has six placed horses but this prize is much smaller than the main win pool prize.

Anyone who wins the Scoop6 win pool has the chance to win the bonus pool the following week where they have to find the winner of one nominated race (usually the hardest handicap on TV that afternoon).

If the Scoop6 is not won the pools roll over to the following week which can often create potential winnings of over a million pounds.

The Scoop6 may seem fairer to punters but it is actually not that good value due to the way the prize money is split between the win pool, place pool, and bonus pool. Only when the bet has not been won for a few weeks when a lot of early money has rolled over is the bet likely to be value.

Score

The term used for the amount of £20.

Selling Race

This is the lowest class of race where the winner is offered up for auction at the end of the race. 

Show Bet

A bet in American horse racing that the horse will finish in the first three.

Silver Ring

This enclosure is cheaper than tattersall's. Sometimes cars are allowed in this enclosure making it ideal for families who like to picnic. There are less facilities than in the tattersall's enclosure and there is no access to the parade ring.

Springer

A horse that is backed down from long odds until it holds a prominent place at the head of the betting market.

Stake

An amount placed on a bet.

Sticks

Jumps (hurdles or fences)  as opposed to the flat.

Tattersall's

The enclosure next in status to the Members Area. Those choosing this enclosure have access to the main betting area and parade ring.

Tic Tacs

Tic Tacs is the name given to people who work with the bookmakers on course. They use signalling methods to inform the bookmakers of all fluctuations in the betting ring. This enables the bookmakers to adjust their prices accordingly and results in a stabilisation of prices all over the course.

Totalisator

The Totalisator or Tote is a computerised system which calculates payoff odds, displays them and then produces betting tickets based on incoming bets.

Treble

The treble is a multiple bet. For example in a win treble all three horses must win for the bet to succeed. In an each way or place treble all three horses must be placed to draw the place treble return.

Unfancied

The horse is not expected to win.

Up in the Van

Used to describe a horse ridden prominently and up at the front of a race.

Weighing Out and In

This is when a jockey weighs out before the race and weighs in after the race. The jockeys are weighed with everything the horse carries on his back. ie. the saddle.

Weight Cloth

The weight cloth is made of felt and has leather pockets into which flat pieces of lead can be added for the jockey to make the required weight. The cloth is carried on the horse's back under the saddle. The lead in the pockets are known as "dead weight".

Weight for Age Race

Weight for age races are non handicaps in which the weights are based on the weight for age scale. There may be penalties for horses who have won certain types of races or a specified amount of money.

Won on the Bridle

Won easily without being pushed.

Yankee

A Yankee is a multiple bet made up of 4 selections in different races. In total there are 11 bets which consists of 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 accumulator. A minimum of two selections have to win for you to receive a return.