Dictionary
A
Acceptor:
A horse that has its entry confirmed at the forfeit stage of a race's entry schedule and the owner pays a supplement
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:
Flat racing which takes place on an artificial surface.
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, 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
Backward:
A term applied to a horse that needs time to mature or is not fully fit.
Ballot:
If a race is oversubscribed with runners a draw will take place at Weatherbys to reduce the field to its field size limit.
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.
BHA:
British Horseracing Authority – this is the governing authority of horseracing in Britain.
Black Type:
Bold type in a horse's pedigree shows Group and Listed winners. If a horse has lots of black type it means it is from a family with good winning credentials in high class races.
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.
Boxed In:
To be trapped between, behind or inside of other horses during a race.
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.
Breeze Up:
Breezing is a gentle canter, the pace most exercise is done and from which the knowledgeable can judge a horse's action and athleticism. At the April Breeze-Up Sales, two year olds in training breeze over three furlongs at The NatWest Rowley Mile and ar then sold in the following days at Tattersalls' Sales Ring
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:
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
Canadian/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 or a Claiming Race.
Classics:
There are five British Classics The Stan James 1000 Guineas , The Stan James 2000 Guineas (run at Newmarket's NatWest Rowley Mile Course), The Derby, The Oaks and The Ladbrokes St Leger
Clerk of the Course:
The person responsible for the overall 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 Jump jockey (under 26) who receives a weight allowance for inexperience until he has ridden a certain number of winners.
Conditions Races:
A race that is not a Group, Listed, Handicap or a Novice and is not restricted to Maidens; neither is it governed by Selling or Claiming provisions or restricted to Amateur or Apprentice Riders.
Conditions:
The make-up of a race, as in the number of runners, the ground conditions, if it’s a sharp or a galloping track, etc. Different conditions suit the physique and running style of different horses
Conformation:
The physical make-up or bodily proportions of a horse – how its put together.
Connections:
Anyone connected with a horse: can be as distant as the spouse of a syndicate owner or as close as the horse's lad
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, also called ‘soft going’.
D
Dam:
The mother of a foal (the broodmare).
Declaration/Declare:
When a trainer formally notifies the authorities 48 hours before a race, that he/she intends to run a horse in a certain race.
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).
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. a 'length' is measured from the horse's nose to the start of its tail.
Distance, the:
an unmarked point 240 yards from the winning post (thus 'below the distance' means closer home than that point)
Division:
Where there are too many entries for a race it can split in to two divisions
Double:
A bet on two different races, win or each way. The winnings from the first race are placed on the second race.
Draw:
for flat racing only, describes a horse's position in the starting stalls, drawn randomly from 48 hour declarations.
E
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'.
Entire:
A horse that has not been castrated
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.
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".
F
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:
Refers to a horse's race record. Denoted by figures next to it's name on a racecard i.e. 1=1st, 2=2nd etc.
Four-fold bet:
One bet on four selections in different events. All four must be successful.
Furlong:
The unit of distance measurement in horseracing. One eighth of a mile or 220 yards or 201 metres
G
Galloping track:
Generally a wide-open track that suits bigger horses with big strides e.g. Newbury or Ascot
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/ Usually said of a horse that is expected to complete the race distance.
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".
Group Race:
Also known as Pattern races, these are the premier contest of Flat racing. Group races are composed of a series of tests for the leading horses of all ages and over different distances. Group One races are the Classics and other races of major international importance. Group Two races are also of international importance and Group Three races are mostly domestic races and are considered to be preparatory for the higher Groups. Pattern races are designed to ensure first class, competitive racing throughout Europe.
H
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 & heels:
Riding a horse without using a whip
Handy:
A description of a horse who is in a prominent position during a race.
Hang:
When a horse does not runin a straight line it is said to be hanging to the left or right
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
Hurdle:
The smaller of the two obstacles in Jump racing, typically about 3’6” in height
I
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
Jockey Club:
The organisation that used to be responsible for the regulation of horseracing. (now the BHA)
Judge:
The official responsible for declaring the finishing order and declaring the distances between runners.
Jump Racing:
This covers racing over steeplechases and hurdles – often referred to as 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 (Jump).
K
L
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.
Listed Races:
Races for good horses just short of Group status
M
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.
Mile:
8 furlongs (1.6km)
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
Nap:
A tipster's main bet selection at a given meeting.
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.
Nursery:
A handicap race for two year old horses
O
Objection:
A complaint by one jockey/trainer 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:
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
On The Nod:
When a race is so close that one horse is at the wrong point in his stride and loses the race `on the nod' as the winning horse is at the point in his stride where his head is forward.
Open Ditch:
steeplechase fence with an artificial ditch on the take-off side
Over the top:
A horse past his peak for the season.
P
Pace:
the speed at which a race is run at different stages. The expression 'up with the pace' means close to the leaders; 'off the pace' means some way behind the leaders. The quality of the form for a race is often considered in relation to the pace at which it was run, particularly in the early stages
Paddock:
area of the racecourse incorporating the pre-parade ring, parade ring (Where the horses are paraded before the race and where the jockey's mount for the race.) and winner's enclosure
Passport:
Each horse at every race meeting has a passport that shows its background (breeding) and physical description
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 Jump into Grades One, Two and Three aka group race
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 device which determines which horse has won a close finish
Ping:
"To ping" is a verb often used to describe when a horse is jumping in particularily good style.
Placed:
A horse placed first second or third
Plater:
horse which usually runs in selling races (selling 'plates').
Public Stud:
A stud where there are broodmares and stallions.
Pulled up:
To stop a horse from continuing in a race.
Q
R
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
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".
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