The Australian and New Zealand punting glossary explains some of the terms, jargon and slang which are commonly used and heard on
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n and
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
racecourses, in
TABs, on radio, and in the horse racing media. Some terms are peculiar to Australia, such as references to bookmakers, but most are used in both countries.
The emphasis in this list is on
gambling
Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three el ...
terms, rather than the
breeding
Breeding is sexual reproduction that produces offspring, usually animals or plants. It can only occur between a male and a female animal or plant.
Breeding may refer to:
* Animal husbandry, through selected specimens such as dogs, horses, and ra ...
or
veterinary
Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...
side of horse racing.
0-9
* 750s:
Binoculars
Binoculars or field glasses are two refracting telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes (binocular vision) when viewing distant objects. Most binoculars are sized to be held ...
with magnification of 7x50 mm.
* 10-50s: Binoculars with magnification of 10x50 mm.
A
* Acceptor: A horse confirmed by the owner or
trainer to be a runner in a race.
* Aged: A horse seven years old or older.
[Stratton ''International Horseman’s Dictionary'' p. 7][Summerhayes ''Encyclopaedia for Horsemen'' p. 3][Delbridge ''Macquarie Dictionary'' p. 30]
* All Up: A Type of Bet where the winnings of one race is carried over to the next race and so forth.
* Any2: A new type of bet in Australia, very popular in Hong Kong. This bet wins if the horses you select come anywhere in the first 3 placings, 1st and 2nd, 2nd and 3rd or 1st and 3rd.
* Apprentice: A young
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
, usually under 21 years of age, who is still in training. Recent rule changes allow older riders just starting out to work their way through their "apprenticeship".
* Apprentice allowance: Reduction in the weight to be carried by a horse which is to be ridden by an apprentice jockey. Also called a "claim". It varies from 4 kg to 1.5 kg depending on the number of winners the apprentice has ridden. Recent rule changes have resulted in an increase in the maximum amount able to be claimed—from 3 kg to 4 kg.
* Approximates: The
TAB prices horses are showing before a race begins.
* Asparagus: Name given to a punter who arrives on course with a stack of 'mail', hence: more tips than a tin of asparagus.
B
![Blinkers crop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Blinkers_crop.jpg)
* B.: An abbreviation for a
bay horse as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
* Back: To
bet
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...
on a horse.
* Backed In: A horse whose
odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
have shortened.
* Backed off the map: A horse which has been heavily supported resulting in a substantial decrease in
odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
.
* Back up: To race a horse soon after its latest engagement. Also, punters who keep backing a particular horse are said to "back up."
* Bagman:
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds.
History
The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795.
Range of events
Bookma ...
's employee responsible for settling bets on course.
* Bank teller job: A horse considered such a near certainty that a bank teller could invest ‘
borrowed’ bank funds and replace them without detection.
* Banker: A key selection in an exotic bet which must win, or run a particular place to guarantee any return.
* Banker: See Dead cert.
* Barriers:
Starting barrier used to keep horses in line before the start of a race. Each horse has a stall or place randomly allocated in the barrier draw for the race.
* Battler: A
trainer,
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
or
bookmaker
A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds.
History
The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795.
Range of events
Bookma ...
who just manages to make a living from his full-time involvement in horse racing.
* Benchmark: under this system, operating in NSW, the weight a horse carries at its next start is determined immediately after its previous race, according to the merit of that run. Each Benchmark point equals half a kilogram.
* Best Bet: The selection that racing journalists and tipsters nominate as their strongest selection of the day. In the UK, it is known as the nap.
* Bet back: Action taken by a bookmaker when he is heavily committed to a horse and spreads some of the risk by investing with other bookies or the totalisator.
* Bet until your nose bleeds: Confident instructions to a commission agent or advice to a
punter indicating that the horse is so certain to win that betting should only be halted in the unlikely event of a nose haemorrhage.
* Better than bank interest: Justification by a punter for backing a horse that is very short odds on.
*
Betting exchange
A betting exchange is a marketplace for customers to bet on the outcome of discrete events. Betting exchanges offer the same opportunities to bet as a bookmaker with a few differences. Gamblers can buy (also known as "back") and sell (also known ...
: Internet based organisations which broker bets between punters for a commission. The largest is
Betfair
Betfair is a British Gambling, gambling company which operates the world's largest online betting exchange. Its product offering also includes sports betting, online casino, online poker, and online bingo. Founded in 2000, the business is split ...
.
* Big bickies: A large amount of money.
* Big note: To skite or exaggerate a position or status - to "big note" oneself.
* Big Red: Nickname of the champion race horse
Phar Lap
Phar Lap (4 October 1926 – 5 April 1932) was a champion New Zealand–bred Thoroughbred racehorse who is widely regarded as New Zealand's greatest racehorse ever. Achieving incredible success during his distinguished career, his initial ...
.
* Binos (pronounced "by-nose"): Binoculars.
* Birdcage: Area where horses are paraded before entering the racetrack.
* Bite: To ask someone for a loan.
* Bl.: An abbreviation for a black horse, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
* Black type:
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
sales catalogues use boldface type to highlight horses that have won or placed in a stakes race.
* Bleeder: A horse that bleeds from the lungs during or after a race or workout. In Australia a first-time bleeder is banned from racing for three months. If it bleeds a second time the horse is banned for life.
* Blew like a north wind: Said about a horse whose
odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
have lengthened dramatically during the course of betting.
* Blinkers: A cup-shaped device used to limit a horse's vision during a race and improve concentration.
* Bloused: To be caught on the line or defeated in a photo finish.
* Blow: When the odds of a horse increase during betting.
* Blown out the gate: Odds have extended dramatically due to lack of support.
* Boat race: A race with a number of non-triers which is said to be
fixed
Fixed may refer to:
* ''Fixed'' (EP), EP by Nine Inch Nails
* ''Fixed'', an upcoming 2D adult animated film directed by Genndy Tartakovsky
* Fixed (typeface), a collection of monospace bitmap fonts that is distributed with the X Window System
* ...
for one horse to win.
* Bolter: A horse at long odds.
* Bowling: When a syndicate of punters (usually professional gambler/s) uses a number of unidentified people ("bowlers") to simultaneously place bets on a specific race at numerous locations.
* Box: Betting term denoting an exotic
combination
In mathematics, a combination is a selection of items from a set that has distinct members, such that the order of selection does not matter (unlike permutations). For example, given three fruits, say an apple, an orange and a pear, there are th ...
bet whereby all possible numeric outcomes are covered.
* Box seat: A position in a race which is one horse off the fence and one horse behind the leaders.
*
Bridle
A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the "bridle" includes both the that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit.
Headgear w ...
: A piece of equipment, usually made of leather or nylon, which fits on a horse's head and includes a bit and the reins.
* Br.: An abbreviation for a brown horse, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
* Breaking: Breaking into a gallop, when trotting horses start galloping.
* Bred: A horse is bred where it is foaled. Thus a foal conceived in New Zealand but foaled in Australian is regarded as being bred in Australia.
[Montgomery, E.S, "The Thoroughbred", Arco, New York, 1973 ]
* Breeder: A breeder of a foal is the owner of its dam when it is foaled. He may not have had anything to do with the mating of the mare or the place where it is foaled.
* Bring a duffel bag: Term used by a punter who expects to take copious amounts of cash home from the track.
* Broodmare: A filly or mare that has been bred and is used to produce foals.
* Buying money: Term used by a punter when required to bet 'odds on'.
C
![Tambo vallery races 2006 03](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Tambo_vallery_races_2006_03.jpg)
* C: The class of a harness racehorse which stands for Country Assessment; M stands for Metropolitan Assessment. A C11 M6 pacer has won an equivalent of 11 country class races and 6 metropolitan class races.
* c.: An abbreviation for a colt, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
* Calcutta: Sweepstakes conducted prior to a big event with each horse being
raffle
A raffle is a gambling competition in which people obtain numbered tickets, each of which has the chance of winning a prize. At a set time, the winners are drawn at random from a container holding a copy of each number. The drawn tickets are che ...
d and then auctioned to the highest bidder.
* Carry the grandstand: Said of a horse allocated a big
weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force acting on the object due to gravity.
Some standard textbooks define weight as a Euclidean vector, vector quantity, the gravitational force acting on the object. Others define weigh ...
in a handicap race.
* Cast: A horse situated on its side or back, and wedged in the starting stalls, such that it cannot get up.
* Cast a
plate
Plate may refer to:
Cooking
* Plate (dishware), a broad, mainly flat vessel commonly used to serve food
* Plates, tableware, dishes or dishware used for setting a table, serving food and dining
* Plate, the content of such a plate (for example: ...
: Lost a racing plate.
* Ch.: An abbreviation for a
chestnut
The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.
The unrelat ...
horse, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
* Chaff burner: Derogatory term for a horse.
* Checked: Incident during a race when a horse is blocked, causing it to change stride, slow down or change direction.
* Claim: see apprentice allowance.
* Clerk of the course: Mounted racecourse officials who manage horses and jockeys on the race track, and lead the winner of a race back to the mounting yard.
* Coat-tugger: A racecourse
conman
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed. Researchers have d ...
who will tip a horse to a punter, and if the horse wins, is always present when the punter collects, to demand a portion of the winnings.
* Colourful racing identity:
Euphemism
A euphemism () is an innocuous word or expression used in place of one that is deemed offensive or suggests something unpleasant. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive terms for concepts that the user wishes ...
for a criminal.
* Colours: Coloured racing jacket and cap worn by jockeys to indicate the owners of a horse.
*
Colt
Colt(s) or COLT may refer to:
*Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age
People
* Colt (given name)
*Colt (surname)
Places
*Colt, Arkansas, United States
*Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...
: An entire (ungelded) male under four years of age.
* Connections: The owners and
trainer of a horse.
* Cop a minty wrapper: To receive a very light "sling" or
gratuity.
* Correct weight: After a race the weight carried by at least the placegetters is checked, and 'correct weight' is the signal by the stewards that bets can be paid.
* Could not lay it with a trowel: Said by
bookmaker
A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds.
History
The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795.
Range of events
Bookma ...
s of a horse that has been completely neglected in the betting ring.
* Cricket score odds: Very long odds, usually 100 to 1 or better.
* Crucified: see Slaughtered.
* Crusher: A bookmaker who takes top odds from his colleagues and then offers prices on the same horse or horses at reduced odds.
* Cuts his own hair: An expression to indicate a person is very careful about investing any money.
D
![Triple dead-heat](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Triple_dead-heat.jpg)
* Daily double: Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two nominated races.
* Dam: The mother of a horse.
* Daylight: Often called as second place getter in a race where the winner has won by a wide margin.
* Dead cert: Dead certainty, a horse or team that is considered highly likely to win.
*
Dead heat
A dead heat is a rare situation in various racing sports in which the performances of competitors are judged to be so close that no difference between them can be resolved. The result is declared a tie and the competitors are awarded a joint ra ...
: is a tie between two or, rarely, more horses for a win or place in a race.
* Dead 'un: A horse deliberately ridden to lose.
* Deductions: The percentage reduction in odds, for win and place bets, when a horse is scratched from a race after betting on that race has commenced.
*
Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
: A
stakes event for three-year-olds.
* Desperate: A hopeless gambler; one who has no control over his or her tendency to bet.
*
Dip: A pickpocket on a racecourse; someone with light fingers.
* Dishlickers: A colloquial term for
greyhound racing.
* Dogs are barking it: A big tip which has become common
knowledge
Knowledge can be defined as awareness of facts or as practical skills, and may also refer to familiarity with objects or situations. Knowledge of facts, also called propositional knowledge, is often defined as true belief that is distinc ...
.
* Doing plenty: Having a rough trot on the punt.
* Donkey-licked: To be defeated convincingly.
* Double carpet: 33/1 outsider.
* Drift: When the odds of a horse increase or ease.
* Drift in: A horse moving from a straight path towards the rail during a race.
* Drongo: A horse or person who was disappointing, slow or clumsy.
* Drum: Good information, a tip. Drum can also mean to be placed 2nd or 3rd in a race; to run "the drum."
*
Dutch book
In gambling, a Dutch book or lock is a set of odds and bets, established by the bookmaker, that ensures that the bookmaker will profit—at the expense of the gamblers—regardless of the outcome of the event (a horse race, for example) on which ...
: To bet on a number of horses, at varying odds, such that whichever bet wins, a set
profit is
guarantee
Guarantee is a legal term more comprehensive and of higher import than either warranty or "security". It most commonly designates a private transaction by means of which one person, to obtain some trust, confidence or credit for another, engages ...
d.
* Duet: Exotic bet to select two of the three placegetters in a race.
* Duffer in the wet: Does not run well on slow or heavy tracks.
E
![Air Jihad 19991031C1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Air_Jihad_19991031C1.jpg)
* Each way: To bet for a win and a place.
* Early crow: When someone, usually a
Race caller
A race caller is a public-address announcer or sportscaster who describes the progress of a race, either for on-track or radio and TV fans. They are most prominent in horse racing, auto racing and track-and-field events.
Among the jobs of a race ...
, calls the winner of a race prematurely and incorrectly.
* Educated money: An amount invested on a horse from a
stable or informed source.
* Emergencies: Substitutes, or replacements, for horses which are scratched from a race which is limited to a number of starters. The 'emergency starters' are drawn up by ballot or lottery to take the place of any runner that is withdrawn.
*
Emu
The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus '' Dromaius''. The emu ...
: A person who picks up discarded betting tickets on a racecourse, hoping that some will be of value. The person strikes a similar pose to Australia's largest native bird when feeding.
* Entire: Any male horse with both
testicles
A testicle or testis (plural testes) is the male reproductive gland or gonad in all bilaterians, including humans. It is homologous to the female ovary. The functions of the testes are to produce both sperm and androgens, primarily testostero ...
in the scrotum.
*
Equipment
Equipment most commonly refers to a set of tool
A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, onl ...
: includes regular tack and gear which must be approved. See ''Gear changes''.
*
Even money
Even money is a wagering Proposition bet, proposition with even odds - the bettor stands to lose or win the same amount of money. Beyond gambling, ''even money'' can mean an event whose occurrence is about as likely to occur as not. Even money is ...
: Odds of 1-1. A total return of $2 for a $1 outlay.
* Exacta: Exotic bet to select the first two finishers in a race in the exact order of finish.
* Exotics: Any bet other than a win or place e.g. Quinella,
trifecta
file:Trifecta.svg, Trifecta
A trifecta is a parimutuel betting, parimutuel bet placed on a horse race in which the bettor must predict which horses will finish first, second, and third, in the exact order. Known as a trifecta in the US and Austra ...
, quadrella, superfecta, treble, exacta.
F
* f.: An abbreviation for a filly, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
* Facing the breeze: Horse on the outside that can't get past the leader in trotting races.
* Failed to give a yelp: Said of a horse that, although expected to go well, runs down the track.
*
Farrier
A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves, if necessary. A farrier combines some blacksmith's skills (fabricating, adapting, and adj ...
: A person who shoes the horses.
* Favourite: The horse which is quoted at the shortest
odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
in a
race
Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to:
* Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species
* Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
.
* Field bet: To incorporate all of the runners in a race in one combination of an exotic bet.
*
Filly: A female Thoroughbred less than four years of age.
* Firm: To shorten in the betting, generally because of the weight of money being invested.
* First Four: An exotic type of wager picking the first four finishers in exact sequence, known as a
Superfecta {{Wiktionary
The superfecta is a type of wager in USA and Canada parimutuel betting in which the bettor, in order to win, must pick the first four finishers of a race in the correct sequence. This is even more unlikely than a successful wager in th ...
in the US.
* First up: The first run of a horse in a new preparation.
* Flip of the coin: The odds available are quoted at
even money
Even money is a wagering Proposition bet, proposition with even odds - the bettor stands to lose or win the same amount of money. Beyond gambling, ''even money'' can mean an event whose occurrence is about as likely to occur as not. Even money is ...
.
* Flying handicap: A sprint
race
Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to:
* Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species
* Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
generally of less than 1200 metres.
* Foot on the till: Expression indicating that a horse is ready to win.
*
Form
Form is the shape, visual appearance, or configuration of an object. In a wider sense, the form is the way something happens.
Form also refers to:
*Form (document), a document (printed or electronic) with spaces in which to write or enter data
...
: A horse's record of past performances.
* Fractions: The cents left over after
TAB dividends are rounded down to the lower 10 cents.
*
Front-runner
In politics, a front-runner (also spelled frontrunner or front runner) is a leader in an electoral race. While the front-runner in athletic events (the namesake of the political concept) is generally clear, a political front-runner, particularly i ...
: A horse that performs best when allowed to run along at the head of the field.
*
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hor ...
: An eighth of a mile (220 yards).
G
* Gear Changes are authorised by stewards and appear in form guides and race books. Gear falling into this category includes: Blinkers, pacifiers, winkers, visors, cheekers, Cornell Collars, ear muffs, nose bands, nose rolls, various bits, tail chain, tongue tie, various plates and shoes for racing. Prior to racing: barrier blankets, stallion chains and blindfolds. Gelding of entire males is also to be notified.
*
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...
: A male horse that has been castrated.
* Get on: Have your bet accepted.
* Get out stakes: The last event on any racing programme.
* Get up: To win.
[Wilkes, G. A., "A Dictionary of Australian Colloquialisms", Sydney University Press, N.S.W., 1978, ]
* Getting set: Being accommodated for a wager.
* Getting up without names: An indication that a number of long shots have won races, hence: "They're getting up without names today."
* Girth: An elastic and leather band sometimes covered with sheepskin, that passes under a horse's belly and is connected to both sides of the saddle.
* Going: The surface condition of the racecourse (fast, good, dead, slow, or heavy). A trial system introduced in NSW in 2005 rates tracks on a score of 10, from 1
astto 10
eavy Victoria introduced the system for a trial period on 1 December 2005.
* Good alley: A barrier draw considered to be ideal for a particular horse.
* Good oil: Positive information about a horse's chances in a race.
* Gorilla: A colloquial term for one thousand dollars.
* Got at: A horse is said to have been got at when it was by any means been put in such a condition that it cannot win.
* Got the blows: Drifted in the betting.
* Gr.: An abbreviation for a grey horse, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
* Greet the judge: To win a race.
*
Group race
Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as, in Europe, the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'A ...
: High quality race categorised into
Group One (G1), 2 and 3 and Listed races, in order of importance.
* Grow another leg: Said of horses that handle wet tracks well.
H
* h.: An abbreviation for a horse (stallion), as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
* Had something on the winner: Understatement of a punter who may have bankrupted a couple of bookies.
* Hairy-goat: A racehorse that has performed badly.
* Half-brother, half-sister: Horses out of the same dam but by different sires. It does not apply to horses by the same sire.
[Summerhayes, RS, Encyclopaedia for Horsemen, Warne & Co, London & New York, 1966]
* Ham: As in 'What a Ham'. Term used for a horse that has been in a good paddock/looks a little large around the edges.
*
Hand
A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered appendage located at the end of the forearm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs. A few other vertebrates such as the koala (which has two opposable thumbs on each "h ...
: Unit of measure (equals 4 inches) of a horse's height. Thoroughbreds typically range from 15 to 17 hands. The measurement is taken from the ground to the horse's withers - the point where the neck meets the back.
*
Handicap: A class of race for which the official handicapper assigns the
weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force acting on the object due to gravity.
Some standard textbooks define weight as a Euclidean vector, vector quantity, the gravitational force acting on the object. Others define weigh ...
each horse has to carry.
* Handicapper: The racing official who assigns the weights to be carried by horses in handicap races.
* Hang: To veer away from a straight course during a race.
* Hard earned: Money.
* Head: A margin between horses. One horse leading another by the length of his head.
* Headquarters: Randwick. In Victoria,
Flemington Racecourse is known as headquarters.
* The Heath: The nickname for
Caulfield Racecourse
Caulfield Racecourse Reserve is located nine kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs. The Reserve was set aside for three purposes, racing, recreation and a publi ...
.
* Hold all tickets: Announcement by the Stewards that no bets can be settled until certain aspects of the race have been investigated.
* Hoop: Jockey.
* Horse: An entire male horse of four years of age or more.
* Hot Pot: The race favourite.
I
* Imports: Horses imported to Australia are indicated by an abbreviation the country of their birth, such as New Zealand (NZ) and United States (USA).
[Arrold, Tony, "A Racegoers Handbook", Harper & Row publishers Sydney, New York, 1978] An * (asterisk) suffix may also be used to denote horses imported from England or Ireland to Australia or New Zealand.
[de Bourg, Ross, "The Australian and New Zealand Thoroughbred", Nelson, West Melbourne, 1980, ]
*
Impost: The weight a horse is allocated or carries.
* In the red: The price of a horse when it is odds on. The Bookmakers' boards display 'odds on' in red to distinguish from odds against.
* Inquiry Inquiry into the running of the race. Can result in demotion of one or more horses in the finish order.
* Irons:
Stirrup
A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a ''stirrup leather''. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal ( ...
s.
J
* Jackpot: Monies carried over to the next suitable race or meeting. This occurs in exotic bet types such as quadrella and superfecta when no investor selects the winning combination.
* Jigger: An illegal battery powered device used by a jockey to stimulate a horse during a race or track work.
* Jumped out of the ground: Said of a horse which comes from nowhere at the end of the race.
* Jumped out of trees: Said by bookmakers of a rush of punters to plunge on a horse.
* Just about square: Punters expression for when they have almost won back the money they have lost earlier in the day.
K
* Knocktaker: An absolute certainty. A moral. A stone bonker. A B.O.A.T.
ird Of All Time
* Knuckled over: To stumble away from the starting stalls, usually caused by the track surface breaking away from under a horse's hooves, causing it to duck its head or nearly go to its knees.
L
* Lacks ticker: Deficient in the heart department (i.e. courage).
* Late mail: Final thoughts and selections of tipsters allowing for things like scratchings, jockey changes and on course information.
* Lay: When a bookmaker takes a risk and increases the odds of a particular horse to entice investors because the bookmaker truly believes that horse has no chance of winning the race.
*
Lay down misere
Lay may refer to:
Places
*Lay Range, a subrange of mountains in British Columbia, Canada
*Lay, Loire, a French commune
*Lay (river), France
*Lay, Iran, a village
*Lay, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community
People
* Lay (surname)
* ...
: An absolute certainty.
* Lay of the day: A fancied horse considered by a bookmaker to be the one about which he will take the biggest risk.
* Lay off: Bets made by one bookmaker with another bookmaker or the tote, in an effort to reduce his liability in respect of bets already laid by him with investors.
* Lay in/out: When a horse directs its head and attempts to move its body towards or away from the rail.
* Left it in the bag: An unsuccessful betting plunge which results in the money remaining in the bookmaker's bag.
* Length: A length. The length of a horse from nose to tail. Used to describe the distance between horses in a race. Equal to 0.17 seconds.
* Let down: A jockey is said to let down his horse in the final stages of a race when asking it for its final effort.
* London to a brick on: Long odds-on.
* Long shot: An outsider at long
odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
with little chance of winning.
* Lost a leg in the float: The horse has drifted alarmingly in the betting.
* Low flying: A horse travelling so fast it is said to be "low flying" rather than running.
* Lug: Racing erratically and hanging in.
M
![Mounting yard](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Mounting_yard.JPG)
* M: The class of a harness racehorse which stands for Metropolitan Assessment. A C11 M6 pacer has won an equivalent of 11 country class races and 6 metropolitan class races.
* m.: An abbreviation for a mare, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books etc.
* Maiden: A horse that has not won a race.
* Mail: Information and tips.
*
Mare
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...
: A female horse over three years old.
* Market: The list of all horses engaged in a race and their respective odds.
* Mentor: The trainer of a horse.
* Monkey: A term used for five hundred dollars.
* Moral: An absolute certainty.
* Mounting yard: Enclosure where the horses are paraded prior to each race and jockeys mount and dismount their horses.
* Muck lather: Term for a horse sweating profusely, usually brought on by nervousness prior to a race.
* Mudlark: A horse which goes well on a wet track.
* Multi Bet: A type of bet which allows you to automatically place the winnings from the previous bet(s) onto the following bet(s).
N
* Nags: Derogatory term for horse racing.
* Near side: Left hand side of a horse. The side on which a horse is normally mounted.
* Neck; A win or place margin, which in racing is about the length of a hores's neck.
* Neglected: Attracting very little support in the betting.
* Nose: The short winning margin in an Australian horse race, followed by a short half-head.
* Nose band: A leather strap that goes around a horse's nose to help keep the mouth shut.
O
* Oaks: A stakes event for three-year-old fillies.
* Odds against:
Odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
which are longer than evens (e.g. 2–1). At present Australian odds are expressed as a $ figure: 2-1 is now shown as $3 (2-1 plus the $1 stake).
* Odds on:
Odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
which are shorter than evens (e.g. 1-2 or 2–1 on). Or $1.50, using the above example in Odds Against.
* Odds on look on: An old adage used by punters in which the decision is made not to bet on a race in which the favourite is at odds on.
* Off side: The right hand side of a horse.
* On course tote: The totalisator which is situated at the race course.
* On the bit: When a horse is eager to run.
* On the nod: A betting transaction between a punter and bookmaker without money changing hands. A credit bet.
* On the nose: A bet placed on the win only
* One large: A term used for one thousand dollars.
* Ordinary cattle: A derogatory term for a low class field of runners.
* Outlay: The money an investor bets or wagers is called their outlay.
* Outsider: A horse whose chances of winning a race are not considered very strong. An outsider is usually quoted at the highest odds.
* Overs: Odds about a horse which are considered to be good value because they are longer than its estimated probability of winning.
* Overweight: Excess weight carried by a horse when the rider cannot make the allocated weight, including apprentice allowances.
P
![Pacifers](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Pacifers.JPG)
* Pacifiers: Mesh eye-covers used to calm horses down. Racing stewards may restrict their use in wet weather for safety reasons, as mud can stick to them.
* Pay the grandstand: Often said of a likely exotic tote dividend when one or more outsiders win or run a place. "It will pay the grandstand."
* Penetrometer: A device used for measuring the hardness or softness of the track by measuring the extent to which the device penetrates the ground.
ee "Going".* Persuader: Colloquial term for a jockey's whip.
* Photo finish: Where the finish of the race is so close that a photograph has to be used to determine the eventual winner/placer.
* Pigskin: A jockey's saddle.
* Pig-root: Horse which bucks and tries to throw the rider.
* Pilot the field: To lead the race.
* Placed: Finished in the first three in a race.
* Place bet A place bet will win if the selected horse finishes in the first three in fields of eight or more horses. If there are only six or seven runners the horse must finish first or second to place.
* Plonk: A sizeable amount wagered on a horse. Not quite a plunge but a "decent plonk" nevertheless.
* : In the bookmakers' ring, a massive and sudden support for a horse.
* Postilion:
Jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
.
* Preliminary: The walk, canter or gallop by a horse on the way to the starting stalls.
* Pre-post odds: A horse's anticipated odds as printed in the morning newspapers.
*
Price
A price is the (usually not negative) quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services. In some situations, the price of production has a different name. If the product is a "good" in the c ...
: The odds on offer about a horse.
* Prior convictions: A horse which has failed to perform to expectations on previous occasions.
* Protest: When a jockey, owner, trainer or steward alleges interference by one party against another during a race that may have affected the outcome of a race. If a protest is upheld by stewards, the runner that caused the interference is placed directly after the horse interfered with. If a protest is dismissed, the original result of the race stands.
* Pulled its head off: Said of a horse that would not settle, or over-raced.
* Pulling: Over racing.
*
Punt: To wager on the outcome of a race.
* Punter: Person making the wager.
* Put your house on: A good thing.
Q
* Quadrella: A type of wager which requires the selection of winners of 4 nominated races. Also known as a 'Quaddie'.
* Quality Handicap; Races which have a minimum weight of 53 kg and a maximum weight of 61 kg unless otherwise approved, plus minimum rates of prizemoney.
R
* Racing plates: Aluminium
horseshoe
A horseshoe is a fabricated product designed to protect a horse hoof from wear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface (ground side) of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall that is anatomically akin to the human toen ...
s.
* Rails: The fence on the inside of a race track. Also, the prime position in a bookmakers' ring. Hence "rails bookmaker."
* Red-hots: The trots, or
harness racing.
* Relegated: Horse is demoted in finish order due to an inquiry into the race.
* Result: In bookmaking a "result" is a financial outcome of any race. It may be a "good result" or a "bad result."
* Ridden upside down: Not ridden in the usual manner. An example would be a normal front runner which is ridden back in the field.
* Rig: A male horse which is a cryptorchid or not properly castrated.
* Ring: An area on a racecourse where the bookmakers are positioned is always called a "ring", regardless of its shape.
* Ring-in: A horse in a race who has been substituted illegally for the correct entrant. The most infamous case in recent years was the
Fine Cotton
Fine Cotton (29 November 1976 20 February 2009) was a brown Australian Thoroughbred gelding which was at the centre of a substitution scam (also known as a ring-in) which occurred on 18 August 1984, in the Commerce Novice (2nd division) Handic ...
ring-in.
* Risky conveyance: A horse which has a record of not performing to expectations in previous races.
* Roughie: A horse at long odds which is considered to have only a remote chance of winning a race.
* Running double: Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races.
S
![Pferderennen2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Pferderennen2.jpg)
* Saddlecloth: A cloth which goes under the saddle to identify the horse by number
and, sometimes in major races, its name.
* Salute the judge: The horse wins the race.
* Satchel swinger: A
bookmaker
A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds.
History
The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795.
Range of events
Bookma ...
.
* Score up: In harness racing the movement of horses behind the mobile barrier before a start is made.
* Scraping paint: Racing tight, or close, to the running rail.
* Scratch: To be taken out of a race before it starts.
* Sectionals: Intermediate times recorded during a race.
* Set the board: When a bookmaker completes the information shown on the betting board, by listing each runner in a race and their respective odds, he or she is said to have set the board.
* Settling: A meeting between bookmaker and punter at which money is exchanged in settlement for past credit betting. The majority of settling now takes place at the course prior to the race.
*
(Shadow) Nose Roll: A wide lambs wool covered noseband designed to keep the horse from seeing his own shadow.
* Shillelagh: Colloquial term for a jockey's whip.
* Shin sore: Inflammation of the membrane of the cannon bone.
* Short half-head: The second-smallest winning margin. In Australia a NOSE is the shortest margin a horse can win by.
* Shorten: When the
odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
of a horse decrease, usually because a lot of money has been wagered on that horse.
* Shrapnel: The term used by a bookie's bagman for a heap of small coins.
* Silks: A jockey's breeches and bib or cravat
*
Sire
Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French.
The words "sire" a ...
: The father of a horse.
* Skinner: A "result" for a bookmaker which entails very little, or no pay out whatsoever on a race.
* Slaughtered: Said of a jockey who has ridden a horse so badly as to be the main cause of it losing a race.
* Sling: A sum of money given as
gratuity or bonus generally by an owner to a trainer, jockey or strapper.
* Smarty: A somewhat derogatory term for a person not to be trusted, especially with privileged stable information.
* Smoky: A well supported horse with no apparent form to justify its price.
*
SP : An illegal "off course" operator – a starting price bookmaker. The term SP is also used by racing officials to declare the official starting price of a horse.
* Special: see Best bet.
* Speedy squib: A horse which has a reputation for beginning races extremely fast and running out of steam before the winning post.
* Spell: The resting period for a horse between preparations or racing.
* Spin: An expression for a five-pound note (pre-1966 currency).
* Spot: A term used for one hundred dollars.
*
Spring Grand Slam: Informally describes the treble of the
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under handicap conditions, although the Melbourne Racing Club is in the process of turning the race into weight for age (WFA) conditions. This is for all horses ...
,
Cox Plate
The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Moo ...
and
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melb ...
.
* Sprout wings: To accelerate surprisingly in the straight to defeat a leader who looked certain to win.
* Stake: The sums of money deposited or guaranteed by the parties to a bet.
* Stakes races: Group one, group two, group three or listed races.
* Stayer: A horse that specialises in longer distance races.
* Stewards: Officials who run the race meeting and are responsible for enforcing the Australian
nd LocalRules of racing.
* Stick: Jockey's whip.
* Sticks: Hurdles or fences in jumping races.
* Stipes: Another term for the Stewards. (Or Stipendiary Stewards)
*
Stirrup
A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a ''stirrup leather''. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal ( ...
s: Metal "D" shaped rings into which a jockey places his/her feet. Also known as "irons".
* Stone motherless: Expression used to indicate that a horse is running a clear last in a race, or is tailed off at the finish.
* Stonebonker: A good thing in a race. A horse considered to be over the line.
* Straight out: Betting to win only
*
Strapper: The person who attends to, grooms, and usually leads the horse around the mounting yard.
* Superfecta: An exotic type of bet which requires a punter to select the first six horses to cross the finish line in the exact order.
Only previously offered in New South Wales; now replaced by the First Four. (Compare with the usual U.S. definition, which is similar to the Australian/New Zealand First Four.)
* Swimmer: Horse which performs very well on rain affected tracks.
* Swooper: A horse which charges home at the end of a race.
T
* TAB:
Totalisator Agency Board
The Totalisator Agency Board, universally shortened to TAB or T.A.B., is the name given to monopoly totalisator organisations in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. They operate betting shops and online betting. They were originally gove ...
. The original State government body appointed to regulate off-course betting. Many of the State TABs have been privatised in recent years.
* Tabcorp is Australia's largest gambling and entertainment group. It was established in 1994 following the privatization of the Victorian TAB.
* Take the knock: Fail to honour betting debts. The punter concerned generally goes missing.
* Taken to the cleaners: An expression used by both bookmakers and punters when they have suffered a huge loss.
* Taking a set: When a bookmaker increases the odds of a favoured horse, which in their
opinion
An opinion is a judgment, viewpoint, or statement that is not conclusive, rather than facts, which are true statements.
Definition
A given opinion may deal with subjective matters in which there is no conclusive finding, or it may deal with f ...
can't win the race, in order to receive more bets.
* Three-quarter-brother (or sister): A term used for horses out of the same dam, but are by a sires that are half-brothers or who are by the same sire.
* Tomato Sauce Odds: Refers to an odds-on favourite in betting parlance. The phrase derives from the days of fractional odds when bookmakers used a red background on their boards to denote horses running 'odds on'. These days the phrase is used in general (and somewhat colloquial) horse racing vernacular, for example: ''"Those who took the tomato sauce odds were never in danger as she led throughout to defeat Splash of Paint and Amber Cash in 23.38"''.
* Ton: A term used for one hundred dollars.
* Tongue tie: A strap or piece of stocking used to tie down a horse's tongue to prevent it getting over the bit, which affects a horse's breathing and the jockey's control of the horse.
* Tote: TAB.
* Toppy: The top weight or horse carrying the No. 1 saddlecloth.
*
Totalisator
A tote board (or totalisator/totalizator) is a numeric or alphanumeric display used to convey information, typically at a race track (to display the odds or payoffs for each horse) or at a telethon (to display the total amount donated to the chari ...
: An alternative form of betting to
bookmaker
A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds.
History
The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795.
Range of events
Bookma ...
s or a
betting exchange
A betting exchange is a marketplace for customers to bet on the outcome of discrete events. Betting exchanges offer the same opportunities to bet as a bookmaker with a few differences. Gamblers can buy (also known as "back") and sell (also known ...
. All bets are placed into a pool, and dividends are paid by dividing the final pool by the amount invested on the winner, less a fixed percentage.
* Town: To race in 'town' means to race on
metropolitan tracks in a capital city, as distinct from all other tracks which are collectively called 'The Bush'.
*
Track condition
Going (UK), track condition (US) or track rating (AUS) are the track surface of a horse racing track prior to a horse race or race meet. The going is determined by the amount of moisture in the ground and is assessed by an official steward on the ...
: Used to describe the racing surface (Fast: Very firm surface, Good: Firm surface, Dead: Track with give in the ground, Slow: Rain affected, Heavy: Very rain affected). Now replaced in some states by a 1-to-10 rating system.
* Transfusion: An injection of
cash
In economics, cash is money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins.
In bookkeeping and financial accounting, cash is current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-imm ...
.
* Travelling: A descriptive term to indicate current financial status. A bookmaker or punter might be "travelling well" or "not travelling all that well at the moment."
* Treble: An exotic bet consisting of selections in 3 separate races, all of which must win for the wager to be successful.
*
Trifecta
file:Trifecta.svg, Trifecta
A trifecta is a parimutuel betting, parimutuel bet placed on a horse race in which the bettor must predict which horses will finish first, second, and third, in the exact order. Known as a trifecta in the US and Austra ...
: An exotic type of wager picking the first three finishers in exact sequence.
*
Triple Crown
Triple Crown may refer to:
Sports Horse racing
* Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
* Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States)
** Triple Crown Trophy
** Triple Crown Productions
* Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
* Tri ...
: A term for the three-year-old
Randwick Guineas
The Randwick Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run at set weights over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March as a part of the Sydney Autumn Carnival ...
,
Rosehill Guineas
The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights run over a distance of 2000 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia annually in March. Total prize money for t ...
and the AJC
Australian Derby
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal A ...
.
SMH Sport
Retrieved 12 April 2009
* Trots: Harness Racing
* Two Year Old Triple Crown (also known as the Two-year-old Grand Slam): Consists of the Golden Slipper Stakes
The Golden Slipper Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old horses run over 1,200 metres on turf at set weights conditions, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. It is the premier two y ...
, AJC Sires Produce Stakes
The Inglis Sires', registered as the Sires Produce Stakes, is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds at Set Weights run over a distance of 1,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April dur ...
and the Champagne Stakes.[Huxley, Dennis, ''Miller’s Guide, Sporting records, 2009/2010'', Miller’s Guide P/L, Moonee Ponds]
U
* Unbackable: A horse which is quoted at such extremely short odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
that investors decide it is too short to return a reasonable profit for the risk
In simple terms, risk is the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about the effects/implications of an activity with respect to something that humans value (such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environme ...
involved.
* Under double wraps: An expression indicating that a horse won very easily without being fully extended.
* Unders: Odds about a horse which are considered to be bad value because they are shorter than its estimated winning probability
Probability is the branch of mathematics concerning numerical descriptions of how likely an Event (probability theory), event is to occur, or how likely it is that a proposition is true. The probability of an event is a number between 0 and ...
.
* Undertaker: A bookmaker
A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds.
History
The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795.
Range of events
Bookma ...
said to only be interested in laying "dead 'uns".
* Urger: see coat-tugger.
V
* Via the cape: The horse ran wide on the home turn and covered too much ground. The expression is probably an analogy
Analogy (from Greek ''analogia'', "proportion", from ''ana-'' "upon, according to" lso "against", "anew"+ ''logos'' "ratio" lso "word, speech, reckoning" is a cognitive process of transferring information or meaning from a particular subject ( ...
of the ocean voyage from the UK to Australia via the Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa.
A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is t ...
compared to the more direct route via the Suez Canal
The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...
.
* Visor blinkers: Blinkers that have a peep hole cut in them and are used to limit a horse's vision during a race and improve concentration.
W
* Wager: Another term for bet
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...
.
* Warned off: A person warned-off a racecourse is not permitted to enter a racecourse or associate with licensed persons.
* Weigh out: Before each race, a jockey, and his equipment are weighed to ensure that the horse carries its allotted weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force acting on the object due to gravity.
Some standard textbooks define weight as a Euclidean vector, vector quantity, the gravitational force acting on the object. Others define weigh ...
.
* Weight for Age
{{use dmy dates, date=October 2022
Weight for Age (WFA) is a term in thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race.
History
The principle of WFA was developed by Admiral Rous, a handicapper with the English Jockey Club. Rou ...
: Better class of race in which the weight a horse carries is allocated on a set scale according to its age and sex. The Cox Plate
The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Moo ...
, which is regarded as Australia's best race, is a weight-for-age event held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club
The Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) was founded by William Samuel (W.S.) Cox), in 1883 is located at The Valley Racecourse on McPherson Street, Moonee Ponds (a suburb of Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'' ...
in October each year.
* Weight-for-age handicap: The system used to determine weights for the Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melb ...
in which the weight of the jockey and riding gear is adjusted with ballast to a nominated figure. Older horses are given more weight than younger ones, and weightings are further adjusted according to the horse's previous results.
* Welsher: Person who refuses to honour a bet.
* Welter: A handicap race with a higher minimum weight.
* Whip: A race whip (or crop) made to Australian specifications, is about 22-24 inches long, and a jockey uses it to control and encourage a horse to increase its speed.
* Winkers: A sheepskin device which attaches to the cheek straps of the bridle to help the horse focus its vision to the front. Winkers allow more side vision than a blinker.
* Wouldn't back it with bad money: An indication that a punter has no confidence in a horses chances such that even if he had counterfeit money he would not back it.
* Write your own ticket: An expression indicating that a horse is at very long odds, with very little chance of winning.
X
Y
* Yours for theirs: A bet taken at odds of even money
Even money is a wagering Proposition bet, proposition with even odds - the bettor stands to lose or win the same amount of money. Beyond gambling, ''even money'' can mean an event whose occurrence is about as likely to occur as not. Even money is ...
.
Z
* Zambuck: Ambulance, as required at all race meetings.
See also
*Equine coat color
Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctive markings. A specialized vocabulary has evolved to describe them.
While most horses remain the same color throughout life, a few, over the course of several years, will develop a diff ...
*Glossary of equestrian terms
This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical terminology and jargon developed over the centuries for horses and other equidae, as well as various horse-related concepts. Where noted, some terms are used only in Ameri ...
*Harness racing in Australia
Harness racing, also colloquially known as trotting or the trots, is a spectator sport in Australia, with significant amounts of money wagered annually with bookmakers and the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB). In Australia there are 90 harness ra ...
*Harness racing in New Zealand
Harness racing in New Zealand is primarily a professional sport which involves pacing and trotting competitions for Standardbred racehorses. The difference is the horse's gait or running style:
* pacing is where the two legs on the same side ...
*Thoroughbred racing in Australia
Thoroughbred horse racing is an important spectator sport in Australia, and gambling on horse races is a very popular pastime with A$14.3 billion wagered in 2009/10 with bookmakers and the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB). The two forms of Thoroughb ...
*Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand
The racing of Thoroughbred horses (or gallopers, as they are also known) is a popular gaming and spectator sport and industry in New Zealand.
History
Thoroughbred horse racing commenced soon after European settlement. The first totalisator machi ...
*Glossary of North American horse racing
Glossary of North American horse racing:
Additional glossaries at:
*Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting
*Glossary of equestrian terms
This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical terminology and jargon ...
Notes
External links
Nationally Approved Gear
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glossary of Australian And New Zealand Punting
Gambling terminology
Australian punting glossary
The Australian and New Zealand punting glossary explains some of the terms, jargon and slang which are commonly used and heard on Australian and New Zealand racecourses, in Totalizator Agency Board, TABs, on radio, and in the horse racing medi ...
Punting
Punting
Australian horse racing lists
New Zealand sport-related lists