Racing Talk

It can sometimes feel like 'racing talk' is another language.

The list below explains some of the jargon you might encounter - it should make getting into the enjoyment of having a bet on the races, a little easier.

ABANDONED:

A race meeting which has been cancelled because a club did not receive sufficient nominations to be able to stage it, or because of inclement weather which made racing on the track unsafe. A race meeting may also be abandoned part way through because of inclement weather. All bets placed on abandoned races are fully refunded.

ACCEPTOR:

A runner officially listed to start in a race.

ALL CLEAR:

Signified by a siren at the end of a race, the all clear means that the stewards deem the finishing order of horses is correct and bets may be paid out. It also means that no protest or objection has been made by the connections of any horse in the race.

ALL THE WAY WIN:

To lead from start to finish in a race.

APPRENTICE JOCKEY:

Apprenticed to a trainer, apprentice jockeys have typically won less than 60 races and been in apprenticeship for less than 4 years. The weight carried by a horse is reduced from that stated in the handicap.

BACK MARKER:

In a standing start event, which is handicapped, the horse who is given the biggest handicap is known as the back marker.

BACK STRAIGHT:

The straight length of the track or pace way farthest away from the spectators and the winning post.

BANKER:

Your "anchor". If you pick a banker in a multi-bet type (e.g.: Quinella or Trifecta), you are picking that Runner to come in any place within your bet.

BARRIER:

The positions in the starting stall that the runners start the race from.

BARRIER DRAW:

The ballot held by the race club to decide which starting stall each runner will occupy.

BELL LAP:

In harness racing, the last lap of a race, signified by the ringing of the bell

BETSLIP:

The coupon, available at TAB retail, race tracks and some sporting venues, on which you mark your bet.

BIRDCAGE:

See Enclosure.

BLINKERS:

A device to prevent a horse from having sideways vision and keep its attention to what's in front of it.

BOOK:

A collection of all the bets taken on fixed odds betting events.

BOX:

In any order. You are asking that your bet covers your selections to finish in any order. e.g.: Trifecta boxed - 4, 5 and 6 would mean that your bet covers your selections to get first, second and third, but in any order.

BOXED IN:

A horse that is racing on the rails (or fence) and is surrounded by other horses in front, outside and behind it. A horse that is boxed in is held up and unable to gain a clear passage.

CARD:

Another term for fixture or race meeting.

CHECK:

When a horse is interfered with and has to change stride or slow down.

COLOURS:

The special colourful silks worn by jockeys or drivers when in a race.

COLT:

A male horse aged three or under.

COMBINATION:

If you select more than the minimum of Runners required to win your bet, you introduce additional chances to win. Each of these chances is a "combination" and will change the total cost of your bet. The bet unit is the amount you bet on each chance or combination.

CONCESSION:

An additional dividend. A concession is offered only on Doubles. In Doubles the "Concession Double" is paid when your selections win one leg and come second in the other. In Pick6, with the introduction of Percentage betting a concession is no longer paid when your selections win five of the six races.

CORRECT WEIGHT:

Horses are allocated a weight to carry that is checked before and, for at least the place getters, after a race. Correct weight must be signalled before bets can be paid out.

COUNT BACK:

Where there is no winning ticket on a terminating pool, the TAB will "count back" to find the "most correct" ticket or tickets. The priority order of the count back for different Racing Bet Types or Sport Options is detailed in the TAB Rules

DEAD HEAT:

When 2 or more runners finish together and cannot be separated by the judge after consulting the photo finish

DECLARATION OF WEIGHTS:

The publication of weights allocated to each horse nominated for a race by the handicapper

DERBY:

A classic race for three-year-old horses.

DIVIDEND:

Winnings. Dividends are displayed in the most common bet unit.

EACH WAY:

This bet combines a win and a place bet on the same runner.

EASYBET:

The easy way to get your selection for an event - racing or sports fixture. By asking the operator for an "Easybet" the TAB computer will select your runners/competitors or score for you. The computer selects a bet based on where the money is going on a particular event, i.e. "a selection from the money, not the mouth". Easybets are available for Racing - Eachway, Quinellas, Trifectas, Pick6 and Six Pack; for other Sports - Pick the Score and Pools.

EMERGENCY:

Replacement runner in a race when an official acceptor is scratched prior to a particular time before the race.

ENCLOSURE:

The area where the Runners gather for viewing before and after the race.

FAVOURITE:

The Runner or competitor that has the most dollars bet on it to win and is seen as having the greatest chance of winning.

FEATURE RACES:

Top races.

FENCE:

The inside fence is the inside running rail around the race track, while the outside fence is the outside running rail.

FIELD:

All the individual Runners listed by race. If you "take the field" you are backing every Runner in the race.

FILLY:

A female horse aged three or under.

FIRST UP:

The first run a horse has in a new campaign or preparation, usually after having a spell.

FIXED ODDS:

Your dividend is fixed at the odds when you placed your bet.

FIXTURE:

See meeting.

FORM:

As found in a form guide, it consists of a listing of each runner's previous performance history. Recent form is included in race books and form guides in an effort to help punters select the horse most likely to win.

FURLONG:

A description of distance on a racetrack. 1 furlong = 200 metres.

FUTURES:

Fixed Odds betting which is taken well in advance of the event. Higher odds are sometimes offered as not all players will end up competing.

GAIT:

Harness horses are divided into two distinct groups, pacers or trotters, depending on their gait when racing. The gait is the manner in that a horse moves its legs when running. The pacer is a horse with a lateral gait, whereas a trotter or square-gaiter has a diagonal gait

GATE:

Another term for barrier, or position a horse will start from.

GELDING:

A de-sexed male horse of any age

GROUP RACES:

An elite group of races.

HANDICAP:

This can be a class of race or it can refer to the weight a horse carries.

HANDICAPPER:

The official who decides the weights to be carried in handicap events, and the grading of horses and greyhounds.

HOME TURN:

The final turn a horse must travel around before entering the home straight in the run to the finish line.

INQUIRY:

If interference is suspected in a race, the stipendiary stewards (who run the race day) will call an inquiry. All dividends are held until the inquiry is resolved. The outcome may mean a change in the winning positions or payment on the original placings.

JACKPOT:

Occurs in bet types such as Pick6 and Pools when no investors select the winning combination. The monies invested into these pools are then carried over to the next running of that bet.

JUDGE:

The person who declares the official placing for each race.

LATE SCRATCHING:

A horse that is scratched from a race after acceptances have been declared.

LEG:

A Race which forms part of a Multi Race bet, e.g.: "First leg of the Double" would be the first race of the two which make the designated Double race feature.

MAIDEN:

A horse which has not yet won a race. Alternatively, a race for runners yet to win a race.

MARE:

A female horse, aged four and over.

MARGINS:

The official distance between placed animals at finish of a race, expressed in lengths. A length is the average length of a horse - 2.4 metres. When the margins are small, the judge uses terms like Neck or Head.

MEETING:

A collection of races conducted by a club on the same day or night forms a race meeting.

MILE RATE:

in harness racing it is the approximate time a horse would have run had the distance been one-mile (1609m)

MOBILE RATE:

harness racing starts effected from behind a moving barrier gate.

NO THIRD DIVIDEND:

Occurs when there is six or less runners in a race(as declared at 9am.on race day). In this situation, dividends will only be paid out on the horses that finish in first and second place.

NOMINATIONS:

The complete list of runners entered by owners and trainers for a race.

OAKS:

A classic race restricted to three-year-old fillies.

ODDS:

Chances of winning expressed in dollar terms

ON THE BIT:

A horse that is racing well and keenly.

PACING:

A type of gait. When pacing, a horse moves both legs on the same side, forward at the same time. As they go forward, the other legs on the other side go backward.

PARI MUTUEL:

See totalisator.

PERCENTAGE BETTING:

With Percentage betting you pay a percentage of the price of a Trifecta, Treble, Pick6 or Six Pack in return for a percentage of the dividend. Minimum bet is $5, minimum bet value of each combination is 5-cents (5%)

PHOTO FINISH:

When the finish of a race is so close that the judge requires the photo taken by a special camera to make his decision

POOL:

The total money that has been bet on the race on each of the bet types.

POSTPONED:

The meeting will run at a later date.

PROTEST:

When a jockey/owner/trainer/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 officials, the runner that caused the interference is placed directly after the horse interfered with. If a protest is Dismissed by officials, the original result of the race stands.

PUNTER:

An investor or person who places bets on the outcome of a race.

RACE CALL:

The description of a race while it is in process.

RACE CALLER:

The person who describes the race at a racecourse.

RESTRICTED RACES:

Races which only certain horses are eligible.

RETURN:

the dividend you receive on a particular bet.

RUNNER:

A participant in a race. Synonym: starter.

RUNNING RAIL:

The rail that defines the track configuration.

SADDLE CLOTH:

The device that displays the horse's barrier position within a race, and in some cases, the colour of the saddlecloth refers to the race number.

SCORE UP:

In harness racing the movement behind the mobile barrier before a start is initiated.

SCRATCHING:

A runner that is withdrawn from a race after being listed as an acceptor.

SIRE:

The male parent, or father, of a horse.

SPELL:

The resting period between preparations or racing.

STAKES:

The sums of money deposited or guaranteed by the parties to a bet, or the amount of prize money available to placed runners in a race.

STANDING START:

In harness racing, starters start from a standing position, once the barrier across the track is released.

STARTER:

The person responsible for starting a race.

STARTING STALLS:

Mechanical gates that ensure all horses start in unison, in greyhound racing the term is starting boxes.

STAYER:

A horse that has the endurance to race well over long distances.

STEWARDS:

The people who control the days' racing by ensuring that every runner competes on its merits and imposing penalties for any breach of the rules of racing.

STIPES:

Another term for the Stewards. The correct term is stipendiary stewards.

STRAIGHT:

From the home turn to the winning post.

STRAPPER:

person who assists the trainer, cares for the horse or helps to put on its equipment. Also known as an attendant.

SULKEY:

The cart that is pulled behind a harness racing horse

TERMINATING:

When there is a terminating pool on Pick6, Sixpack or Sports Pools, there must be a winner, even if all the winning selections have not been chosen. The TAB then does a "count back".

TICKET:

When you have made and paid for your selections, bet type, race and value, at a retail outlet you will be issued with a ticket.

TIP:

Suggestion about a likely winner from an expert.

TOTALISATOR:

A system used to total and calculate bets and dividends

TRACK CONDITIONS:

In order from good to bad: fast, good, dead, slow, heavy.

TRAIL:

Racing immediately behind another horse. A trail is also known as a sit.

TRAINER:

The person responsible for looking after a horse and preparing it to race. A trainer must hold a license or permit to be entitled to train.

TROTTING:

A term for harness racing in general. It also describes the specific gait of a "trotter".

WEIGH-IN:

After each race, jockeys, their saddles and any additional weight they needed to carry are weighed in to ensure they complied with the set handicap.

WEIGHT-FOR-AGE:

Intention of weight-for-age is to allow horses of the same age and sex to compete on equal terms. The weight a horse carried is allocated on a set scale according to its sex and age.

WHIP:

An implement used to spur on the horse in the run to the finish line.

WINNING POST:

The finishing line of a race. Synonym: the post.

So you got all that and are now an expert on 'race talk' - well done !