Jargon Buster
Accumulator
Bet involving two or more selections in different races: winnings from one are placed on the next.
All weather racing
Flat racing which tales place on an artificial surface.
Allowance
Is the weight concession the horse is given to compensate for its rider’s inexperience.
Also ran
Any selection not finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th in a race or event.
Amateur (rider)
On racecards, their names are prefixed by Mr, Mrs, Captain, etc., to indicate their amateur status.
Backward
Used of a horse which needs time to mature.
Claimer
A claiming race is one in which the horses are all for sale for more or less the same price (the "claiming price") up until shortly before the race.
All Apprentice and Conditional Jockey's start off with a 7lb claim which is reduced down once they achieve a certain number of wins.
Colt
A male horse under 5 years old.
Course specialist
Horse which tends to run well at a particular track.
Dam
Mother of a horse.
Distance
The length of a race and also the margin a horse wins by or is beaten by the horse in front. This ranges from a short head to ‘by a distance’ 30 or more lengths. A length is measured from the horse’s nose to the top of its tail.
Evens or even money
When your stake exactly equals your winnings – thus £5 at evens wins a further £5.
Filly
Female horse under 5 years old.
Foal
A horse of either sex from the time it is born until 1st of January the following year.
Furlong
220 yards (1/8 of a mile).
Gelding
Castrated horse.
Going
The description of conditions underfoot on the racecourse. Official Jockey Club going reports progress as follow: Heavy – Soft – Good to Soft – Good – Good to Firm - Firm – Hard.
Green (of a horse)
Inexperience.
Hand
Unit of four inches in which a horse’s height is measured, at the wither (bottom of the neck).
Jolly
Betting parlance for the favourite in the race – the horse with the shortest odds.
Juvenile
Two year old horse.
Maiden
Horse which has not won a race.
Mare
Female horse five years or over.
Monkey
Betting parlance for £500.
Odds on
Odds where the winnings are less than the stake – thus a winning £2 bet at 2-1 on wins you £1.
Off the bridle
Describes a horse being pushed along by his jockey, losing contact with the bit in its mouth.
On the bridle
Describes a horse going well within himself, still having a grip on the bit.
On the nose
Betting a horse to win only.
Pace
"Up with the pace" means close to the leaders, "off the pace" means some way behind the leaders.
Paddock
Area of the racecourse incorporating the pre-parade, parade ring and the winners enclosure.
Penalty
Weight added to the allotted handicap weight of a horse which has won since the weights were originally published.
Plate
Shoe worn by a horse.
Pony
Betting parlance for £25.
Run free
Describes a horse going to fast, usually early in the race, to allow it to settle.
Sire
Father of a horse.
SP/starting price
The official price (odds) of the horse at which the bets are settled in betting shops.
Spread a plate
When a racing plate or horseshoe becomes detached from the horse's hoof.
Stewards
A panel of men and women, usually a total of four – who are responsible for seeing that all the rules of racing are adhered to.
Stewards enquiry
Enquiry by the stewards into the running of the race.
Weigh in/Weigh out
Weighing the jockey before and after the race to ensure that the correct weight has been carried; the announcement of "weighed in" signals that the result is official and all bets can be settled.