Written by Hubert Dwight
The world of horse racing is filled with inside slang and lingo which can make it a little difficult to know what someone is talking about when they say that you could ‘write your own ticket’ on a horse, or when they say they’re going to place a ‘box trifecta’. We’ve created this short guide which is designed to give you the insider’s scoop on exactly what all the lingo means in horse racing. This would come in particularly handy when the Melbourne Cup rolls around and you need to brush up on your track-side banter.
Acceptor: A horse where the connections have paid an acceptance fee to race.
Added Weight: Where a jockey exceeds the weight and the horse carries more than required.
Age Of Horse: Horses that are born in the southern-hemisphere celebrate their birthday on August 1st as a means of standardising horse-related events. This date is chosen based on the breeding season of horses, so in the northern-hemisphere horses celebrate their birthday on January 1st.
All In: An early bet, usually at fixed odds.
Also Ran: A horse who finished outside of the money.
Apprentice Claim: The weight concession that applies to an apprentice rider.
Apprentice Rider: A learner – usually under contract to a stable.
Backed Off The Map: A horse which is backed heavily.
Bagman: Bookmaker’s personnel responsible for setting up bets at the racecourse.
Bailed Up: A runner racing inside others and unable to get clear.
Bandage: Leg strips on horses for support and/or protection.
Barriers: The starting gates.
Birdcage: Where the horses are paraded around prior to a race.
Blinkers: A hood that restricts the vision of the horse by shielding the eyes.
Bolted: A horse who wins by a large margin – as in ‘Phar Lap has bolted home.’
Bookmakers: Someone who can conduct betting on and off the racecourse.
Box/Boxed: Two or more runners to finish a race running in any order in a multiple bet.
Box Trifecta: Usually four or five horses are “boxed” in a trifecta for betting. If three of the chosen horses finish in the first three placings, the punter collects for a winning trifecta.
Broken Down: An injured horse
Class: The grade of the race
Coat-Tugger: A person who offers a punter a tip at the cost of a percentage of their winnings
Daily Double: Choose the winner in two races
Dead Heat: Two or more horses finishing in an exact tie at the finish line.
Distanced: A well beaten race – coming along well ahead of the others
Dividend: Places are paid for First (Win & Place), Second & Third (Place only). No place dividend is paid on the fourth place getter.
Each Way: Equal money on a horse for a win and for a place
Each Way Odds: A situation in which you receive all your money back if your horse comes second or third as long as eight or more runners in race.
Exacta: Choose the first two horses in a race in the finishing order.
Exotics: Any kind of multiple bet such as Quinella, Exacta, Trifecta, First Four & Quaddie.
False Favourite: A horse that is a favourite – but you consider another should be favourited.
Farrier: Someone who looks after horse hooves – a blacksmith.
Fast: The firmest of all the track ratings.
Favourite: The most popular horse in the race – one with the shortest odds.
Field: The horses who are in the race.
Filly: A female horse usually under 3 years old.
First Four: Select the first four horses in the correct order in a preselected race.
Gallop: A fast pace.
Gelding: A castrated male horse.
Good Track: Middle between a fast and slow track.
Grew Another Leg: The runner improved during the race.
Under Double Wraps: A horse who wins easily.
Untried: Not yet raced or not yet raced at a certain distance.
Write Your Own Ticket: A horse who is so unlikely to win, a bookie would give you any odds you asked for.
