Acceptor
Horse remaining in race after a key declaration stage
All out
A horse is ‘all out’ if seen to be giving everything, trying it’s hardest to win
Allowance
Weight relief of up to 7lb awarded to an inexperienced rider either apprentice, conditional or
Also Ran
Horse that finished down the field not among the places
Amateur Rider
Jockey without a license from the Jockey Club, who does not receive a fee for riding in a race
Ante-Post Odds
Quotations offered in advance of the day of a particular race. Bets so placed can be lost if your horse is a non-runner depending in the Bookmakers terms
Apprentice
Flat Jockey just starting out in the racing trade. An Apprentice Jockey can “claim” a weight allowance of 7lbs until they have 20 wins, 5lbs until 50 wins, 3lbs until 95 wins
At The Post
When the horses gather immediately before the start of a race
Back End
The last few weeks of the Flat racing season; sometimes offering late-maturing horses a chance to win a race ‘that two-year-old could win a race at the back end’
Bar
A term used in connection with bookmakers' prices. 10-1 bar two means that you can obtain at least 10-1 about any horse bar the first two in betting
Bit
Type of horse tack placed in the mouth of a horse to assist a rider in communicating with the animal
Best In
In handicap races, the horse that is considered favourite at the weights
Blinkers
The blinkers are in fact cowls fitted to a head cloth and they can be either full or half cup. The overall effect is to reduce a horses vision from 180 degrees down to around 30 degrees
Board Price
The price offered against each horse on the bookmakers board, or display area, in betting shops, etc
Bookie's Runner
A person who works on behalf of a bookmaker on course
Bridle
The piece of equipment used to direct a horse. Various types are available such as the Drop-style, Grackle and Snaffle
Won on the bridle: Describing how a horse won easily, without being pushed out, ‘The colt won on the bridle’
Broodmare
Mare kept at stud for breeding, and not usually raced, although likely to have done so when younger
Browband
The browband runs across the front of the horse’s head, his brow, underneath his ears
Cheek Pieces
The cheek piece consists of two sheepskin bands attached to the side of the horse bridle, the purpose is to restrict the horse side vision and to help to concentrate on the race
Claiming Race
Race where the winner can be "claimed" from the yard for a set fee advertised in the race conditions
Classics
This term is used to describe the five major three-year-old races of the flat season: the 1000 Guineas, the 2000 Guineas, the Derby, the Oaks and the St Leger
Clerk of the Course
Racecourse official responsible for overall management of a racecourse, including going
Colt
Male horse up to five years old
Commission Agent
A bookmaker who passes on the bets he collects from his clients to another bookmaker while he himself relies on the commission paid for the business
Conditional Jockey
The jumping equivalent of an apprentice. A Conditional Jockey can claim a weight allowance of 7lbs until they have 20 wins, 5lbs until 40 wins and 3lbs until 75 wins
Course Specialist
Horse with a good record at a particular track, a number of wins or placed runs
Covered Up
A horse is said to have been ‘covered up’ if positioned behind other runners to prevent it running too freely in the early stages of a race
Dam
A horse's mother
Dark Horse
A horse whose full potential is as yet unknown ‘this could be the dark horse in the race’
Dead Heat
When two or more selections cannot be separated by the judge even after consulting the photo finish the race is declares a ‘dead heat’
Declaration
A horse has to be ‘declared’ to run in a race. Entries for most races in the UK must be made midday five or six days before the running of the race, earlier for many of the major races. Declarations to run close two days prior to the race on the flat and one day over jumps (two days for jumps racing on a Sunday)
Distance
The distance of a race: Five furlongs is the minimum and the four and a half miles of the Grand National is the longest
The margin by which a horse is beaten by the horse directly in front ‘beat ten lengths’. This ranges from a short head to 'by a distance' (more than thirty lengths)
The Distance: the distance is 240 yards from the finish of a race; you will sometimes hear a commentator say ‘they’re coming to the distance’. This derives from the original match races where a horse finishing more than 240 yards behind the horse in front was disqualified from further heats, so that riders were discouraged from giving their horse an easy race in order to keep it fresh for later heats
Double
A multiple bet. In a win double both horses must finish first for the bet to be paid out. In an each-way or place double both horses must be placed to draw the place double dividend
Draw
The starting positions allotted to horses contesting races on the flat.
Dual Forecast
A Tote bet involving the forecast of the first and second horses in a race, either order
Each Way
A bet covering both win and place
Eye Cover
Worn by a horse which is blind in one eye or has an eye missing
Eye Shields
Worn to give full vision but protect the horses eyes often on all-weather tracks
Filly
A female horse up to five years old
Flat Racing
the Flat Season begins at the end of March and runs through to the end of September on turf. Flat racing takes place year round thanks to the all-weather surfaces such as at Lingfield, Southwell, Kempton and Wolverhampton
Forecast
Nominating not only the winner but the second as well. A straight forecast = 1st and 2nd in correct order. A dual forecast =1st and 2nd in either order
Form
Condition of health and training
Furlong
An eighth of a mile (220 yards)
Gelding
A castrated horse
Get the trip
A horse is said to ‘get the trip’ if it has proven previously that it stay the distance of the race
Going
A term used to state of the ground on which racing will take place: Hard, Firm, Good, Soft, Yielding, Holding, Heavy for example and combinations thereof, ‘the going to day is good, good-soft in places’
Guineas
A guinea was equivalent to one pound one shilling (£1.05). Bloodstock sales at Tattersalls are still conducted in guineas
Handicaps
Races in which horses are allotted different weights according to their perceived ability, the best horse carrying the most weight
Handicapper
Professional responsible for allotting the weights to be carried by each horse in a handicap
Headgear
A term used to describe: Hoods, blinkers, visor, eyeshield, sheepskin cheek pieces and tongue strap
Hedge
Pass on part or all of a bet reducing your liability, or, trading at such favourable odds that a win must materialise whatever the result
Hoods
Designed to cover the ears and are worn by horses that are affected by noise
Horse
Male horse five years or older
Judge
Official responsible for declaring the finishing order of a race and the distances between the runners
Juvenile
Two-year-old horse
Jackpot
Tote Jackpot is a bet available everyday. To win you must name the winners of all 6 ‘Jackpot’ races. The pool can run into hundreds of thousands
Lay
A bookmaker's offer quoting the price at which he wishes to trade. 'I'll lay 6-4 the favourite.'
Left Handed Track
Racecourse where horses run anti-clockwise
Levy
Much of the money that goes towards prizes and improvements to racecourses comes from amounts collected from bookmakers, based on their turnover. The body responsible for this is known as the Levy Board
Maiden race
Ostensibly for those horses, colts, geldings or fillies, which have never won a race. However, conditions sometimes permit previous winners (e.g. maidens at closing, i.e. those which have not won a race up to the time the entries close); in which case penalties are allotted for later wins
Mare
A female horse five years or older
Market
A market is created, by the prices offered for each runner by bookmakers
Nap
A term used to describe the main selection of a tipster for the meeting in question ‘my Nap of the day is….’
No Offers
A certain horse having no quotation as the bookmakers are not betting on it for the moment
Novice
Inexperienced Horse
Nursery
A handicap race for two-year-olds
Odds
The ration between the amounts staked on the outcome of a bet, based on the probability either way 4-1, 6-4, 7-2 etc
Odds-against
The backer wins more than their stake, e.g. 6/4
Odds-on
With an odds-on bet the backer stands to win less than the amount staked (plus the stake as well), e.g. 4/6
Off
When a race is to start, the off time. When a horse races starts you will nearly always hear commentators say ‘and they’re off’
Is it off? Is the animal in question going to run to the best of its ability?
On The Nose
A bet to win – ‘£20 Bettys boy on the nose’
Over Round
Term used to describe the advantage a bookmaker has when making a book. The over-round is how the bookmaker makes his profit – and pays for the cigars, big cars and cruises. The higher the over round figure, the higher the advantage to the bookmaker, in most races the over round is usually between 115 and 135 – if the bookmaker took an equal amount of cash of every runner he would stand to make 15-35% profit
Over The Top
An expression used to describe a horse beyond its best, often toward the end of the season ‘The filly looks to have gone over the top’
Overweight
When Jockeys riding weight (of jockey + tack) is above the minimum allowed by the handicapper 'carrying overweight'
Paddock
Area of the racecourse incorporating the pre-parade ring, parade ring and winner's enclosure where the horses are assembled, saddled, and paraded before each race and unsaddled after the race
A fenced area, usually near a stable, used chiefly for grazing horses
Place-pot
Similar rules to the Jackpot, but your selections have only to be placed
Pulled
A description sometimes used to describe a horse that hasn’t settled in its race ‘the colt pulled for its head early’
Prevented from winning or at least from obtaining a better placing, by the jockey ‘the horse was pulled’
Punter
A person who gambles or lays a bet
Quarters
The hind parts of a horse, specifically between flank and tail
Rails
The dividing barrier between Members' enclosure and Tattersall's enclosure where the big bookmaking firms are represented
Reins
The reins are the straps which run from the horse’s head which the rider holds onto.
Ride work
Exercise horses on the gallops
Right Handed Track
Racecourse where horses run clockwise
Ring
The bookmakers - collectively - in one of the enclosures often referred to as the ‘betting ring’
Selling Race
A race in which the winner is afterwards offered for sale at auction
Settler
Bookmakers employee who calculates bets - a dieing art with todays computerised systems
Silver Ring
An enclosure cheaper than Members and Tattersall's with fewer amenities
Sire
A horses father
Stallion
Male horse at stud
Starting Price
The final price available at the time the race starts for the horse to win the race – often referred to as the S.P.
Steeplechasing
A form of National Hunt racing where the horses jump fences of varying height. Races are run over distances of two miles up to four and a half miles
Steward's Enquiry
On any suspected infringements of the 'Rules of Racing' the Stewards hold an investigation. These are carried out in a similar manner to objections
Sticks
Slang term for Jumps racing (hurdles or fences) as opposed to the Flat
Tattersall's
The enclosure next in status to Members' with access to the main betting area and the paddock
Tic-tac
A means of signalling with the hands and arms used by bookmakers' to denote price changes, an almost extinct art form at todays racetracks
Tipster
An individual who offers their opinion on a race in a newspaper or by a telephone betting service
Tongue Strap
A tongue strap is fitted over the horses tongue and this stops the tongue lifting and restricting the air flow. Although tongue straps have been used for a long time in horse racing it is only on the last ten years or so that it has been necessary to declare that a horse is wearing one
Tote
Government owned bookmaker
Treble
A multiple bet. 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
Not expected to win. ‘That horse is unfancied.’
Visors
Similar to blinkers except that the cowl has a small slit in the side to allow the horse to see other horses at its side.
Weighed in
The official declaration ratifying the result announced once all the jockeys have been weighed and seen to have carried the correct allocated weight during the race
Weight-for-age scale
The official scale of weight allowances accorded when a race is for animals of different age groups
