THE A-Z OF GAMBLING

Introduction Some of the information in this section is repeated in other sections of the book as I have attempted to make the A-Z as comprehensive as possible and excluding the information seemed to defeat this purpose. Furthermore you will be better able to find the relevant information quickly. A Abbreviations A-T-C Any-to-come. A.W.T All-weather track. B.A.G.S Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Services Ltd. B.O.L.A Betting Office Licensees Association. B.H.B British Horseracing Board. C.S.F Computer Straight Forecast. D/F Duel Forecast. D-S-A Double-stakes-about. ED Equally-divided. EW Each-way. FAV Favourite. F/C Forecast. FPP First past the post. L.B.O Licensed Betting Office. N.G.R.C National Greyhound Racing Club. N.S.L National Sporting League. R-T-C Round-the-clock. S.I.S Satellite Information Services Ltd. S.P Starting Price. S-S-A Single-stakes-about. T-T-C Through-the-card. W-F-A The weight-for-age scale.

Acceptances At certain stages leading up to the day of a race, owners and trainers must decide whether or not to leave their entries in the race. These are known as acceptance stages. Every race has one five days prior to the race and one on the day before the race.

Accumulator See Types of Bet. Across the Board Three equal bets to win, place and show on one horse. Across-the-Card A term denoting bets on races in different meetings timed within 15 minutes of each other. Action Refers to the movement of a horses leg. Judging a horses action can provide valuable clues as to how it will perform on the going. If a horse lifts its knees high it may be particularly suited to soft going. If a horses foot scratches the surface of the ground it may not perform well on soft ground, instead preferring firm going. If a horse loses its action the rhythm of the horse is disrupted. Added Money Money provided by the racecourse or other sponsorship and added to the stakes money, which is raised through the entry fees. Age The official birth date of all horses born in the Northern hemisphere is st January 1 . In the Southern hemisphere all horses have an official birth st date of August 1 . A year later the horse becomes a yearling and the following year it is classified as a two year old. A horse cannot race on the Flat until two years of age. A horse may run over hurdles at three and over fences at four. A two year old horse that races on the Flat is often called a juvenile and the same goes for horses running over hurdles at three and fences at four. Sometimes Flat horses are raced at five and six years old. Generally however a Flat horse retires at the age of around four. The English Classics such as the Derby or St Ledger are confined to three year olds. National Hunt horses retire at a much older age, often when they are around twelve years old. It has been known to race a horse at the age of eighteen. A National Hunt horse will often reach its peak between eight to ten years of age. When a horse retires it will often be used as a stallion for breeding purposes and can earn more money for the owner this way than through prize money. As a result when a horse retires it may be just beyond or at its peak of running ability.

Aintree Well known racetrack and home to the Grand National. Allowance A deduction in weight for handicapped horses. Allowance Races A race for horses that are not eligible to be claimed. All Up to Win In horse races of five runners or less, the place portion of an each-way bet goes on to win since there is no place betting returned in such races. All-Weather All-Weather is a term referring to racing on synthetic surfaces. Because of the nature of the surface it can favour front runners (horses which can reach the front early, keep their lead and go on to win). Come from behind horses have difficulty accelerating on sand so pace setters have a real advantage. There are two reasons for this. Sand provides less traction for coming off the pace and horses in the rear have to cope with kick back. Remember - do not bet on a horse having its first run on sand. It also pays to follow jockeys and trainers who have a proven record on the surface. Also Eligible An entered horse that will only run in a race if another horse is withdrawn. Also Ran Refers to any selection not finishing first, second, third, or fourth in a race. In other words it is a phrase signifying an unplaced runner. Amateur Jockeys See Jockeys. Ambiguous Selection When a bet comes to be settled it may be the case that the instructions on the slip are in some way problematic. In this case the betting slip becomes subject to the bookmaking firms rules. The bet will be settled in accordance with these rules. One of the most common problems is when a selection or selections are not written down properly and is capable of being read in more than one way. In such a situation if the selection contains parts of the names of two different horses or can be read in one of two different ways, generally the stake will be divided between the horses in question. Simple misspelling or incorrect naming does not render a bet invalid. When a horses name is written down correctly but the time of the race or the number of the horse is not, then the bookmaker will go with the named selection. I will not go on about the

intricacies of the varying rules, instead I will stress that it is within a bettors interest to write down all numbers and names as clearly and unambiguously as possible. Ante-Post Bets placed in advance of the event in question, either the day before or earlier. They provide excellent value providing that your selection actually manages to start the contest. The advantage of ante-post betting is that generally you get better odds than you will just before the race. This however is not guaranteed since the horses price may lengthen. Unfortunately, if your horse is withdrawn from the race you lose your stake. However, if your horse is withdrawn and the race is later abandoned you will get your money back. Therefore, it is wise not to throw away your betting slip as soon as the horse is withdrawn. Sometimes bookmakers will offer ante-post odds with a run. With this bet, if your horse does not run you will receive your money back. The same horse cannot be selected to win more than one race in an accumulative ante-post bet unless a special combined price is on offer. In each-way ante-post betting the place odds are those prevailing at the time the bet was made. So if the number of runners is reduced to a number fewer than the number normally qualifying for those place terms, the bet is no less valid. Bookmakers offer ante-post bets to attract business and free advertising. As a result they are prepared to cut profits to the bone. Apparently they make little money on such bets. Therefore they are one of the best value bets around. If you are making a long distance ante-post bet on a horse be careful if the horses chance is likely to diminish by extremes of going. You cannot tell if the going on the day will be in your chosen horses favour. If the draw is likely to be a significant factor in the outcome, it is best to avoid any serious ante-post betting.

Different bookmaking firms will have different ante-post prices. Therefore shopping around for the best possible price is essential if the bettor wishes to achieve long term profits. In theory it is possible to place ante-post bets on all the horses in a given race and make a guaranteed, albeit small, profit. The problems with such an approach include the sheer amount of effort, the large initial outlay for such a small return and the fact that you will have to contend with shifting odds and being knocked back by bookmakers who only accept small bets. Ante-Post Prices These are the odds offered on a horse before the day of a race. Bets are normally struck on the understanding that if the selection does not take part the wager is lost. An exception to this rule is when a selection is balloted out of a race. In such circumstances the bet is void and the stakes returned. If there are too many runners in a race the outsiders will be entered into a draw in order to select which horses will take part. This process is known as balloting out (see Ballot). The prices for the larger races, such as the Grand National, are made available months before the race is run. Generally ante-post prices are better than the odds offered on the day of the event. Any-to-Come (ATC) or If Cash The linking of a bet to the outcome of an earlier bet. For example, if you backed horse A, only if there is any money to come (i.e. you win) does a second bet on horse B go ahead. The term If Cash is sometimes used. Apprentice See Jockeys. Apprentice Allowance See Jockeys. Arbitrage Betting Arbitrage betting is not suited to horse race betting but anyone who aspires to be a successful horse race bettor needs to understand arb betting. Due to the differing opinions of bookmakers it is sometimes possible to place two bets with bookies who have opposing views and who offer such odds as to enable one to place a bet with each and make a guaranteed profit, no matter what the outcome. This is known as an arbitrage bet. An arbitrage bet is a bet that makes a profit without involving any risk. Imagine placing a bet and knowing in advance that you will win and make a

profit no matter what the outcome of the event. No wonder the word Arbitrage sets many a punters heart racing. Over the last few years many gamblers have made substantial sums of money by placing these risk free bets. In fact many have succeeded in making a full income from the practice. It is possible to make an almost guaranteed and risk free profit by carefully monitoring and then reacting to the odds being offered by a specific group of bookmakers. There are a number of obstacles with arbitrage betting. The main obstacle is the fact that you need to seek out arbitrage opportunities. This can be time consuming. The second problem is that once you have placed the first part of your bet you are not guaranteed to be able to place the second part of the bet at the odds you had planned since they may have shifted. If this occurs you may only make a slight profit or break even. You could even suffer a slight loss if the worst came to the worst, though this would be somewhat unlucky. Fortunately, you do not need to know anything about the event or sport you are betting on and the more you look for arbitrage bets the more you will find. Suitable events are easy to spot. The greatest problem for the arbitrage bettor used to be obtaining the necessary information. In the modern information age such a problem is becoming less of an obstacle. The advent of Internet, telephone, and teletext services has brought all the facts, figures, and statistics we need to our armchairs. Furthermore, when betting tax was abolished arbitrage betting became easier than ever. Betting tax seriously dented any arbitrage profits to such an extent that good arbitrage opportunities were practically non-existent. Unfortunately as more people jump on the bandwagon it becomes increasingly difficult to make a successful arbitrage bet. When a bookmaker compiles his odds on a particular race it is only the opinion of one man or firm. The event in question could unfold in many ways and a different bookmaker may see the event in a different light. In this case they will offer different odds. The only sure thing both bookies will have in common is a percentage profit built into the book (though this percentage will probably vary). Often bookies offer exactly the same odds but on many occasions their views and the odds offered will differ.

One reason why bookmakers odds vary is often due to bookmakers having different agendas. Some bookies intentionally offer attractive odds on certain players or teams. Also, when an event is in play the bookmaker may have to offset some liabilities by balancing the book. For instance, if a team or player gets off to an unexpectedly good start during a tournament the bookie has little choice but to extend the odds of the other teams or players in order to balance the one-sided book. To find an arbitrage betting opportunity you need to focus upon events with two to three possible outcomes. This is why horse racing is not a suitable medium for arbitrage betting. A simple example would be a tennis match where only one person can win. Football also provides suitable arbitrage opportunities since they only have three possible outcomes, away win, home win, and a draw. Before placing an arbitrage bet you need to ensure there is a profit of at least 5%. To establish whether there is a significant percentage profit available you need to convert the odds to a percentage. When you have converted the two or three prices/odds to a percentage figure proceed to add these figures together. If the resulting figure totals 95% or less you have an excellent arbitrage opportunity. In theory you can still profit if the total figure is anything from 95% to 99%, though such bets should be confined to events with only two possible outcomes. You dont necessarily have to stake an even amount of money on the two or three outcomes to make a profit. You can, if you wish, modify your stake to increase profits. Lets take a look at an example... Player A 6/4 Player B 6/4 By betting 400 on each candidate (total 800) you can guarantee a return of 1000 and a 200 profit no matter who wins the event. If you believe you can pick the winner you can increase profits providing you are correct. If you are wrong you will break even or make a small profit. To do this alter your stake to favour your chosen opponent. For instance, if you believe player A will succeed you could structure your bet as follows

Player A 6/4 stake 500 return 1,250 Player B 6/4 stake 400 return 1,000 As you can see the total stake is 900 (500 + 400). If you are correct and player A wins you profit by 350. If you are incorrect you will make a smaller profit of 100. If you believe player A will win you can take this idea further by structuring your bet as follows Player A 6/4 stake 500 return 1,250 Player B 6/4 stake 340 return 850 As you can see the total stake is 840 (500 + 340). If you are right and player A is the winner you will profit by 410 (stake 840, return 1,250, profit 410). If you are wrong and player B wins you will only win 10 (stake 840, return 850, profit 10). By taking advantage of arbitrage opportunities in this fashion you can retain the fun element of gambling and take advantage of the knowledge you have of the event in question, maximising profits. The biggest threat to an arbitrage bet is that the prices may alter before you have placed the second part of your bet. If this occurs all you can do is simply get the best price you can for the second part of your bet. Consequently, you may have to make a smaller profit than you had hoped. You may break even. In the unlikely event that there is a dramatic shift in prices you will have to accept a small loss. To avoid problems it is important to get your bet on as soon as possible by taking the best price first. Of course, it is essential that you do not leave a position open by placing only one part of the bet. SPREAD BETTING The following example actually occurred for real when City Index and Sporting Index offered a market on how many yellow cards would be issued the over 1994 World Cup. No matter what the outcome and final make-up anybody who staked 10, sold at 157 with Sporting Index and bought at 162 with City Index would be guaranteed a return of 50.

Sporting Index 150-157

City Index 162-166

Result 227 - Stake 10 Sporting Index Sell 157 win = 700 / City Index Buy 162 lose = 650 Profit = 50 If the final make-up was drastically different, for instance 126, the calculations would look like this: Make up 126 / SI Sell 157 lose = 310 / CI Buy 162 win = 360 Profit = 50 Unfortunately these occurrences are somewhat rare. Do not be lead to the belief that this is a common occurrence, it is not. This situation tends to be most common during play, particularly on sports were the markets are most volatile and after half time. However, the prices move so rapidly that this situation can come and go in the time it takes you to realise it existed. One of the biggest problems is that once you have placed the first part of the bet you might not be able to place the second half of the bet at the required price thus leaving you with a large open position that can only be closed out at loss. Obviously you cannot trust prices that are advertised in print or on Teletext. Arc Nickname of the Prix de lArc de Triomphe, run at Longchamp, Paris, on the first Sunday in October over the same distance as the English, French, and Irish Derbys (1 miles). It is regarded as the European champion race, often bringing these Derby winners together. Ascot Famous racecourse and home to the Royal Ascot. At The Post When a horse has reached the point at which the race will be started the horse is said to be at the post. Auction Race See Types of Race. Autumn Double Refers to the two big handicaps run at Newmarket in the autumn the Cambridgeshire and the Caesarwitch. Average Favourite A favourite whose odds are around 8/5.

Ayr Popular racecourse. B Backing Backing is a term referring to the practise of getting the horse used to having a jockey on its back. Backshow Any betting show that comes prior to the current betting show. Backstretch Either the place were the stables are located, or the straight on the far side of a racetrack. Backward Refers to a horses condition, in the sense that it is not as fully developed as its age suggests. Bad If a horse finishes a bad fourth place it was well behind third place. Ballot If there are two many horses in the entries by the time of declaration horses may be eliminated or balloted out. Handicap horses are eliminated from the lowest weight up. For the rest the field is reduced by balloting out the horses. Exceptions are allowed for some horses, such as previous winners. Balloting takes place at Wetherbys. Bandages In the same way a human may wear a knee support a horse may have a cotton bandage rapped around its leg to provide support or protection. Naturally such bandages are often treated with suspicion when assessing a horses condition. Banker Term used to describe a selection considered to be a near certainty, and when included as a bet instruction, that selection must win. Bar This term refers to those runners in a race not quoted with a price during early betting shows. For example S.I.S quoting 20/1 bar nine means that at least 20/1 is available against any of the runners other than the nine already quoted. Bookmakers do not normally lay the bar price against any named horse. Bar One Betting odds without mentioning the favourite. Bar One Bout Means to intentionally not lay one horse.

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Bear Out To veer of or drift to the side of a track. Beeswax Slang for betting tax, which has now been abolished. Being in Jail This refers to a penalty of thirty days imposed after a horse is claimed. Best In Prior to handicap races, the horse that is considered the most favoured at the weights is referred to as the Best In. Bet Down A horse whose odds have dropped. Betting Bank A betting bank is a lump sump of money set aside solely for betting purposes. A typical betting bank should cover fifty to one hundred bets. If you were to bet in 10 stakes you would need a bank of 5001000. The primary aim of a betting bank is to help enable you to overcome losing runs and prevent you from losing your rent money etc. Also, operating a betting bank helps you approach your betting activities more professionally and objectively. There are several ways of using a bank but we have found that the most effective is to simply increase your stakes by 10% when the bank is increased by the same percentage. If you are betting in 10 stakes and you have a starting bank of 400, when the bank reaches 440 increase your stakes to 11. It takes courage to withstand losing runs, though it becomes much easier when you work to a plan. If you accept that you are gambling with a fiftypoint bank, and your willing to lose it all, gambling is more of a pleasure. Hopefully you will win but there is no harm in being prepared. Betting Exchanges The ascent of betting exchanges is one of the greatest recent developments in the world of gambling, along with the abolition of betting tax and the introduction of Spread Betting. Betting on exchanges, referred to as match betting, has many advantages over traditional betting not least in terms of producing a profit. Some experts claim that 15% of exchange clients produce a profit, which comes directly from the pockets of the other 85%.

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The betting exchange industry is an exciting, rapidly expanding and developing world. Betfair are the UKs largest betting exchange and claim to have matched 250 million pounds worth of bets in 2002. It appears that these exchanges are posing a threat to the traditional bookmaking industry. When Betfair was launched they paraded a coffin around London to symbolise the death of fixed odds betting. Betting exchanges have a number of differences and advantages that separate them from traditional bookmakers. With a betting exchange there is no bookie. The bets featured are placed by individuals who choose to bet either in the normal way by backing a selection, or by acting as a bookmaker by offering odds to other punters. Bets are matched between people with opposing views. You can back or lay a bet. You can choose the odds you want to bet at. You can obtain better prices and bet whilst the game is in play. The terminology used on betting exchanges is lay and back or sell and buy. If you decide to play the role of a bookmaker (sell) you will be laying bets by offering a price. However, if you were playing the role of punter (buy) you would back a selection. You never meet or have personal contact with those you are betting against. If you see a price quoted but you want better odds you place a request for a better price. However, you do need to be realistic because you have to find somebody prepared to offer you your requested odds and vice-versa. You may see for instance that there is 100 on offer for 2.5. This 100 could come from one person or it could be the total sum of all the stakes a number of people have offered. It doesnt matter to the punter how much each person has offered. You can take 10 of the 100 or you could take the whole lot. You could bet 150 in which case you will take the 100 on offer and the remaining 50 will remain on the exchange until someone else takes up the offer. If after time you no longer wish to offer this additional 50 you can cancel it at any time providing the bet has not been matched.

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The odds featured increasingly fluctuate the closer you come to the event in question. This is due to the fact that there are more people in the market. There is no chance of not getting paid or avoiding payment. Unlike traditional fixed odds, when betting with exchanges you must have sufficient funds in your account to cover liabilities. All businesses have to make a profit in order to survive. Bookmakers do this by offering prices that do not represent the true odds. Betting exchanges make a profit by charging a small commission on winning bets. There are no other costs. As a result, the charges imposed by betting exchanges are small in comparison to the value offered in the prices. You can bet in running on some events. This means you can bet while a contest is in play. This capacity was normally limited to spread betting. You can bet on or lay odds for just about any sport. You can even bet on the performance of the stock market. There are no each-way bets since all bets are to win. Betting exchanges often offer far better value than traditional bookmakers, therefore your profits should increase the more you use betting exchanges (even after paying the 2% to 5% commission on winning bets). For instance, a 5/2 chance with standard bookmakers will typically be offered at a price of 3/1. By placing a 100 bet with the bookie you can expect a winning return of 350. However, with the typical exchange price of 3/1 you would expect 400, minus the 2% to 5% commission, equals a return of 380. Therefore theres a 30 difference in returns which is a substantial amount. By betting with exchanges on a regular basis this difference in value can have a dramatic effect of your betting bank and long term profits. Betting exchanges operate in decimals instead of standard odds. Therefore 4/5 would be represented as 1.8 and 3/1 would be represented as 4.0. These figures show the total return you can expect if you place a 1 bet. So if you place a 1 bet at 3/1 you can expect 4, represented decimally as 4.0. We recommend that you do not bet on an exchange until you are comfortable with the concepts and rules of these exchanges.

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Your first visit may prove to be a daunting experience. However, help is available online and you can simply watch the markets in action before getting involved yourself. Some Exchanges like Betfair are gradually introducing telephone betting so gambling on exchanges is not solely conducted over the Internet. Betting Forecast A best guess as to the likely starting price of a race. For example, the odds printed below the lists of runners in a newspaper. Betting In Running A spread betting term that refers to betting after an event has started. Betting Market The market for betting begins on-course, at the meeting, and is transmitted off-course to the bookmakers. The prices in the Tattersalls ring determine the screen and board prices, which are relayed to the betting shops. The prices from the Tattersalls ring are the product of two factors - the opening prices and the betting market. The betting market on-course responds directly to the bets being placed at the meeting in question. This kind of market is known as a free market. Opening prices may simply follow tissue prices, which are advanced betting forecasts created by form experts for individual bookmakers or bookmaking organisations. These prices are not necessarily an attempt to provide an accurate representation of the horses true chances and may be more of a guess as to how the betting public will view the race, which inturn is based on the information that is available to them. The mass psychology of the betting public is often much easier to predict that the outcome of a race. In a weak free market it takes relatively small sums of money to move the odds. Bookmakers, off-course, sometimes exploit a weak market to off-set their liabilities. They do this by placing bets at the track with the sole aim of shifting the S.P. This can cut a punters potential winnings. Consider the following example of how bookmakers can manipulate the market. Paul bets 200 at S.P. He is backing a horse currently trading at

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4/1. However a large chain bookmaker is laying off bets on-course and this cuts the odds to 3/1, at the last moment. The wagers placed at S.P. at the big chain bookmaker total 200,000. Therefore the liability of this bookie was 800,000 (at 4/1), now it is reduced by a quarter to 600,000 (at 3/1). This represents a cut back of 200,000 for a much smaller sum of money, which the bookmaker used to affect the on-course prices in a weak market. Because the bookmaker manipulated the market reducing the odds from 4/1 to 3/1 Paul will now only win 600 for his 200 bet instead of 800. This practise has been used for a long time by bookmakers as a way of balancing their books or protecting themselves from someone placing a very large bet. For example, if someone bet 10,000 on a horse to win at 10/1, the bookmaker would be liable to payout 100,000 if the horse in question won. If the bookmaker decided he did not want to face all of the liability he would also bet on the horse using the on-course bookies. Between the Flags Refers to point to point races. Bias As well as racehorses, racecourses also have form. For instance, the variable nature of the UKs racetracks means that a horse racing on one side of a track is in a better position to win than if he were on the other side. Advice on the likely draw advantage is provided with the days racecards in the sporting press. Bit Refers to the metal bar which forms the mouthpiece of a bridle. The metal bar fits into the horses mouth and is attached to the reins that are used for control. Black Type If a horse wins a Group or Listed race details of the wins are entered into sales catalogue in bold type. If a horse has lots of black type it is a high quality horse. The black type serves to highlight the quality of the horses pedigree, thereby demonstrating the potential of the horse as a broodmare. Blagger Asking for over the odds. Blanket Finish A close finish involving several horses.

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Bleeder If a horse is prone to bursting blood vessels it is referred to as a bleeder. Blinkers A device partly covering the eyes and directing a horses vision straight ahead, used to help the horse concentrate on the race. Similar to a visor or hood, which largely shrouds the head. Bloodline Refers to the pedigree of a horse. Bloodstock Sales Thoroughbred yearling colts and fillies are sold at bloodstock sales, most prominently at Newmarket, England, the Curragh in Ireland, and Kentucky, USA. Blower Money Refers to bets placed by telephone. Blow Out A workout prior to a race to warm the horse and ready it for contest. Blow Up If a horse has blown up it has suddenly lost its place in a race after doing well up to that point. Board Horses Generally refers to a horse or horses that have been bet down (horses whose odds have dropped). Board/Show Price The price relayed by S.I.S from the racecourse which may be taken by punters regardless of the final returned starting price. The price at which such bets are settled. Bookmakers receive shows of betting from the racecourse approximately ten minutes before the race is to be run. The prices represent the average prices of the on-course bookmakers. Once the betting shop has received these prices they will, up to the start of the race, enter a constant state of flux as more bets are placed. Boardsman A person who enters prices on a bookmakers board. Bogey A horse that is the biggest loser and presents the biggest liability in a bookmakers book. Bolt A sharp movement to either the right or left.

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Book This is a record of betting transactions for a particular event that has been made with different parties. The term bookmaker refers to a person who makes such a book. Alternatively a record of a jockeys riding engagements. Bookie Short for a bookmaker. Bookmaker A company or individual licensed to make a book (i.e. offer odds on a sporting event, etc). A bookmaker assesses the chances of each runner of a race and then allocates each horse a price (odds). A book of prices is then made. The horse that is allocated the lowest odds is the one the bookmaker expects to win. This horse is called the favourite. If another horse shares the same odds they are called the joint-favourite and in the bookmakers opinion they have the same chance of winning. If several horses have the same lowest prices they are called co-favourites. The bookmaker, or bookie, changes the odds constantly as more people place bets. A large bet on a horse will result in its odds being lowered. If a horse is not attracting any bets the bookie will increase its odds in an attempt to attract more bets for this particular horse. On average UK bookmakers aim to make a profit of 17% on a race and they will alter the odds to try to ensure that they achieve this goal. For some books the profit margin will be much smaller than for others. Bottle Betting slang for 2/1. Bottle and a Half Betting slang for 5/2. Bottomless Refers to very heavy going. Box To combine one or more horses within a single bet. Box Walker If a horse constantly walks around in circles in its box, it is demonstrating some level of nervousness or agitation and is referred to as a box walker. Break The start of a race. Also refers to Breaking In.

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Break Even Position Price at which your gamble starts to pay off and you begin to move into profit. Breaking In The practise of breaking in a horse, achieved through methods of helping a young horse get used to the saddle, the rider, the running, etc. Break Maiden When a horse gets its first win it may be referred to as a break maiden. Bred in the Purple An extremely well-bred horse. Breeders Cup In essence the world championship of racing which takes place in America at different tracks every year in late October or early November. Breeding The breeding industry is inextricably linked with the world of horse racing. For hundreds of years men have attempted to breed faster and faster horses. Breeding is an inexact science and for some an art. One of the aims of Flat racings organisation is to isolate the better horses of each generation. These horses are obviously the most sought after for breeding purposes as it is hoped they will pass on their abilities to their offspring. Therefore, the racing industry provides horses for the breeding industry, which in turn supplies the racing industry. There are no guarantees when breeding horses. A horse may be extremely well bred and yet completely useless. Conversely a horse from humble stock may be an outstanding racehorse. The Sire or horses father is generally regarded as having the most influence on the outcome of breeding. It is the Sire on which breeders often rest their hopes. The dam or mother has less effect. Stallions are mature male horses used for breeding. A stallion is expected to confer certain abilities to its offspring. For instance a stallion may have great stamina and it is that quality which the breeder wishes to transfer. Alternatively a breeder may wish to combine a number of qualities, for instance speed and stamina, by mating a stallion with good speed along with a mare known for its stamina.

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When breeding horses a number of other considerations other than the potential speed need to be considered. For instance temperament, or whether the horse will breakdown and suffer easily from injury through the ripping of tendons, etc. Breeding therefore is by no means a simple process, especially when you consider the long and tedious process of actually getting the horses to mate. The racehorses of today are the product of three centuries of breeding. The ancestry of thoroughbreds can be traced back to just three Arab stallions imported from the Near East! Breeze Up A type of bloodstock sale where the horses are put through their paces in view of potential buyers. They are then breezed along over several furlongs. Brief A betting ticket. British Gambling Board Main Regulator for most types of gambling in the UK. British Horse Racing Board The body which largely took control of racing administration from the Jockey Club in 1993. British Horseracing Board (B.H.B) See Racing Organisation. Broken Down A horse is said to have broken down if it has suffered strain or rupture to its tendons. Broodmare A female thoroughbred horse that is used for breeding. Broodmare Sir The father of the dam who is the mother of a thoroughbred horse. Brought Down A National Hunt horse is said to have been brought down if the horse falls through no fault of its own. For instance, through the intervention of another horse. Browband Part of a bridal. Bug Boy A bug boy is an apprentice who gets a weight allowance to compensate for his inexperience.

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Bumper These are Flat races run by National Hunt horses under National Hunt rules. Horses that have raced on the Flat are not eligible. These events are designed to give inexperienced horses race experience. The horses are usually three years of age. They are generally run at the end of a meeting on the hurdles course after the hurdles have been removed. Bumping / Boring If a horse tires in the latter half of a race and starts to veer off its race line, colliding with an opponent, it is said to be bumping or boring an opponent. This can affect the horse to such an extent that it prevents a deserving horse its due victory. Burlington Bertie Betting slang for 100/30. Buy A spread betting term. When placing a spread bet if you believe that the make-up will be higher than the spread you will buy. Buy spread bets are always placed at the higher end of the spread. Buy the Index A type of bet in spread betting whereby you gamble that an index based on possible outcomes of an event will finish above the upper limit of the spread. The same as Buy. Buzzer A horse that is well supported by punters in the betting market. C Calendar See Racing Calendar. Call Can refer to either a specific point in a race where the running positions are recorded, the describing of the running of a race, or a verbal contract between the trainer and jockey. Came Again If a horse makes a come back after losing its position it Came Again. Camera Patrol Cameras are situated around the racetrack and all races are filmed from several angles. The subsequent footage can be used by the stewards to determine clearly the events of the race. The footage may

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also be used, for instance, by the media. The aim of the system is to spot misdemeanours to help ensure that all the horses run on their merits. Canadian See Types of Bet / Super Yankee. Card Abbreviation for race card, which refers to a racing program for a particular race. Carpet 3/1. Carpet and a Half Slang for the odds of 7/2. Cast If a horse loses or throws for example a shoe, it is said to have cast it aside. Also refers to horses that are laid on their side and are unable to rise. Century Slang for a 100. Chalk The betting favourite. Change Leads Means a horse is changing from leading with, for instance, a right leg to a left leg when going around a corner. Changed Legs / Leads When a horse is turning a corner and it adjusts its galloping action it has changed its legs. A horse will change what leg it uses to lead with depending on whether it is running around a left or right corner or on a straight. Also referred to as changing leads. Chart Forecast The N.S.L. Forecast Chart is used to calculate Straight Forecasts when no computer return is in operation. For example in evening greyhound meetings. Chase Abbreviation for steeple chase. Chaseform See Raceform. Cheltenham Festival The championship races of the National Hunt season are decided over three days at Cheltenham during March. The main races are the Gold Cup (chase), The Champion Hurdle, The Queen Mother Champion Chase and a race named after the famous Arkle, three times winner of the Gold Cup.

21

Ching and a Half Slang for 11/2. Claiming Horse A horse which is eligible to be brought out of a race. Class A term that implies that one horse is superior to another. Form is relative to the class of the event in which it is recorded. It is therefore necessary to know the standard of each race you are studying when building up a picture of a horses form. On the Flat there are seven different classifications, from class 1 class 7. Class 1 races are Group and Listed, the cream of the years events with high amounts of prize money. Class 7 races are regional races with small amounts of prize money or apprentice and amateur races of similar value. Over Jumps, there are seven ranks, from A (races run under the jumping Pattern) - H (hunter chases and National Hunt Flat races of low value). Although it is not necessary to understand the classification system inside out, you do need to be aware that form in a Class 2 race will be of a higher standard than form in a Class 6 race, for example. Classics This term refers to the five major three year old races of the Flat season: The 2000 Guineas. The 1000 Guineas. The Derby, the Oaks. The St Ledger. Clench Refers to the nail that connects a horses shoe to its hoof. Clerk The clerk of the course. The responsibilities of the clerk of the course involve the general organisations of a meeting. He / she will oversee the measurement of ground conditions, the framing of a meetings program, the recording of bets, the condition of the course, etc. Clocker The person who times workouts. Close If a horse is gaining on the leader it is said to be closing in.

22

Close-Coupled If a horse is said to be close-coupled it is shorter and more compact than a horse whos distance between the front and hind legs is longer. Closing a Bet A common spread betting practise that involves placing a second bet of the same size and in the opposite direction to the first. This cancels out the first bet thereby removing any financial liabilities. Club The members enclosure of a racecourse may sometime be referred to as the club enclosure. Cockle Slang for the odds of 10/1 or sometimes 10. Co-Favourite If three or more horses are favourite, having the shortest odds, they are referred to as co-favourites. Coincidence Bet Where the bet is based on coincidence. Collar A particular stretch of a course may be referred to as against the collar if it is especially steep and stiffly uphill. Colours Racing Different colours are allocated to different jockeys to help people distinguish the horses and jockeys in running. The designs of jockeys outfits are standardised and consist of stars, spots, checks, etc. Colt Male horse under five years of age. Combination Betting Like a permutation on the football pools, you select several horses instead of just one in order to increase your chance of success. Combination / Full Cover Forecast See Types of Bet. Come On for the Race If a horse is said to come on for the race an improvement of the horse in the next race is expected. Computer Forecast The Computer Forecast and B.A.G.S Forecasts are the returns used by bookmakers to calculate Forecast bets.

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Companion A horse may need or prefer to have a companion in the form of another horse or pony, etc. A companion may have a calming influence on the horse in question. Condition If a horse is muscular and slim or muscular but slightly fatter it is said to have plenty of condition. Conversely if it is underweight and skinny it is said to lack condition. There are a number of popular theories on how to assess a horses suitability to certain going conditions by simply observing the horse. Horses that are light with large feet and a high leg action are apparently more suited to soft ground than horses whos leg action skims across the ground and who have small feet and a large-set body. Conditional Bet A bet which is dependent on a specific condition being fulfilled e.g. if win, if lose, any to come, etc. Condition Race A race in which horses carry the same weight, according to sex, though they may be penalised by the adding of weight for races previously won or given allowances for age (see Weight for Age). Conditional Jockey See Jockeys. Condition Book A publication detailing the conditions of upcoming races. Conditions Refers to the conditions of a race. For instance, number of runners, ground conditions, whether its a sharp or galloping track, etc. Connections Refers to the people that are associated with or connected to a particular horse. Including the owner, jockey, or trainer. Consistent A horse continuously in good form or continually placed is referred to as consistent. Some horses will be able to produce strings of wins whereas some horses will require a longer rest period between races. Their overall performance will be erratic. Obviously we need to concentrate upon horses that are consistent as opposed to relying upon those who are not. As always it pays to be aware and knowledge of a horses pattern of consistency can prove most useful.

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Coup This term is used when a bet is landed at long odds by a runners connections (see Connections) as a result of careful manoeuvring and strategic planning. In such cases the true chances of a horse winning are kept a closely guarded secret from the betting market, providing a great money making opportunity for the horses connections. Some coups do not conform to the letter of the law. However many big coups have been landed in a perfectly legal fashion. An example of an illegal coup, which normally takes place in smaller races which attract less attention, may involve the switching of one horse for another superior horse. The superior horses are referred to as Ringers. Coupled A coupled price is a price which is the result of backing two or more horses in the same race. Alternatively it can refer to several horses that have the same owner or trainer. When you bet on one it automatically includes the other. In some countries (for example France) horses in the same ownership are treated as one selection for betting purposes. These horses are coupled in the racecourse pool. Coupling Prices If you were to back two horses in the same race at 2/1 this is referred to as coupling and the result of these two coupled prices is a price of 1/2. If you were to place 10 on each horse your return would be 30 no matter which horse won. When you deduct your stake 20 (2 x 10 = 20) you are left with winnings of 10. The coupled price of the 2/1 horses is 1/2. This can be confirmed by converting the odds to percentages, adding these percentages together, and converting the percentages back into odds. So in this example 2/1 converted to a percentage is 33 + 33 = 66 which is the equivalent to 1/2. In the Charts and Tables section of the appendix you will find a number of tables that will help make calculations a bit quicker and easier. This table will provide the closest possible price when coupling two prices. It is not always possible to precisely convert two prices into one coupled price. Here is an example showing you four different ways of coupling a price.

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Column 1 Shows you the result of coupling the favourite and an outsider, which results in an approximate price of HORSE S.P. % 1 2 3 11/8 (42.24%). Column 2 Shows you how to couple the horse A and B. Obviously if you were going to do this you would be convinced that the race is going to be won by horse A or B. The combined price of the two horses is 7/1 (36.36%) plus 4/1 (20.00%) = 4/5 (56.36). Column 3 Shows you how to couple horse A, B, and C. The collective percentage figure of these combined prices is 71.74% (5/13). Column 4 Shows you the collective price of all the runners of the race, except for the favourite. The resulting price is approximately 5/16 (76.13%). Obviously to adopt such a strategy you would have to be certain that the favourite will not win.
A 7/4 36.36 36.36 36.36 36.36

4/1

20

20

20

20

11/2

15.38

15.38 15.38

6/1

14.29

14.29

9/1

10

10

10/1

16/1

5.88

5.88

5.88

66/1

1.49

1.49

112.5

42.24 56.36 71.74 76.13

Covered Up Keeping a horse behind other runners, to prevent it from running too freely in the early stages of a race. Covering A bloodstock term referring to the act of mating. Covering season is essentially mating season. Crib Biter Refers to a nervous horse that gnaws at the crib and any other surrounding object. Cuppy A way of describing a dirt track surface that is loose and dry. Cushion Refers to the top level of a racing surface. D Daisy Cutter A horse with a low knee-action, which usually indicates an ability to handle a fast surface.

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DAlembert System A stake management system used in many types of gambling under which for each unit stake you add one unit if you lose but deduct one unit if you win. This avoids the problem of impossibly large stakes common amongst other staking systems such as Doubling-Up. Dam A horses mother. Dark Day If a racetrack does not conduct any racing during their regular race season it is referred to as a dark day. Dark Horse Possibly a very good horse, but its full potential is unknown. Dead-Heat If two horses finish the race at the same time and therefore draw, it is known as a dead-heat. In this case your returns will be halved if you backed one of the winners. However, if three horses dead-heat then your returns will be divided by three, etc. If a placed horse dead-heats, the returns are only reduced if there are more places than usual being paid. Dead Weight Weights that a horse must carry to compensate for the fact that a jockey is too light. They must be worn to bring the horse up to the required weight level. Declarations Horses are entered five days in advance of most races and are declared to run at Wetherbys the day before the race. Larger races may have a confirmation stage five days prior to the race and a final declaration the day before, or two days before as in Group One races. Dentist Also called a Puller, refers to someone who tries to extend board prices. Deposit Betting Betting by telephone with money deposited in advance. Derby High profile stakes race, for three years olds, over 1 miles. The English Derby is staged at Epsom at the beginning of June. The Irish Derby is run at The Curragh and the French version Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. Devon and Exeter Old name for Exeter racecourse. Dishing Refers to a movement of the horses legs whereby the horse throws one or both of his forelegs to the side as he walks.

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Distance This can refer to a number of things: The official distance margins between horses at the end of a race are categorised as a short head, head, neck, half a length, three quarters of a length, length, one and a quarter, one and a half, one and three quarters, then ascend in halves and whole lengths up to thirty. Beyond thirty lengths is termed a distance. Alternatively the distance can refer to a specific spot on the track that is two hundred and forty yards from the winning post. Dividing Races Certain races are divided in to two or more races if too many horses are down to run. The limitations on participants able to take part are due to safety rules and such races are referred to as divisions. Dog Can either refer to an untrustworthy horse, or the term dogs sometimes refers to rubber cones used to separate parts of a racetrack. Doping There are two reasons why one would wish to dope a horse. Either slow it down or help it run faster. Most winning horses are subjected to a post race drug test which involves the analysis of urine at Newmarket. As technology increases the detection of foreign chemical substances is becoming more accurate. However the doping of horses still takes place. Many people can potentially benefit from the doping of a horse. Bookmakers can make lots of money from a nobbled horse that appears to have a good chance of winning but in reality will lose because it has been doped, since they can accept bets in confidence. Connections to a horse have an obvious interest in helping the horse to run faster. Double A bet in which two horses must win or be placed (each-way) on the same day, or on different days on major horse races, or on races advertised ante-post. Double Carpet 33/1. Double Net 20/1. Double Stakes About / Double Stakes Up and Down See Types of Bet. Double Taps 15/8.

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Doubling Up A stake-management system (also called a staking system) used in many types of gambling under which you double your stake each time you lose until you win and recoup your losses. The system is flawed because consecutive losses rapidly create a stake that is impossibly large. Best avoided! Doubly-Engaged Term used when a horse is entered in two or more races on the same day. Down Bet A spread betting term which refers to a bet that hopes the result of an event will be below the lower end of the spread. Also referred to as betting low or Selling. Down-the-Card Indicates races at the same meeting. Draw At the overnight declaration stage all the entries in a Flat race are given a stall number from which they will start. Depending on the position of the stalls, the state of the going, and the layout of the course, the draw may favour high, middle, or low numbers at different tracks. This does not apply in National Hunt racing where stalls are not used. This is due to the fact that the minimum distance off a National Hunt race is two miles and the starting position makes little difference. The draw is made at Wetherbys the day before the race by a random number generator. Drifter If a horses prices / odds lengthen, for instance from 2/1 to 6/1, prior to the race, the horse is said to have drifted. If you have backed a horse that has drifted this is not a good sign. It shows that the betting market has little hope of the horse in question winning. Drop Hands When a jockey lowers his hands and reins, signalling to the horse that he can relax and reduce his speed. Duel Forecast See Types of Bet. Dwelt If a horse is not quick to start and breaks away from the starting gate slowly it is said to have dwelt. Dying / Died If a horse died out at a certain point it became tired and slowed down.

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E Each-Way An Each-way bet requires two stakes of which one is invested to win and the other for a place (in most races to finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd). Each-way accumulative bets are usually settled win to win, place to place (see Equally Divided). Early Bird / Morning As soon as the bookmakers open they offer prices on several races which are normally limited to handicap races. However, some may give prices on all the races. Often these prices are advertised in the sporting press. As soon as betting begins the prices will change. The events for which early morning prices are quoted occur that day. Some bookmakers allow a certain amount of time, after the shop opens, for customers to benefit from the advertised prices. Other bookmakers guarantee that if their early morning prices are worse than the starting prices they will settle the bet at the starting price. Early Doors Refers to early exchanges in the betting market. Ear Ole 6/4. Ear Plugs Sometimes a horse may be fitted with ear plugs to help the horse concentrate through shielding it from the noise. Ease Up To slow a horse to prevent unnecessary exertion. Effect of the Draw Starting stalls are used in Flat races to ensure that all the horses start at the same time. The stall from which a horse starts can affect the outcome of his race. This is because on a lot of racecourses there are advantages and disadvantages to starting in certain positions in the stalls. This is known as the effect of the draw. On racetracks with bends, or where a strip at one side of the track has better going, the horses drawn nearest the bending rail or in line with the favoured strip have an advantage. Eight Pole A coloured post that is 1/8 of a mile from the finishing line and which is situated inside the inner rail. Elef 11/1.

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Elef a Vier 11/4. Enin 9/1. Enin to Rouf 9/4. Entire An un-gelded horse (horse that has not been castrated) is sometimes referred to as either an entire or full horse. Equally Divided (E D) See Types of Bet. Equitrack An artificial surface used for All-Weather racing at Lingfield Park. Evens Odds of 1/1. Even Money Bet A bet (described by odds 1/1) where if you win, you get back double your stake (including your original stake). Exes 6/1. Eye Cover If a horse has poor quality vision sometimes one of its eyes may be covered. Eye Shield To protect a horse from kick back or loose flying material on an All-Weather track a horse may wear an eye shield. F Face 5/2. Faces Shrewd gamblers often to be found in the betting ring. Farming a Race Refers to trainers who win a particular race on a regular basis. Farrier A blacksmith who makes and attaches shoes to a horse. Fast Track Refers to either a track with a dry surface or a dirt surface on which faster than normal times are recorded.

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Favourite The favourite is the shortest priced participant in an event. Where two or more runners occupy this position they are named joint favourites or co-favourites. Feeling the Ground If a horse is unsure of the going and fails to push himself he may be said to be feeling the ground. Fibresand An artificial sand-based surface used for All-Weather racing at Wolverhampton and at Southwell. Fiddler Sometimes refers to a punter who refuses to place large bets. Field The field is a term used by racecourse bookmakers for the favourite. If you go to the races and you hear a bookie say 1/2 the field he is referring to the shortest priced favourite at the odds of 1/2. The term also refers to the runners of a race. Field Against Describes a situation where a bookmaker increases the odds on a horse, particularly a favourite. Field Money When bookmakers refer to field money they are referring to the total amount of money placed on all the horses in a race. Filly A female horse below five years of age. First Past the Post Method of settlement where bets are settled on the first horse home. Winnings are not affected by amended results due to objections or Stewards Enquiries for interference, etc. First Show Opening odds on a race. Fixed-Odds Betting Placing your bet at a fixed price (the odds) which is specified by the bookmaker at the same time you place your bet. Flag See Types of Bet. Flag Man Refers to a person whos role it is to stand around half a furlong from the start and wave his flag if the starter indicates a false start.

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Flag Start The act of lowering a flag to indicate the start of a race is referred to as a flag start. Such a method is used when for some reason or another starting stalls or gates cannot be used. Flat Racing Flat racing used to be run between late March and early November. This is due to the ground conditions as traditionally all racing took place on grass and the heavy conditions that prevail in winter were deemed unsuitable for the faster, lighter, Flat horses. However, horse racing on the Flat is now run all year round since the horses race on synthetic surfaces. The three principle venues for AllWeather racing are Wolverhampton, Southwell, and Lingfield. Many horses that run well on turf cannot perform as well on All-Weather tracks. Racing on grass starts with the Spring meeting at Doncaster and closes in the first week of November, at Doncaster again, with the November Handicap meeting. Horses race between a distance of 5 furlongs (5/8 of a mile) to 2 of a mile at Royal Ascot. Flat horses provide the majority of breeding stock and are considered to be a suitable age when they are three years old. You do find races for two year olds, the primary aim of which is to give the horses some experience. However the form of these horses is difficult to assess and document. You are generally advised to avoid such races. The Flat season provides races for horses of varying ability. However, one of the main aims of the season is to isolate the best horses for breeding purposes and to find the championship horses of each generation. It is hoped that these great horses will, when bred, pass on their abilities and qualities to their offspring. In this way the racing industry supplies the breeding industry and vice-versa. The races that are used to determine which are the best horses are referred to as pattern races because they are organised into a set pattern. These races are organised in an ascending order of prestige from Group 3 Group 1. Classic races such as the One Thousand Guineas, the Derby, and St Ledger are all Group 1 races. Fly Jump When a horse jumps into the air unexpectedly as though he has been stung by a bee it is referred to as a fly jump.

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UK ODDS EUR USA 2/7 3/10

UK ODDS 23/10 12/5 5/2 13/5 27/10 11/4 14/5 3/1 10/3 7/2 4/1 9/2 5/1 11/2 6/1 13/2 7/1 15/2 8/1 17/2 9/1 10/1 11/1 12/1 14/1 16/1 18/1 20/1 22/1 25/1 28/1 33/1 40/1 50/1 66/1 80/1 100/1

EUR 3.30 3.40 3.50 3.60 3.70 3.75 3.80 4.00 4.33 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 8.50 9.00 9.50 10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 15.00 17.00 19.00 21.00 23.00 26.00 29.00 34.00 41.00 51.00 67.00 81.00

USA 2.30 2.40 2.50 2.60 2.70 2.75 2.80 3.00 3.33 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 8.50 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 22.00 25.00 28.00 33.00 40.00 50.00 66.00

% 30.30 29.41 28.57 27.78 27.03 26.67 26.32 25.00 23.08 22.22 20.00 18.18 16.67 15.38 14.29 13.33 12.50 11.76 11.11 10.53 10.00 9.09 8.33 7.69 6.67 5.88 5.26 4.76 4.35 3.85 3.45 2.94 2.44 1.96 1./49 1.23 0.99

1.29 -3.50 77.80 1.30 -3.30 76.70 1.33 -3.00 75.00 1.36 -2.75 73.33 1.40 -2.50 71.43 1.44 -2.25 69.23 1.50 -2.00 66.67 1.53 -1.90 65.50 1.57 -1.75 63.64 1.65 -1.61 61.90 1.67 -1.50 60.00 1.73 -1.37 57.89 1.80 -1.25 55.56 1.83 -1.20 54.55 1.90 -1.11 52.63 1.91 -1.10 52.38 2.00 2.05 2.10 2.11 2.20 2.25 2.30 2.35 2.37 2.40 2.50 2.60 2.62 2.70 2.75 2.80 2.87 2.90 3.00 3.10 3.20 3.25 1.00 50.00 1.05 48.78 1.10 47.62 1.11 47.37 1.20 45.45 1.25 44.44 1.30 43.48 1.35 42.55 1.37 42.11 1.40 41.67 1.50 40.00 1.60 38.46 1.62 38.10 1.70 37.04 1.75 36.36 1.80 35.71 1.87 34.78 1.90 34.48 2.00 33.33 2.10 32.26 2.20 31.25 2.25 30.77

Foal Newborn horse or to give birth. Footing Refers to the condition of a race surface. Forearm Refers to the upper part of a horses foreleg. Foreign Racing Betting on foreign horse races is becoming increasingly popular and also increasingly easy thanks to the Internet. Perhaps the most famous foreign race is the Prix de lArc de Triomphe (often abbreviated to Arc), which is run at Longchamp, Paris, on the first Sunday in October. When exploring the Internet and visiting foreign bookmakers, you may notice that European and US bookmakers express prices in a different way to the UK. For instance 3/10 in the UK will be expressed as 1.30 in Europe and 3.30 in the USA. So how do the European and US bookmakers come to these figures? Looking at the same example (3/10) the European figure, 1.30, represents the total return you can expect if you place a 1 bet with European bookmakers. In this case your return will be 1.30. This figure includes your 1 stake.

1/3 4/11 2/5 4/9 1/2 8/15 4/7 8/13 2/3 8/11 4/5 5/6 9/10 10/11 1/1 21/20 11/10 10/9 6/5 5/4 13/10 27/20 11/8 7/5 3/2 8/5 13/8 17/10 7/4 9/5 15/8 19/10 2/1 21/10 11/5 9/4

34 80.00

101.00 100.00

A price listed on a USA website that has a minus symbol (-) represents the sum of money you have to place to win a or $. For instance 3/10 is represented as -3.30. This means you have to place 3.30 to win 1. A figure without a minus symbol represents the sum you will win if you bet a 1. For instance 2/1 is represented as 2 meaning you will win 2 if you bet 1. This figure does not include your stake. Forfeit Stages Refers to stages at which trainers or owners have the opportunities of forfeiting the horses. Form The history of a selections past performance. Your daily national newspaper is likely to be home to a great deal of useful information which needs to be decoded so that it may be understood. Backroom newspaper staff work around the clock to provide details on the progress of horses and other useful information. Some of it will be presented in a format similar to the following line: 40/-231-4121 Desert Orchid 14 (C&D1 D2) P Johnson 5 11-7 Steve Marks 68 The first nine digits of the above line represent the horses position in the last 9 races. The hyphen separates the last season from the current season. Therefore the position of the horse in the last race it ran was first place. The bold type represents races on the All-Weather. A 0 amongst these numbers normally indicates a placing out of the first four. If a horse misses a season by not racing this is often represented by a (/). If you were to find a (F) amongst these numbers this would indicate that the horse fell. A (U) would mean that the horse unseated its rider. (P) means that the horse was pulled-up by the jockey. This can happen for a number of reasons including injury to the horse. (R) Shows that the horse refused to start. The figure 14 after the horses name (Red Rum) indicates the number of days since last run. The C&D1 tells us that the horse is a course and distance winner on one occasion. The D2 informs us that the horse is a distance winner on two occasions. The name of the trainer is P Johnson. The age of the horse is 5. The 11-7 informs us that the horse will be carrying eleven stone seven. Steve Marks is the jockey in todays race. 78 is the form rating provided by the newspaper.

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324- 2 311 Galbraiths Flyer 19 (C&D2 D3) I Williams 6 11-7 Tony Smith 78 At the top of the list of runners you should find the details of the prize money attached to the race and a figure in brackets indicates the amount the winner will receive. You will also find details on the distance and type of race. Below the list of runners you will find the betting forecast which is an estimate made a day before the race by newspaper staff. The odds will be in a constant state of fluctuation as soon as the betting market opens. Form Book A compilation of a horses form. The official form book is produced by Raceform. Forward A horse is said to be forward if it is developing at a faster rate than what is expected. Frame Refers to the skeletal structure of a horse. Free Bets Why bet with your own money when you can bet with other peoples? Before opening an account why not check out these websites to discover those bookmakers that are offering the biggest incentives for you to join. When opening an account to take advantage of a bookmakers free offer, you can open as many accounts as you wish, as long as you use a different credit card for each. You also have the option of getting a trustworthy friend to open accounts for you. Discover which bookies are offering free bets on these websites: www.bestfreebets.co.uk www.bets4free.com Front Runner A horse which tries to run by consistently leading the field rather than coming up from behind. All-Weather racing can favour front runners due to the fact that horses behind have to cope with kicked back surface matter. F.S.A The Financial Service Authority, the regulators of spread firms. Full See Entire.

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Full Cover The full amount of doubles, trebles, and accumulators involved in a given number of selections. Furlong The standard measurement unit used in horse racing. A furlong is the equivalent to an eighth of a mile or 220 yards. Future Rating Horse racing handicaps and similar ratings modified to include statistical analysis of the conditions on the day of a race (draw, going, jockey, ability, etc) where these are quantified and added to the basic form rating. G Galloping Track refers to those racecourses that are wide open and suit large horses with big strides. A galloping track is a track with long straights and easy turns. Game Can either refer to the whole business of horse racing or it can refer to a horses attitude in the sense that it is gutsy / brave. G Bet Means not genuine. Gearing Extent to which your choice of strategy, investment, or gamble magnifies the gains or losses you can make. Gelding Refers to a horse that has been castrated for the purpose of preventing injury when jumping over birch. Geldings cannot be entered into the Classics since gelding a horse renders it unable to pass on its qualities, defying the point of Classic races and race organisation, which is to isolate the best horses for breeding. Genuine If a horse constantly makes its best effort it is said to be genuine, as opposed to an un-genuine horse that does not run to its form or full potential. Give Underfoot Refers to the going once rain has entered the ground and made it softer than normal. Go High Same as buy See Buy.

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Going The going is measured by a racecourse clerk who pushes a stick into the ground at various points of the track. The French adopt a more scientific approach by using a Penetrometer. The categories by which going is classified is relatively self-explanatory. The ground producing the fastest times and the most consistent results tends to be hard (as opposed to soft). Hard Jump meetings are abandoned when the ground is hard due to the potential for causing injuries, regardless of what ground conditions a horse prefers. Horses will run fastest on hard ground. Firm This type of going is favoured by fast ground Flat horses. Good / Firm Good to firm ground is still too hard to be considered ideal jumping ground. It is however suited to fast ground Flat horses. Good Considered ideal conditions for both Flat and National Hunt. Good / Soft Also referred to as yielding, particularly in Ireland. Irish good ground is also often the equivalent to UK good ground due to the high levels of rainfall. Soft More suited to horses with stamina. Heavy Many horses cannot perform well on this type of ground and will be withdrawn from such races. A horse requires stamina to race on this ground.

Like many other aspects of betting the going is often referred to in jargon. Here is a short glossary: Top of the ground Bottomless Cut in the ground Lively A sound surface Getting his toe in - firm, fast going. - very heavy. - on the soft side of good. - on the firm side. - not too soft. - on the soft side.

Because of the undulating nature of tracks and drainage problems several different states of going can exist on the same track at the same time. The official statement in such cases may sound something like good, good to soft in the back straight. Differences in going can even exist between the width of the track. As a result the jockey may try and ride a race in a tactical fashion by directing the horse over the favourable ground.

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Since hard going enables a horse to run faster, no matter its preference for going, a jockey may not take the most direct route to the finishing position. Instead he may seek the faster ground for the horse in order to gain an edge. This is one reason why an awareness of a jockeys ability can pay off. Horses that can perform well on all ground conditions can prove to be good bets when the going is unsuitable for most horses. Forming an accurate assessment of how well a horse will perform on certain going can prove difficult indeed. It is therefore wise not to over emphasise the effect of going or use going as the sole criteria in assessing a horses chance. It is not unreasonable to assume that the going for National Hunt races will have more effect than for Flat racing. Not only may the going affect the running of horses between obstacles, as it does for the Flat horse, but also unsuitable conditions may undermine the horses confidence when jumping. As a result dramatic changes in going for National Hunt races are more likely to bring about a turnaround in expected performance than in Flat racing. Going In Message given in betting shops when the greyhounds are being put in to the traps or the horses in to the stalls. Going to Post The horses are on the way to the start of a race. Gold Cup Two races are referred to as the Gold Cup. For Flat racing it is the principle race at Royal Ascot on the third day (Thursday) of the four day June meeting. For National Hunt racing it is the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which is the premier race of the National Hunt season in March. Goliath See Types of Bet. Go Low Spread betting term. See Sell. Grackle Noseband Consists of two straps that cross over the horses nose, preventing excessive pulling on the part of the horse. Grading Races on both Flat and National Hunt are graded into classes, depending on their importance and value. For instance, the Flat races are graded into seven separate classifications from 1 - 7, 1 being the cream of the years events and class 7 being lower grade races such as selling races

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with a low amount of prize money. The National Hunt is divided into eight classifications from A-H. Races run under the jumping pattern are classified as A races and hunter chases, bumpers, or National Hunt Flat races are low value low graded H races. Grand 1000. Grand National Steeplechase run at Aintree over 4 miles. Traditionally coupled for betting with the Lincoln Handicap as the spring double. Horses require plenty of stamina for this race. Green A term used to describe a horse showing inexperience. Indications that a horse may be green include their repeated changing of legs or being distracted by the crowd, etc. Green Seal Service A free arbitration service for punters and bookmakers operated by the Sporting Life newspaper. All reputable bookmakers agree to be bound by their rulings. Group Races See Pattern. Guinea In the old days a guinea was one pound one shilling. Some parts of the horse racing industry, such as bloodstock sales, still deal in guineas, which today are the equivalent to 1.05. H Hacked Up To win very easily. Half Breeds All horses that race over the Flat are thoroughbreds. However, some horses that run over National Hunt have traces of other breeds and are referred to as half breeds. Hand Sometimes refers to the odds of 5/1. Alternatively it could refer to the unit measurement used for a horses height. A hand is the equivalent to four inches. Handicap Races In handicap races the official handicapper allocates varying weights to the different contestants with the aim of rendering them theoretically equal. The amount of weight a horse is allocated depends upon its past form. A good horse will carry more weight than a horse that

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has performed poorly in the past. The name handicap race stems from the fact that good horses are handicapped. The weights come in the form of lead. The amount carried by each horse is determined by the official handicapper employed by the B.H.B. As a horse improves or declines it is the job of the official handicapper to keep abreast of the changes and to change the weight accordingly. The B.H.B operates a list of official ratings for all horses. These ratings vary 0-140 for the Flat and 0-175 for National Hunt, they are revised weekly. If a horse has been allocated a given weight for a future race prior to it winning another race, the horse may incur a penalty to compensate for the improvement that has not been taken into account by it handicap ratings. In theory all horses in a handicap race should dead-heat. This however is not the case, for many reasons discussed later on. Horses are allocated weight in pounds on a scale of 0 to whatever is the highest rated horse in the UK. If two horses are rated 105lbs and 115lbs then the latter horse carries an extra 10lb and should in theory be a better horse. Handicap races are very common and present in both Flat and National Hunt racing. The countrys most famous race, the Grand National, is also a handicap. Handicap Ratings Handicapping refers to the practise of allocating weights to horses and forming a numerical evaluation of a horses ability, based upon its previous performance. In addition to the official handicapper you will also find that newspapers and independent handicap rating services also offer handicap assessments. The official handicapper allocates weights to horses depending upon ability and their previous performance, with the aim of rendering all the horses equal. Once a horse has won three times it is allocated an official rating by the handicappers of the British Horse Racing Board, in-between the range of 0175 on National Hunt and 0-140 on the Flat. Each point on the scale represents one pound in weight. For instance horse A is rated 118 and

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Horse B is rated 120. In this case horse A is two pound better than horse B, and when they race they should in theory dead-heat. The official handicapper has numerous obstacles to overcome in forming an accurate rating. These obstacles are not present for the independent handicapper since he does not have to appear objective. If the official handicapper were successful in his aim of ensuring all horses were equal, betting on handicap races would be pointless since the outcome would be totally random. However the fact that certain horses repeatedly win combined with the existence of handicap favourites proves that the handicapper is not successful. When allocating weights to a horse the official handicapper will abide by mathematical rules and base his assessment on the horses form. Sometimes races are not run in a fashion that pushes the horse to its maximum ability, even though it has won the race. This may be due to the fact that the jockey is purposely misleading the official handicapper to avoid additional weight by reducing the distance at which the horse wins. In such a case the horse is said to have won cleverly and the race has not been truly run. Information on such horses is available in Raceform publications. The conditions may not be in the horses favour, ensuring underperformance. Both these factors and additional obstacles make it impossible for the official handicapper to form an accurate assessment. No matter what information the official handicapper is privy to he cannot speculate as to a horses true potential and must appear objective and consistent in his assessments. Independent handicap rates are not restricted by these limitations and can take into account such factors as unfavourable conditions. The official rating is revised every week and goes up, down, or stays the same depending upon performance. If a horse were to win on a particular rating or mark the trainer may take the opportunity to race the horse again, if he has the time before the horse is re-handicapped. The handicapper can only base his assessment upon previous form up to and including the horses last race. They cannot take into account the fact that a horse has improved since its last race. As a result official handicap ratings are increasingly inaccurate. The age at which a horse undergoes the most rapid improvement is often in the latter half of the season. .

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Independent handicappers are not immune to problems and as a result there are often large discrepancies between their assessment and the actual performance of the horse. Forming ones own ratings may be a popular and fun pastime for some. However, attempting to form ones own independent handicap ratings in order to provide a more accurate assessment, and therefore a path to profit, is a futile and pointless exercise. The amount of time and resources available to the professional handicapper dwarf those available to the amateur. Furthermore handicapping is a very complicated business. In addition to Raceform, Timeform, and Jockey Club ratings, there are numerous other sources of ratings including the racing press. Handicappers This word is used to describe both horses, which run in handicaps, and form experts who assess the horses in a running handicap. Handicapping Judging the ability of horses and allotting a weight to each one based on form, with calculations in pounds per length won or lost, adjusted for the distance of the race. Allowance is also made for age (see Weight-for-Age). Hands If a jockey is said to have good hands this means that the jockey is sensitive to the horse and the horse responds particularly well to the jockey in question. Hands and Heels A comfortable victory that did not require the jockey to resort to the whip. Hang If a horse fails to run in a straight line the horse is said to hang. Hare is Running Announcement given in betting shops prior to the off in a greyhound race, which signals the close of betting. Harness Racing The worldwide sport of harness racing is somewhat different to thoroughbred racing. In harness racing a specially bred horse called a standard-bred is used to pull a driver in a light two-wheeled sulky. The standard-bred is smaller than a thoroughbred but with heavier bones, more robust build, shorter legs, a larger body and greater endurance. Therefore this horse suits the required conditions of harness racing. Due to

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the standard-breds physical attributes and temperament, its form is more consistent. Head Lad One of the key members of a training stable. Their role involves overseeing the general smooth running of the stable. Headquarters A word used to refer to Newmarket racecourse, the headquarters of British racing. Hedging Involves offsetting a risk by using an investment or gamble which exposes one to an equal and opposite risk. A bookmaker may hedge part or all of a bet in order to adjust the level of potential loss he is carrying on his book this is called laying off. A bookmaker hedges by placing bets with other bookmakers. Therefore if a horse wins he has some money coming in to cover some or all of his loss. Heinz See Types of Bet. Held Up Restraining a horse behind the other runners in the early stages of a race. Hock A joint in the hind leg of a horse. Hod Refers to a bookmakers satchel. Hood A piece of a horses headgear that covers the ears. Horse A male horse of five years or older. Hunch Also called a fancy, a hunch is an instinctive preference, rather than a rational choice based on form or other objective measurements. The term refers to the hunchback kept in medieval courts for luck. Hurdle An obstacle to be jumped by horses in hurdle races. Typically a hurdle consists of a wooden frame no less than three feet high and which has birch and gorse woven around its frame. Hyped Horse A horse that has been given credit for form it has not achieved.

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I Identification To prevent the switching of horses (see Ringer) the identification of horses is closely monitored. Each horse has a passport which detail its colour plus any distinguishing markings, which must be presented for examination before entering a racecourse stable. Another method of identification is based on thoroughbred horses having a microchip implanted in their neck. Scanning of this chip reveals a fifteendigit reference number. Important Betting Rules Calculating the return for bets is not always straight forward. Along the way there are a few obstacles waiting to trip you up. For example, what happens if one of your selections is a non-runner? How does a dead-heat affect your winnings, etc? The following details three of the most important betting rules. Dead-Heat If you have placed a win bet and the result is a dead-heat, half the stake is lost and the full odds are paid on the other half. If the bet was each-way or place only, where the selection dead heats for a place, stakes are paid in full unless the dead-heat affects the last available place - i.e. 2nd in a race of 5 to 7 runners, 3rd in a field of up to twelve, 4th in a handicap race of 16 runners or more, - when half the place stake is lost and the full place odds paid to the remainder. For example: 1 Double A and B. A is an outright winner at 5/1 and B dead-heats for 1st place at 4/1. The calculation is therefore 1 @ 5/1=6. 6 @ 4/1 dead-heat is 3 @ 4/1=15. The remainder of the stake lost. Non-Runners If your bet is a single and if your selection does not run then you stake will be returned in full (except for ante-post bets where stakes are lost on non-runners). In doubles, trebles, etc, the stake is allowed to run on to the remaining selection(s). For instance, if A and B are taken in a double and A is a non-runner, the bet becomes a single on B. If A, B, and C form a treble, then A is a nonrunner, the bet stands as a double on B and C. Each individual line is treated separately for multiple bets with a nonrunner. For instance in a Yankee A B C D - the 11 bets are as follows: 6 Doubles *AB *AC *AD BC BD CD.

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 4 Trebles *ABC *ABD *ACD BCD. 1 Accumulator *ABCD. If A is a non-runner*, you will see that the 11 bets become: 3 Singles B, C, D. 6 Doubles BC BD CD BC BD CD. 2 Trebles BCD BCD. Rule 4 The purpose of Rule 4 is to compensate bookmakers when a withdrawn horse has effectively shortened the odds on the remainder of runners but there is insufficient time before the race to amend those odds. When settling, simply find the rate of deduction applicable to the winning odds of the horse (e.g. 3/1 = 25p in the ) and deduct from winnings only (do not include stake). For instance 10 @ 5/1 with a 25p in the deduction is calculated as follows: 10 x 5 = 50 deduct 50 x 25p (12.50) = 37.50 + 10 stake = 47.50. Over / Under Staking You must ensure that the correct amount of stake is paid when the bet is placed if you want to receive the correct amount of winnings for your bet. Occasionally, however, mistakes will occur and you will pay too little or too much for your bet. This could be due to an error when totalling your bets or because you have miscalculated the correct number of bets for the number of selections chosen. Either way the rules are the same. The excess is returned if you pay too much for your bet. For instance 10p win Yankee, 1.50 staked. The bet is settled as a 10p Yankee bet. Win or lose 40p is returned and added to any winnings. If you pay too little, then your return is paid in proportion to the correct amount for the bet. For instance 10p win Yankee - staked 1. You will receive 1 / 1.10 (10/11th) of your winnings. If the return is 22 x 10 = 220 and divide by the correct stake for the bet 220 / 11 = 20. If the bet loses you will not be asked to make up the difference. Too Few or too Many Selections Another error commonly made is to add an extra selection or miss one out. When a selection is forgotten, a non-runner is added to make up the correct number of selections. For instance in a Yankee if the selections

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nominated are A, B, and C, a non-runner is added for the fourth selection. Settlement is then identical to the example given in our explanation of nonrunners. Where an extra selection is inadvertently added, then the number of bets is adjusted to equal the total number of selections. For instance, five selections given in a 10p Yankee with a stake of 1.10, is adjusted to a Canadian bet (twenty-six) and the return proportioned 11/26th. Inbreeding When a horse appears on both sides of another horses pedigree, then the latter is inbred. Inbreeding is common in the bloodstock industry. A horse is inbred in an attempt to strengthen a particular quality. Index Bet A spread betting term that refers to a bet in which performance is measured by awarding points for reaching a particular point, stage, or filling a particular position. Index Betting Also sometimes used as an alternative term for spread betting. Index Firm Term referring to a bookmaker who offers spread betting. In Form Referring to a horse that is fit and running well. Information A term referring to facts about a horse, which are not available to other punters or bookmakers through the form book. Inspector A Jockey Club official whos role it is to inspect and monitor the safety of racecourses. Internet Betting The Internet presents an excellent opportunity for punters to improve their gambling. By uniting gamblers and providing information the net has started a quiet revolution in the world of betting. So how can you benefit by going online? For one, you can obtain better value with Internet bookmakers. Bookmakers who operate on the Internet have lower operating costs and are therefore in a position to pass on these savings to the customer. Seeking value is an essential strategy. Small differences in value can make a huge difference to the health of your betting bank over long periods of time.

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Another value related benefit from the Internet comes in the form of oddscomparison sites. These are websites that enable you to compare the odds of a huge amount of different bookmakers quickly and easily, enabling you to take the best price. Another great advantage of surfing the web is the sheer amount of useful information available. A great guide to some of the most useful horse racing sites can be found at www.surewin.co.uk/links.htm. The Internet also makes betting with foreign bookmakers easier. But why would one wish to bet with foreign bookmakers? For one, they can offer better value. Imagine that a golfing event occurs between two opponents, one of which is American and the other British. What commonly happens is that a disproportionate amount of money is placed on the American contestant in America whereas in Britain a disproportionate amount is placed on the British opponent. As a result US bookies will be offering long odds on the British opponent and short odds on the American opponent, and vice-versa. The tuned in punter would often take advantage of this prejudice and get better value by going to the US bookie to place a bet on the British opponent and bet with a British bookie on the American opponent. Sometimes the difference is so great a no-loss situation presents itself. By backing both options you are guaranteed a profit. This is known as an arbitrage bet. The ascent of the Internet has resulted in many punters successfully making a full-time income from arbitrage betting. Interval Training A training method that involves the horse running up a steep hill followed by a rest. This is then repeated several times. In the Frame Means a horse has finished first, second, third, or fourth. J Jade Sometimes used to refer to a horse that is not genuine (see Genuine). Jamstick Slang for the winning post.

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Jockey Term referring to the rider of a horse. One may be tempted to think that the job of a jockey requires little skill and basically involves simply sitting on the back of a horse and whipping it to make it go faster. This could not be further from the truth. Being a professional jockey requires a great deal of skill and athleticism. Those at the top of their game are in high demand and can earn a great deal of money. But the life of a jockey can be hard, involving a great deal of travelling and going to extreme lengths to keep their weight down. The jockey is also a popular scapegoat for a punters poor judgement. There are many regulations to which a jockey must abide by during a race. Serious offences can result in a suspension from racing. Offences include: Interfering with other horses during a race. Riding irresponsibly, recklessly, or carelessly. Misuse of the whip. Deliberate prevention of a horse from winning. An amateur jockey is an unpaid jockey who rides on National Hunt and less so on the Flat. They are separated in to two categories, A and B. Category A amateurs can ride in any amateur race on both Flat and National Hunt. Category B amateurs can race against any licensed jockeys on National Hunt. An apprentice jockey is a boy rider who is apprenticed to a particular stable and licensed trainer. The trainer will teach the apprentice and pass on his guidance. An apprentice cannot race before the age of sixteen or after the age of twenty-four. In handicap races an apprentice may claim an apprentice allowance in weight to compensate for his lack of experience. An apprentice can claim an allowance of 7lb until he has won ten races, 5lb until he has won fifty races, and 3lb up to seventy-five winning races. A conditional is an inexperienced National Hunt jockey under the age of twenty-six who may claim allowances in weight depending upon the number of previous wins. A conditional jockey can claim 7lb until he has won fifteen races, 5lb until he has won thirty-five, and 3lb until he has won sixty-five races. He loses the right to claim weight allowances at the age of twenty-six. Since good jockeys tend to get the cream of winning opportunities, a jockeys poor performance may simply be due to the lack of good winning opportunities. Furthermore there are other factors that can distort a jockeys

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record and it therefore fails to provide an accurate representation of his abilities. When assessing the contribution of a jockey it is not wise to dwell solely upon his overall performance but to concentrate on whether the jockey has ridden the horse in question with any degree of success. Jockey Association Refers to the trade association which looks after the interests of jockeys. Jockey Club The rulers of racing in the UK until the British Horse Racing Board took control in 1993. The Jockey Club still retains disciplinary responsibilities and powers. Joint The stand in the betting ring from which a bookmaker operates. Joint Favourite If two horses are named favourites and have the shortest odds they are referred to as joint favourites. Jolly Favourite. Judge The role of a judge is to assess and announce the finishing positions of each horse and the distance between them, aided by the photo finish. (see Photo Finish). The judges decision is final unless objections are lodged by the stewards inquiry (see Stewards Inquiry), which will bring an alteration in the official placing. If a mistake occurs it can be corrected by the judge within five days or by the Jockey Club within two week. However, this makes no difference to the punters who bet on the race. July Course Term referring to a racecourse at Newmarket which is only used in summer. Juvenile A two year-old racehorse. K Kite Bookmakers slang for cheque. Knock-Out A horse eliminated by a punter from consideration for a race because of strong factors against its chances.

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L Land a Touch To bring off a successful gamble. Laydown Refers to a certainty. Layers When a bookmaker lays a horse he accepts a bet on it. Therefore bookmakers are sometimes referred to as layers. If a punter lays a horse he is opposing it instead of backing it to win. Laying Off Bets See Hedging. Leading Jockeys See Jockeys. Leg It is said that a horse has got a leg if it is suffering from tendon strain. Length The unit measurement for distances between horses at the finish of a race. It is the equivalent to the length of a horses body. Levels Even money. 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. Limited Handicap Refers to a handicap race in which the rules stipulate a narrow range of weights allowed. Lincoln Handicap A race that takes place in Doncaster over a mile in March and which is traditionally the first leg of the Spring Double. It is the first major handicap of the Flat season. Live Betting Betting on the outcome of an event where the probabilities of the different outcomes can only be guessed at, as opposed to mechanical betting, whereby you bet on a result produced by a device of some kind and the probabilities of the outcomes are known and fixed. Long Shot Outsider, un-fancied runner. Long Term Market A spread betting term that refers to an event where the final outcome is not known until at least fourteen days after its start.

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Lucky 15/31/63 See Types of Bet. M Macaroni 25/1. Machine Refers to the Tote. Maiden Horses Those that have never won a race under a particular set of racing rules are known as maidens. Make-Up Spread Betting term that refers to the outcome / result of a particular market on which the bet is settled. Mare A female horse of five years or older. Match A race between just two horses. Match Bet A spread betting term that refers to a bet on the relative performance of two participants against each other, regardless as to how the other participants in the event perform. For instance two horses in a ten horse race may be matched together. Maximum Make Up A spread betting term that refers to the limit on the result of a particular market / bet. If the final result exceeds the maximum make up the maximum make-up is used to settle the bet. Members Enclosure A term referring to an area at a racecourse, which is reserved for members of the race-course club. It is also called the club enclosure. Members of the public can buy daily badges giving access to the enclosure. Middle Distance Horses Those whose best distances are between ten and twelve furlongs. Milers Horses whose best racing distance is between seven and nine furlongs.

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Minimum Make Up A spread betting term that refers to the minimum limit of a result of a particular market or bet. If the final result falls below the minimum make up the bets will be settled at the minimum make-up. Minimum Trip The minimum distance for a race over obstacles. Mix See Types of Bet. Monkey 500. Morning Glory A horse which impresses on the home gallops but fails to show the same form on the racecourse. Morning Line Prices Advertised prices on the morning of a race. Also called early bird prices and early doors. Mug Punter A term for punters who have little or no idea. Mush Slang for a bookmakers umbrella. Muzzle A net that covers a horses mouth to prevent it from biting. N Nailed On Considered a racing certainty. Nanny Tote. Nap The best bet of the day. National Hunt The National Hunt season used to be run solely between late August and Mid-May. The reason for this is that hard going, which is common in summer, could injure jumping horses. However, today there are a limited number of Jump races during the summer months at tracks that have overcome the ground problems. Races are a minimum of 2 miles, up to 4 miles. Jumping takes place over either hurdles or fences. The exceptions to this rule are bumpers or National Hunt Flat races. The aim of these races is to give National Hunt horses experience of racing without yet subjecting them to jumps. The aim of National Hunt racing is not to find the champion

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horses. Therefore races are not set out in a pattern as with Flat pattern races. However, National Hunt racing does have its champion races, which take place at the Cheltenham and Grand National meetings. Near Refers to the left leg of a horse. So the near hind would be its back left leg. Neck Strap Refers to the leather strap which goes around a horses neck. Its purpose is to enable jockeys to get a better grip. Need of a Run When a horse is described as being in need of a run it means it is not full fit and the horse is expected to improve next time out. Net 10/1. Net and Bice Betting slang for ten. Neves 7/1. Newmarket The headquarters of horse racing. It has two racecourses (the July Course and Rowley Mile). Newspaper Form See Form. Nip and Tuck When two or more horses are racing neck and neck. Nobbled See Doping. Non-Runner A selection that does not take part in a race or event for which it is entered. In such a case the stake is returned in full. In the case of a double, if a horse becomes a non-runner the bet is altered to a single win. When the bet is a treble it becomes a double and so on. Unfortunately for the punter this procedure does not apply to ante-post betting. A horse may be withdrawn from a race for a number of reasons. For one, the ground conditions may be considered unsuitable. Alternatively the horse may have suffered an injury. Non-Trier A horse which is prevented from running to its true potential is sometimes referred to as a non-trier. If a jockey or a trainer is found to be

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purposely not trying to win the penalty can be severe and the horse can be suspended from racing for thirty to forty days. Not Off Not trying to win or not expected to win by the connections. Not Under Orders On the off of a race the flag is raised, and if any runner is withdrawn before the signal it is deemed not to have come under (starters) orders. Stakes invested on such selections are returned but bookmakers are entitled to make deductions from winning bets if there was insufficient time to form a new betting market. (See Rule 4). Novice A horse that has never won a race under that particular code before that season. However, due to alterations in the timing of seasons the exact definition has become confused. Normally horses do not start competing in races until the age of around two years. A novice is a horse that is competing in its first race. Because you have no previous form on which to judge the horse it is wise to avoid backing them. The only indication you will have on such a horses future performance is by looking at the racing record of its parents and the other offspring of these parents. Inexperience is another factor that needs to be taken into consideration before backing a novice. Horses will often be nervous for their first few races. Considering both these factors it is perhaps advisable to wait a while before backing a horse. If you wait a few races you have more information to assess the ability of the horse which will be more experienced and less nervous. N.T.F National Trainers Federation. Nursery A handicap race for two year olds. The first of these is run in August. They can be from five furlongs (5/8 mile) to 1.25 miles long. O Oaks The Oaks is a race for three-year-olds run over 1 miles at Epsom in the beginning of June. It is the fillies equivalent of the Derby.

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Objection Connections may believe that their horse was unfairly treated in running by another member of the field and may object to the horse retaining its final placing. Ordinarily any interference will be subjected to a Stewards inquiry. Obtaining Information In the UK thoroughbred racing has been well documented for many years. As a result a wealth of information is available to the race analyst concerning all races and the horses which compete. Details are available on the peculiarities of each track, whether they rise and fall, whether they are flat, left or right-handed, etc. For each horse all previous race details including times, race distance, course conditions, and race commentary are available. Jockey and trainer statistics are also easily accessible. All this information is useful to the race analyst. A great deal of information is given by race cards found in standard daily newspapers. The format of this information varies from publication to publication. To save a lot of space abbreviations are used. There are also a number of specialist papers. These contain considerably more information than your normal daily newspapers. In Britain the only daily paper dedicated to horse racing is The Racing Post which includes very extensive and sophisticated statistics. The official formbook is published by Raceform on behalf of the British Horse Racing Board. This publication provides extensive details of every race run in Great Britain, as well as the major overseas events. Timeform produce a number of publications. One such example is the annual Racehorses. This lists and discusses every racehorse. The daily Timeform Racecard provides detailed runner by runner analysis of every race at every meeting. You will also find Timeforms own rating of a horses chance of winning. Results There are many places to obtain results for previous races including newspapers, teletext, the betting shop, telephone racing lines, etc.

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When you are checking the results be sure to look out for any factors that will affect the settlement of the bet in question, such as Rule 4 deductions and dead-heats. Do not be afraid to question a bookmakers settlement of a bet if you think that it has been incorrectly settled. Odds Either a way of expressing the actual probability of an outcome or a distortion of the actual probability, adjusted to build in a margin for the bookmaker. Odds are closely related to fractions. The sum of each side of the odds is the denominator. The number on the left hand side is the numerator of the fraction showing the probability of winning. The number on the right hand side is the numerator of the fraction showing the probability of losing. If a horse is at 2/1 and it won, for every pound placed on that horse you will receive 2 in return. The amount to the left of the price, in this case 2, is what you receive if you bet the amount to the right. The amount of money you place on a horse is known as the stake. If you win, the money you receive back is known as the returns. For example if you stake 3 on a horse at 3/1 and the horse wins your return will be 3 times your stake, therefore, you will win 9. Where the number on the left of the price is greater than the number to the right i.e. 2/1, this is known as odds against. If the number on the left of the price is smaller than the number to right i.e. 1/2 this is known as odds on. If both numbers are the same this is referred to as evens i.e. 1/1. Often odds are quoted with the word on attached, for instance 2/1 on. This means that the odds are really 1/2. If you hear the word on attached to the price simply reverse the two numbers of the price i.e. 2/1 on becomes 1/2. Odds-Against Where the odds are greater than evens they are known as odds-against. Odds-On Where the odds are less than evens they are known as odds on i.e. the amount won if the selection wins is less than the amount staked.

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Off The moment when the race actually starts. Alternatively if a horse is described as being off by its connections it is not expected to win. Furthermore, the right foot of a horse is also referred to as off. Therefore its front right leg would be referred to as off fore. Off-Course Betting in betting shops or in credit offices, etc. Official Handicapper A group of officials who assess the weights of horses as a mark of their ability. These weight ratings are used to decide what weights horses carry in handicap races. Off-Slip A special slip which is passed through a bookmakers cash register and security camera which denotes the close of betting for a particular race. Off the Bridle When the horse has to be urged on by its jockey. Open Bet A spread bet that has not yet been closed. Opening Refers to placing a bet. Alternatively the phrases taking a position or opening a position are often used. On-Course Betting Betting at the racecourse. On-Course and Off-Course Betting The main advantage of on-course betting used to be the fact that you did not have to pay 9% tax. Fortunately tax has now been abolished so what other advantages are there? One benefit of on-course betting is the fact that you have the opportunity of assessing the condition of any horse when they are parading in the paddock. Does it look fit, well, and in good condition? Is the horse nervous or relaxed? Does his coat have the shine that you would expect from a healthy horse? Another advantage is that you have more choice as the bookies prices vary. The most obvious of all benefits is that you get to see the race live. A large amount of betting takes place on-course before the prices are transmitted to the betting shops, so you are able to take advantage of the earlier shows.

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On-course bookmakers profit margins are lower than their high street counterparts. The reason for this is the high level of competition at the track and also that they do not have the time to calculate the exotic multiple bets that bookmakers adore due to their high profit margin. The tuned in punter avoids bets with high profit margins since they offer poor value. A further reason why on-course bookmakers profits are low is that punters can see the horse they are betting on and witness its condition. One disadvantage of on-course betting is that it is time consuming going to a race meeting. Also you have to pay admission, travel costs, etc. This will eat away at your profits. The advantages of off-course betting are that bookies shops offer a far wider range of bets and you can bet on virtually any sporting event. They also offer credit and deposit accounts. Prices are not normally transmitted to the betting shop until around fifteen minutes before the race, and sometimes even later, which is a big disadvantage to betting off-course. The changes that take place prior to the prices transition from the course to the bookies shop can be dramatic. One-Paced The horse can not produce any extra pace and just keeps on at the same speed. On the Nod Since a horse moves its head up and down when racing, if a horse has won on the nod the race is so close the winning horse only won because its head was in the right position on the line. Also refers to the acceptance of a bet on credit. On the Shoulders 9/2. Open Ditch All steeple chases have to have at least one open ditch for every mile. An open ditch is a ditch that precedes a fence. Open Race A greyhound race where entries are invited from all licensed trainers regardless of where the greyhounds are trained. Ossified The point at which a horses bones become fully hardened.

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Out-Crossing Breeding term that refers to the fact that neither of a horses parents have ancestors in common within their pedigree. Out-crossing is the opposite of in-breeding. Outsider A horse showing at long odds in the market. Over-Broke Describes a betting book that will not make a profit. If a punter were to bet on all the horses in such a book he would be guaranteed a profit. For further details see Overround. Over Reach If a horse strikes the back of its fore foot with its hind foot this is called over reaching. Any resulting cut from such an action is referred to as an over reach. Overs Betting overround. Overround The extent to which the odds, expressed as percentage probabilities, for all the horses in the race add up to more than 100%. The excess over 100% (the overround) provides the bookmakers profit. If the profit margin exceeds 20% you are not receiving good value and it is probably worth finding an alternative bookmaker. For instance, in a three horse race the odds for two of the horses are even, which is expressed in a percentage form as 50, and the third horses odds are 3/1, expressed as 40. As a result the bookmakers book is 40 overround (50 + 50 + 40 = 140). In such a case the bookmaker should, in theory, receive 140 for every 100 paid out. In this example the bookmaker is not offering good value and it is best to look elsewhere. Over the Top If a horse is referred to as over the top this means that it is passed its peak and has been raced too much. As a result it cannot be expected to race at its best. Overweight Refers to the instances when a jockey goes to race with more weight than the official handicapper has set. This occasionally occurs when a trainer puts in a jockey for the benefit of his experience and talent, but who cannot make the weight the horse has been allotted. Owners The owner is obviously the person who finds the money to buy the horse. It is the owner who is ultimately responsible for paying the bills, deciding who handles the horse, how the horse is handled, and which

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races the horse runs in. In practise many of these responsibilities are handed over to the trainer who generally has the most influence on a horses performance. Owning racehorses is not usually a profit making exercise since the majority of racehorses fail to win enough money to cover the cost of looking after them. Ownership of racehorses is generally for those who are passionate about horse racing. Racing clubs and syndicates are now commonplace and members can buy shares in racehorses. P Pacemaker Front running horse which initially sets the pace in a race. Paddock An alternative and more popular name for the parade ring where horses are paraded prior to being mounted by the jockey and led on to the course. The parading of horses in the paddock offers a valuable opportunity for a punter to assess a horses condition. Such an act is referred to as the paddock inspection. You may be told that a mare has been retired to the paddocks. This means that she will now be used as a broodmare and her racing career is over. Paddock Inspection See Paddock. Parade For the benefit of punters who have not had the opportunity of assessing a horses condition and behaviour in the paddock, horses may be paraded down the course and in front of the stands. Parade Ring See Paddock. Pari-Mutuel The Tote system operated in certain countries such as France, which is the most popular country for foreign betting from the UK. The main difference between the French Tote and British Tote is that in France if two horses from the same stable are running in a race they will be coupled up and given the same prices (see Coupled). By betting on one horse from a stable you will also be betting on any other running in the same race from the same stable. Therefore, if horse A and horse B are from the same stable and you place 1 to win at 2/1 on horse A but horse B wins, you will still receive 2 in winnings.

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Passport See Identification. Pastern Refers to part of a horses leg which is situated above the hoof and just below the fetlock joint. Patent / Twist See Types of Bet. Pattern These races are used to determine which are the champion horses of their generation and are set out in a pattern, hence the name pattern races. The most important Flat races in Europe are formed into a pattern, the aim of which is to grade existing races in such a way as to ensure that there are series of races that provide the opportunity to test horses of both sex at the right time of the year, at the right distance, and at all ages. The pattern consists of three groups of races Group One Consist of Classics and other races of champion standard which have major international importance. These races are run without penalties on a weight-for-age and sex basis. Group Two Races just below group one standard in terms of international importance, though they remain significant on an international level. Unlike group one races penalties can apply for group two races, which are based on the past performance of a horse in previous pattern races. Group Three Domestic affairs which are regarded as preparatory races for the higher groups. In similarity with group two races, penalties can apply based on the previous performance of horses in pattern races. This pattern helps to ensure that there is a constant stream of high-class races throughout the season and that the best horses from different countries race together on a regular basis. Beyond these events the next most important races are called Listed Races. These are a set of races designed to isolate superior horses, which are below group standards. National Hunt racing also provides a similar pattern, which is not part of the European pattern, but shares similar aims to offer opportunities for

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juveniles or novices to chase or hurdle over differing distances. These races are distributed evenly throughout the season and on a geographical level. These races are graded from one to three. Grade One Consists of major weight-for-age races in different categories and over different distances. Group Two Consists of races just below champion standard. Group Three Important handicap hurdles and steeplechases. Peck on Landing If a horse touches the ground with its nose when landing after a big jump over an obstacle, it is said to peck on landing. Penalty A penalty in the world of racing is simply extra weight to be carried, the amount of which depends on the conditions of the race. A penalty is extra weight added to the horses original weight for a race as a result of winning other events prior to being entered for the race in question. In a condition race the rules may stipulate, for instance, that any winner of a group one race may have to carry an extra 7lb. Sometimes the penalties may be graded depending upon the value of a race won. Sometimes the penalties are straight and do not depend upon value. It is worth the effort becoming informed as to the nature of the conditions of the race you are betting on. A horse usually incurs a penalty when winning a race after the weights have been announced for another race in which it was also entered. Penalty Value The winners prize money. The amount of prize money is used to determine any future weight penalties. Penetrometer A device used to measure the going in many counties, including France, which has yet to be adopted in British racing. In the UK a stick is pushed into the ground! Permit Holder Refers to a person who is allowed to train horses under National Hunt rules, which are the property of his or her immediate family. A public trainer is allowed to train horses for anyone.

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Perm Patent 4 See Types of Bet. Photo-Finish Refers to the method of determining the result where there is a close finish, which involves the photographing of horses as they cross the finishing line. The photographs are taken by two digital cameras placed high up in the stand. Pin-hooking Refers to the act of buying a foal and selling it on as a yearling. Pitch The position where a bookmaker conducts his business on a racecourse. Place A place bet refers to a bet whereby your selection does not have to st nd rd th win but must be placed. It can therefore finish either 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 depending on the amount of runners in the race. If there are five, six, or st nd seven runners the horse can finish 1 or 2 . In a race of eight runners or more the selection can finish in the first three. If the race is a handicap with st nd rd th sixteen or more runners the horse can finish 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 . It is often said that a horse has been placed if it finishes in the first three. Place Pool The Tote operates a separate pool for win and place betting. A bet on the place pool earns a dividend if the horse is first, second, or third. In handicaps with sixteen or more runners fourth place is also allowed. Placepot A Tote bet in which the punter must name a horse, which finishes placed in each of the first six races on a nominated card. Placing Your Bet On-Course On-course bookmakers are independent so you will find slightly different prices being offered. Therefore, it is worth shopping around for the best odds for your selection. Do not be afraid to attempt to negotiate a better price and be sure to place your bet in good time as there is often a last minute rush. To place your bet tell the bookmaker your selection, the type of bet you want and your stake. Its as simple as that! When you have placed your bet you will be handed a ticket with the bookies name and number on it. It has no details of your selection written on it. All of those details are contained within the bookmakers ledger. Once

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you have given the bookie your bet he will repeat it to a clerk who then writes it all down. It is important, at this point, to listen to what is being said so as to make sure that no mistake is being made. Off-Course In most betting shops you have to write down your bet on a betting slip, though in some shops they have introduced machines for placing bets. Some bets, such as a Lucky 15 or Union Jack, come with their own betting slips. Some bookmakers insist that a bet must be written on a certain type of slip to qualify for bonuses or consolations. It is worth checking whether your bet fits into this category. Most betting slips have a carbonised bottom sheet so when you fill in details on the top part it automatically makes a copy. Use a separate slip for each bet and fill in the details like so... Fontwell 4.30 -The meeting and time of race. Big Ben - The name of the horse. 5 win - The stake and kind of bet. Stake 5 - The stake. It is not necessary to write down the odds. It is important that you check the details of your betting slip thoroughly before handing it over to the cashier. Once you have checked the detail hand it over with your money. When the race is declared off, a slip will be processed through the till by the cashier. Bets taken after this off slip will be void. Dont worry if you lose your slip. Normally you will just have to fill in a form to claim the winnings. For larger bets you may have to present some form of identification. Tote Betting To place a bet on the Tote simply go to the relevant counter at the racetrack and tell a member of staff the number of your selection, the type of bet, and the stake. In return you will be presented with a ticket. On this ticket you will find the name of the horse and the stake. Check these details. You will need this ticket to collect your winnings. If your selection

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loses but the race is declared void you can claim back your money. Consequently it is not wise to throw away your ticket until after the weighin. To collect your winnings simply present your ticket to the payout window. It is worth noting that the rules change from place to place. For instance on some forecast bets the selections must finish in the correct order. For other forecast bets the order is of no importance. It is advisable to read the rules before you bet. You can place a Tote bet in a betting shop. However, your stake is not entered into the pool. The betting shop is just allowing you the convenience of betting on the prices attained by this market. The dividends that are returned can vary greatly from the starting price. Most bookies have limits on just how much they will pay out on the Tote. This limit can be as much as four times the starting price equivalent. However, it is often less. Fortunately you will often be guaranteed a minimum payout, which is often half the S.P equivalent. When placing a Tote bet in a bookmakers shop it is important that you indicate that it is in fact a Tote bet by writing TOTE on the betting slip. Otherwise your bet will be settled at the starting price. Spread Betting, Starting to Trade, and Placing Bets Remember, before you start trading it is wise to have a thorough understanding of spread betting, due to the fact that mistakes can be costly. It is wise to bet on paper before hand, to acquire a feel for the game prior to investing real money. You dont want to be getting your fingers burnt early as this may put you off this excellent form of betting. Spread betting has many advantages over fixed-odds gambling. Opening An Account Opening an account is relatively simple. You will find spread betting firms advertised throughout the sporting press. All you have to do is phone one of their freephone numbers and you will be sent an information pack and application form. Some financial details are required and you will likely be asked to provide some evidence of your financial standing. It is not the case that only well-off people get accepted. You do need sufficient funds and some documentary evidence, often in the form of bank or building society statements.

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Due to the competitive nature of the Spread Betting market, firms often use promotional incentives, frequently in the form of a free bet. For your free bet you keep any winnings but are not liable for any losses. Some of these bets can be substantial. It is worth shopping around for the best incentive, especially considering that there is not much difference between competing firms. Once you have chosen your bet simply ring your bookmaker, give him your name and account number, and ask him for a quote on the market you are interested in. The dealer will give you a two-way price. If you are satisfied with this price say whether you want to buy or sell and tell the dealer what your unit stake is. Placing a bet is as simple as that. Before phoning the dealer it is wise to have a good idea of the price you are looking for and your unit stake. This is particularly important when betting in running. When you place a bet your conversation with the trader will be recorded in case there are any disputes in the future. The way in which spread companies manage the financial aspect varies. Your account can be managed by a debit card or you can open a credit account. With the former, your winnings are credited and your losses debited automatically at the end of each accounting period, which can vary from one week to one month. You will be set a limit on your trades but it tends to be flexible. You will not be allowed to trade at levels that allow your potential liabilities to exceed your deposit. With a credit account, accounts are settled by cheque at the end of each accounting period. The spread firm will send a full statement detailing the trades and the results that took place during the accounting period. You may receive contract notes arriving through your letter box. These are confirmations of bets you have placed. Once you have made a bet make a note of it because the confirmation letters may take more than a week to

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reach you. Be sure to check these letters as mistakes can and do occur. Unless there is a mistake no further action need be taken. Potential Dangers When Placing Spread Bets When placing a bet it is essential to clearly communicate your bet. In an index involving goals the quote is expressed in tenths, for instance a 2.2 2.5 total goals quote. The smallest unit a market is trading in is often referred to as a tick. With our total goal example the smallest unit is a tenth of a goal. An instruction to sell total goals at 100 a point may be interpreted as either 100 per goal or 100 per tenth of a goal. Here lies a potential disaster. To avoid confusion between ticks and points clearly state which unit you mean. If you want to bet 100 per goal actually say per goal not per point or even just sell at 100. By communicating your bet clearly you can avoid a potential financial catastrophe. If you bet regularly without this in mind, such a disastrous situation may happen sooner or later. Debts and the Law The law that applies to spread betting differs to fixed odds betting. All spread firms are governed by the Securities and Futures Authority (S.F.A), which means they operate under very different guidelines to traditional bookmakers. Spread betting debts, whether owed to you or the spread firm, are enforceable by law. If William Hill decides not to pay-up on a legitimate debt, you cannot do anything about it and the law will not help. Spread betting debts are enforceable by law. You can sue the spread firms and be sued yourself. If you place a particularly poor, miss judged bet your house could be sold to cover debt. However by following the guidelines laid out herein heavy losses can easily be avoided. It is essential for a spread firm to protect itself and it does so by carrying out rigorous checks on the credit worthiness of new clients. This practise is required by law and is imposed by the S.F.A (Securities and Futures Authority Limited). The S.F.A is not only the regulatory authority for spread betting firms but also for firms operating in Londons financial markets. The S.F.A rules set strict guidelines on the capital adequacy of both firms and their clients in relation to the size of bets placed. In other words you are not allowed to dig a big financial hole for yourself since you are not allowed to bet what you cannot afford to lose.

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When applying for a spread account you are required to fill in an application form. This form will request details of an individuals income, assets, and any debts. Once the information has been submitted by a client it will be thoroughly checked by the spread firm. Spread firms are required by the S.F.A to confirm your liquidity as they are offering credit and secondly to ensure you are worthy of credit. As a result opening spread betting accounts involves more complex forms and tighter criteria. It is not uncommon for applicants to be rejected. How to Open an Account with an Online Bookmaker Opening an account with an online bookmaker is simply a matter of visiting their website and filling in a form. When you place your bet your stake will usually be debited from your account by switch. The transaction will be authorised almost instantly. Bets are placed by ticking multiple-choice boxes to indicate your selections, stakes, etc. You will then receive a written betting slip for checking. If the details are incorrect you can cancel and start over. If you have any problems there should be a help section on the website which will offer instructions. It is recommended that you open accounts with as many internet bookmakers as possible. The more bookmakers you have access to the wider the range of prices available, offering you the chance to shop around for the best value. Plate In the world of racing a plate is sometimes used to refer to a horses shoe. Alternatively, you may encounter, though not often, the term selling plate, which is an old way of referring to selling races. Also the word plate sometimes refers to a saddle. Point-to-Point Races Type of steeple chase run under the auspices of the local hunt that often involves the horses running over farmland, although racecourses are sometimes used. Pony 25 (Sometimes 25/1).

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Pool Betting A type of betting in which all the stake money goes into a pool and is shared amongst the winners, after deductions for the operators profit. The prize money is sometimes divided into sub-pools with different categories of winner sharing in the pool. For instance, the Tote. Pre-Parade Ring Before being taken to the saddle boxes horses may be walked around the pre-parade ring, thereby providing an opportunity for people to assess the horses condition. The parade-ring is the formal name for the paddock. The pre-parade-ring provides a less hectic environment to inspect the horse. Prices An alternative name for the odds on offer. Pricewise The name for a daily column in the Racing Post which compares the odds / prices from a range of bookmakers and also highlights particularly good value bets. Prize Money The prize money for winning a given race consists of the money from such sources as the sponsors, added to the contribution from the Levy Board, plus the stakes put up by the owners of the horses entered into the race. The winnings received by the connections depend upon where the horse was placed (see Placed). Rules on how winnings are distributed to placed horses depends on the rules for each race, laid down by the British Horse Racing Board. Sometimes a horse may not have to be placed and the prize money may be distributed amongst the first six. The more money a horse wins the higher the penalty value (the additional weight the horse has to carry, which is subject to the conditions of the future race). Probability A measure of the chances that an event will take place or that a particular outcome will occur. Profitability of Bets If you were thinking of buying a new washing machine, car, or going on holiday, would you shop around for the best value and try to obtain the best price? Of course you would. And yet it never fails to amaze me how punters make so little effort to shop around for the best price. On one bet the difference in return by shopping around may seem small and not really worth the effort. However, over a full season seeking the best prices can easily make the difference between making a substantial loss and making a substantial profit. It has never been easier to

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shop around for the best prices. You can even find odds comparison websites that do the work for you. One of the mathematics. multiple bets disadvantage bookmaker. main weapons a bookmaker uses against a bettor is Although it is perhaps possible to find a strategy that uses to produce profit the fact remains that you are at a major if your preferred bet has a high profit margin for the

Bookmakers promote their most profitable bets. If you aim to make longterm profits avoiding the bookies most profitable bets is an important tactic. Bookmakers will try all sorts of tactics to make these bets appear good value. The best indication to a bets value is the amount of money the bookmakers make from the bets. Below you will find a table that details the profits for both bookmakers and the Tote. The bets with high percentage profits are the bets to avoid. TYPE OF BET BETTING SHOP 'S ADVANTAGE % Forecast doubles 40 Win multiple bets 23 Each-way multiple bets 18 Forecast singles 12 Win doubles 10 Each-way doubles 8 Win singles at starting price 8 Win singles at board price 6 Each-way singles at starting price 5 Each way singles at board price 4 Ante-post 0 TOTE Scoop 6 Jackpot Trifecta Placepot Quadpot Place Tote place Exacta DEDUCTIONS 30% 29% 29% 27% 26% 24% 24% 24%

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Multi-bet win Tote win

16% 16%

You can also adopt the shopping-around, value-seeking approach when spread betting. You need to open accounts with as many spread firms as possible. By doing so you can often reduce the margins to nil or even an arbitrage opportunity. Lets take a look at an example that involves horse racing double numbers at Newmarket. SPORTING INDEX CITY IG HILLS LADBROKES 82-86 84-88 82-86 85-89 86-90

In this example you could buy at 86 with either Sporting or IG. If you prefer to sell you could do so at 86 with Ladbrokes. Essentially you are then betting with no margin against you. Of course, you should make every effort to sell at the highest possible price and buy at the lowest. Public Trainer See Permit Holder. Pull In the world of racing jargon the term pull is used in a variety of ways. If a horse is pulling it refuses to settle and it pulls at the bit. If a horse is pulling doubler this means the horse is going easy. If a jockey takes a pull he is signalling to the horse to slow down. If a horse has a pull in the weights it has an advantage - less weight to a different horse in comparison to a previous race. If a horse is made to slow by the jockey during the race, when the horse is either exhausted, injured, or simply has no possible chance, it is said to have been pulled up. This is expressed and abbreviated to a P in the form line. A horse also pulls up after the winning post.

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Puller Also called Dentist, refers to a person who tries to extend the board prices. Punter Gambler. R Racecard The official programme for horses at a particular meeting. Racecards are published in newspapers detailing the horses, trainers, and jockeys, plus other useful information. If you go through the card you take into account all horses. The best bet on the card means that a particular selection is the best bet at a particular meeting. Racecourse There are fifty-nine racecourses in Great Britain. Five are in Scotland, two in Wales, and the rest in England. The furthest track north is Perth and the most southerly is Newton Abbott. Some are for Flat racing only, whereas others are dedicated to National Hunt racing (and some offer both). There are currently fifty-nine racecourses in Britain and a further twenty seven in Ireland.. Due to their historical origins, racecourse tracks in Great Britain come in many shapes and sizes. As a result different horses are more suited to different courses. Chester racecourse is an almost circular course of around one mile in length, whereas Newmarket is a course of greater distance (two and a half miles). On the Newmarket track horses only make one turn and can race over a straight of one and quarter miles. Courses also vary in respect to the direction in which the horses race (left handed or right handed). Some horses appear to perform better when racing in a particular direction. Also courses are not perfectly level. Some require horses to run downhill whereas others require them to run uphill. You will need to consider how the course is going to affect the performance of a horse when assessing the likely winners of a race. Racecourse Association (R.C.A) A trade organisation whose responsibility it is to look out for the interests of Britains fifty-nine racecourses.

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Racecourse Holdings Trust (R.H.T) A subsidiary of the Jockey Club, which owns thirteen racecourses across Britain. Raceform Official publishers of the formbooks for Flat and National Hunt racing for the B.H.B. The Flat formbook is called Raceform and the National Hunt book is called Chaseform. On a weekly or twice weekly basis the form is published and confirmed by the clerk of the course. It is then collated and published in an annual edition. These formbooks provide a huge amount of information including in-depth detail of each race, such as time, weights, distance, etc. Also includes comments and pointers for future races. Raceform hire a team of race readers who are present at each meeting and who report on the performance of every horse running. Raceform also publish a number of other useful books including Horses in Training and the Racehorse Record. Race-Goers Club An organisation under the management of the Racecourse Association whose role it is to encourage people to go to the races and to look out for the race-goers interests. Members of the Racegoers Club are entitled to deductions on admission prices, stable visits, participation in social events, etc. Racehorse Obviously one of the most important things to understand in the world of horse racing is the horse. The two codes of racing, Flat and National Hunt, the different courses, and the varying ground conditions require horses with different qualities. True some horses are good all-rounders. An example of such a horse, and probably the most famous equine of all, is Red Rum. All racehorses are thoroughbreds. This is a breed which has the necessary attributes for racing, namely stamina and speed. Interestingly, all thoroughbred racehorses can trace their pedigree back to just three horses, th which were brought into this country from the Near East in the early 18 century. The official birth date of all UK racehorses is January 1 . A horse of either sex up to the age of one year old is referred to as a foal. A male horse under the age of five years old is referred to as a colt and a female horse below the age of five is called a filly.
st

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A mare or female horse over five years of age which used for breeding is a broodmare. A stallion is a male horse used for breeding. The mother horse is referred to as a dam and a father horse is referred to as a sire. You can have grandsires and granddames in the same way as one has grandparents. Full Brother / Full Sister refers to a horse that shares both the same mother dam and father sire. Half Sister / Half Brother A horse that has the same dam mother but a different sire is referred to as either a half sister or half brother. A castrated horse is referred to as a gelding. The primary reasons why it may been deemed suitable to have a horse gelded (castrated) is that due to an alteration in hormonal levels, and consequently temperament, once a horse is cut it is easier to deal with. The horse becomes passive and less interested in sex. Approximately 2oo horses die on racetracks each year through fatal injuries or through being humanly put down on-course by a vet. There are a number of injuries that can occur to a horse, a broken neck, back, leg, or perhaps a heart attack. Racehorse Owners Association An organisation that looks out for the interests of racehorse owners and provides much of the information required to be a racehorse owner. Racetech Owned by the Racecourse Association, Racetech provides technical support for horse racing. They are responsible for the provision and operation of starting stalls, photo finishes, the camera patrol, the timing of races, television coverage, etc. Racetech also publish videos which consist of compilations of horse racing coverage derived from their huge film archive. Since Racetech control the filming of races they also operate one of the biggest outside broadcast operations in the UK. Racing Calendar A publication that offers details on conditions of all forthcoming races in Britain and the major races abroad, along with details on stewards enquiries, alterations to rules, and much more besides.

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Racing Post The only daily racing paper left after the demise of the Sporting Life. The Racing Post contains a huge amount of information and statistics including form details of all races in the UK and the major races abroad, along with articles and advice. The Racing Post is also online at www.racingpost.co.uk. This site offers a great deal of information and is most useful for all gamblers. Racing Organisations The gambling industry in Great Britain is the most sophisticated in the world. Horse racing in the UK is organised by the British Horse Racing Board. The B.H.B is responsible for the organisation of races and meetings as well as representing and marketing the horseracing industry as a whole. Another influential body is the Jockey Club. Up until 1993 the Jockey Club controlled British horse racing until the B.H.B took over. Today the responsibilities of the Jockey Club include the formation of Racings Rulebook and other disciplinary responsibilities. The Jockey Club has the power to ban trainers, jockeys, or race-goers from all British racetracks. Ladbrokes, William Hill, and Corals, the top three bookmakers in the UK, along with the industry in general, exert a powerful influence upon the racing world. The bookmaking industries primary concern is obviously its own well-being, even at the expense of the world of gambling as a whole. Bookmakers will often have a powerful influence on the betting market and will attempt to shape it to their own liking. Rag Betting slang for the outsider of the field. Rail Bookmakers Bookmakers betting largely on credit, on the rail which separates the Members Enclosure from Tattersalls. They operate on the rail because betting in the members enclosure is not allowed. Rails These are bookmakers pitches on the rail which separates the Members Enclosure from Tattersalls. Rangy If a horse is rangy it has a long frame. Rated Stakes Race Refers to a handicap race on the Flat where the range of weights is limited to 14lb or below. Ratings See Handicap Ratings.

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R.C.A See Racecourse Association. Readies Cash. Real Time Up to the minute forecast of the return or dividend. Records To be a successful bettor and produce consistent profits, you need to approach your gambling as you would a business. Most successful financial ventures require full knowledge of what is happening and just like in business theres only one way to ensure you have this knowledge - by keeping detailed records. There are many reasons for this, but the most important is the fact that this is the only approach that will enable you to objectively assess your strengths and weaknesses, pinpointing your virtues and vices. Record keeping will enable you to learn what you are doing wrong and what you are doing right. Its a pleasure to keep records when you are winning. Unfortunately it is not so pleasant keeping accounts up to date when you are suffering the inevitable losing runs. It is, however, a lot easier if you recognise the many benefits derived from this practice. One could not run a business successfully without maintaining proper books. You wouldnt know where the money was going and where it was coming from. You also would not know which part of the business was profitable and which part was showing a loss. The same applies to your betting activities. Are you showing profits from your win bets? Are you losing money on your place bets? Could it be that you are more skilled on certain types of races than on others? The questions can go on and on and the answers are more readily available if you keep records. They cannot be answered on the basis of guesswork. Recognition of ones weaknesses is the first step to changing and improving upon the situation. People are creatures of habit. Most like to place the same kinds of bet on a regular basis, often because the bets gave big returns somewhere in the

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past. Properly kept records will help identify these habits and whether they are helpful or not. Going back over past results helps prevent us from repeating the same mistakes over and over again. One advantage, that may not be so obvious, is that keeping records encourages long-term thinking. Recording your returns imposes a real sense of discipline. If you have built a profit up over a few months you will work extra hard not to blow it on a rash, poorly thought out bet. Refuse If a horse decides not to jump over an obstacle in a steeplechase or hurdle the horse is said to have refused. Such an occurrence is represented with an R in the form line. Relay Agents Relay Agents are organisations that relay gambling information at a greatly reduced cost. Any punter who wishes to purchase an effective system or obtain bets from a successful tipster has a number of obstacles to overcome. For one, many system publishers and tipsters make false and exaggerated claims. Indeed many high profile services promoted by well-respected racing celebrities are nothing more than conjobs. Furthermore, systems and advisory services can prove very expensive. There are however some genuine system publishers and successful tipsters out there who make a profit year in and year out. Unfortunately for the average punter isolating such a service or system without the aid of a relay agency is very difficult indeed. Relay agencies or pirates often have hundreds of systems and services at their disposal and they will be happy to point you in the direction of the best. Indeed, relay agencies offer by far the best hope of obtaining high quality gambling advice and information without the great expense. Surewin are probably the most respected and reliable relay agency who offer the best value. Surewin is an excellent service and the Club you have joined is terrific value state The Winners Agency. You can contact Surewin through their website www.surewin.co.uk. Reminder One flick from the jockeys whip to remind the horse that it is in a race. Remount If a jockey falls from a horse during a race and then proceeds to climb back on to the horse he has remounted. Re-Run A greyhound race which was previously started but not resolved due to a technical difficulty, etc.

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Results See Obtaining Information. Retainer The sum of money an owner or trainer pays to benefit from the first claim of a jockeys services. Return The amount paid out by a bookmaker (winnings plus stake). Reverse Forecast See Types of Bet. R.H.T Racecourse Holdings Trust. Ric Betting slang for a mistake. Riding Offence See Jockeys. Ring The bookmakers who have pitches in Tattersalls enclosure - the main betting enclosure of a racecourse - are collectively referred to as the Ring. On some racecourses there is a cheaper enclosure and this is known as the Silver Ring. Ringer Superior horse substituted for inferior one. Ring Inspector An official present at a racecourse whos purpose is to act as mediator between punter and bookmaker in order to try and settle any disputes. R.O.A See Racehorse Owners Association. Rogue A horse that cannot be relied upon to run to the best of its ability. Rouf Slang for 4-1. Roundabout See Types of Bet. Round Book A set of bookmakers odds for an event organised in such a way that the bookmakers turnover is equal to the punter returns. Rounder See Types of Bet. Round the Clock See Types of Bet.

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Round Robin See Types of Bet. Rowley Mile The main racecourse at Newmarket, which is used in spring and autumn. Royal Ascot A Flat racing festival held in June. Rule 4 If a horse gets withdrawn after a book has been made then the prices offered by the bookie will be incorrect. This is because the prices will have been worked out with the withdrawn horse included. When this happens Rule 4 comes into play. Rule 4 allows a bookmaker to adjust the prices. This is called a Rule 4 deduction. This deduction does not apply to your stake but applies to your winnings only. The amount of money that is deducted from your winnings will depend upon the price of the withdrawn horse. Run Free If a horse is said to be running free it is running too fast for its own good, since by refusing to settled down it is wasting an unnecessary amount of energy that will be required for the final effort, the finish. Run-In The distance from the last obstacle to the winning post on a National Hunt track. The run in varies slightly from track to track and race to race. The distance varies between one hundred and fifty yards and half a mile. A run-in can vary in shape and some tracks such as Sandown Park have a stiff uphill run-in. Run Out A horse that omits a fence or hurdle or leaves the marked course during a race is deemed to have run out and is disqualified. Run Up Light Refers to horses that are considered too thin. S Sais a Ching Betting slang for 6/5. Sandown Park A well-known racetrack in Surrey. Satellite Information Service (S.I.S) The service which transmits television pictures of racing into betting shops.

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Schooling The practise of teaching hurdlers and chasers to jump over obstacles. Scope If a horse is said to have scope it has potential. There is room for improvement that will come with age as the horse develops physically. If a horse is underdeveloped in this sense it may be referred to as scopey. Alternatively, to scope a horse means to extract fluid from its lungs to look for traces of blood, the aim of which is to determine whether a horse is likely to break blood vessels. Score Betting slang for 20. Scratch Refers to the withdrawing of a horse from a race. Scrub To remove or scrub the prices. Scrub Along If a horse is being scrubbed along the jockey is pushing away to encourage the horse to keep going. The name stems from the fact that the movement of a jockey is reminiscent of someone scrubbing a floor. Sectional Timing In the USA horse races are timed after each furlong and each quarter or half (quarter or half of a mile). In the UK sectional timing is practised by a few specialists who present their findings to the sporting press. Since races are not always run at the same pace throughout, by timing a race in sections you can extract useful information as to how a race was run. Unlike the USA, only a few tracks in the UK have sectional timing equipment, including Newmarkets Rowley Mile and Wolverhampton. Sell When spread betting if you believe that the final make up will be lower than the spread you would sell. Sell spread bets are always placed at the lower end of the spread. Selling Race In certain races the eventual winner must be offered for sale by auction. These are known as selling races. Sell the Index A type of spread bet whereby you gamble that an index based on the possible outcomes of an event will finish below the lower limit of the spread. Settler Bookmakers employee who calculates bets.

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Sex Allowance A weight allowance given to female horses in certain races to compensate for their weakness in relation to the male horse. Short Odds are described as short when the stake you pay is large compared to the stake effectively put up by the bookie. A win pays a low return relative to the amount you stake. Shoulder 7/4. Show See Board / Show Prices. Showcase Race Refers to one particular race of a days racing that the bookmakers designate as the showcase and for which the bookie will offer early prices on. They will use these prices in their advertising. Since bookmakers tend not to make life easy for the punter, showcase races are often competitive handicaps. Silks The distinguished coloured tops worn by jockeys. Silver Ring The betting area for bookmakers pitches in the cheap enclosure on a racecourse. Single A bet on one horse in a race. Single Stakes About / Up and Down Bet See Types of Bet. Sire A horses father. S.I.S See Satellite Information Services. Skinner Slang for a horse in a bookmakers book that has not been backed at all and as a result if that horse wins the bookmaker will pay out nothing. Sleeper Uncollected winnings, unclaimed bet. Split Pastern Refers to a hairline fracture of the pastern. The pastern consists of three bones between the hoof and the fetlock joint. In such situations a horse will be out of action for several months.

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Sporting Life No longer in business, the Sporting Life used to be the principle daily racing paper for well over a decade until its closure in 1998. Sports Information Service A racing and sports television service offered to betting shops and credit offices, which transmits betting shows and film of the races. Spread The difference between two index levels above or below which you bet the index will finish, once the result of an event are known. The spread gives the spread firms their earnings. Spread a Plate When a horse is said to have spread a plate it has lost or loosened one of its shoes. Spread Betting A type of betting in which the range of outcomes is expressed in the form of an index. You can bet that a finishing index will be above or below a given level. The result is called the make up. If you bet that it will be above a given level you buy and if you bet it is below a given level you sell. The difference between the two levels is the spread or margin. Spread Betting Horse Racing Markets The most popular spread markets are those framed around the outcome of a complete afternoons racing. Markets are updated after each event enabling a client to bet in running. The markets that are available are The Jockeys Index, Total S.P, Favourites Index, Double Race Card Numbers, Total Winning Lengths, and Winning Distances. We will proceed to look at each one in detail. Favourites Index The favourites index enables you to bet on the outcome of the performance of favourites at a particular meeting. Twenty-five points are awarded for a win, ten for second, and five for third place. An example of an opening quote is 58-62. A spread firm may base this quote on their estimate that from a six race meeting two favourites will win and another will finish as a runner up. The other three will not finish in the first three. Since twenty-five points are awarded for each of the two favourites, and ten points are awarded for the runner up, this totals sixty points. Therefore a spread of 58-62 is appropriate for the spread firms estimated outcome.

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Considering that this is a six race meeting your maximum liability is one hundred and fifty points. How do we arrive at this figure? It is possible that the favourite wins all six races of the six-race meeting. Because favourites are awarded twenty-five points the maximum make up can be 25 x 6 = 150 points. The minimum make up could also be zero if no favourites finish in the first three. One of the benefits of this market is that it is easy for a gambler to calculate his maximum liability and potential profit. Furthermore he does not have to consider every horse in a race as he does with double racecard numbers. Instead they concentrate on only a dozen or so horses. However, this also has a disadvantage, because there is less to consider one has to be more accurate to gain an edge. Unfortunately it can often prove difficult to price up the market before the meeting because it may not be possible to know which horse will start as a favourite in all of the races. In situations where there are joint favourites spread firms consider the horse with the lowest race card number to be the favourite in this market. This causes considerable problems for the horse race bettor. Even the finest of all handicappers will not know when the favourites market is worth buying if they cannot predict which horse will start as favourite. When dead-heats occur points are halved. Therefore in a situation whereby the favourite is in a tie for first and second place 17.5 points are awarded 25pts (1st) + 10pts (2nd) = 35pts divided by 2 = 17.5pts. In a situation where a favourite fails to come under starters orders the spread firms will award a set number of points depending upon the fixed odds price of the horse at the time of withdrawal. At evens or less fifteen points are added. At 5/1 or greater five points are added. Anywhere inbetween and ten points are awarded. Now lets have a look at an example of a seven race meeting. The Spread is 64-68. If you thought the favourites would do badly you would have sold at 64. If you thought the favourites will do well you would buy at 68. These are the results. st Race one 1 . th Race two 10 . th Race three 5 . rd Race four 3 . nd Race five 2 .

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Race six Race seven

7 . th 10 .
st nd rd

th

As we can see from the seven races we have a 1 , a 2 , and a 3 . The rest are unplaced. Therefore the favourites market for this meeting settles at 25 (1st) + 10 (2nd) + 5 (3rd) = 4O point total make-up. Remember the spread was 64-68. Since the total make-up is 40 and you sold at 64 there is a difference of 24. You multiply this figure by your unit stake (5), which gives a return of 120 (24 x 5). If you had bought at 68 for 20 per point you would have lost 560. From where do we obtain this figure? You bought at 68 and the total make up was 40, the difference being 28. You then multiply this figure (28) by your unit stake, 20. You are left with a hefty loss of 560. During the race meeting the spread will be updated between the races and would therefore fluctuate. This will not affect you unless you wish to cut your losses. Winning Distances This refers to the total winning distances of horses over a full days racing at a particular meeting, measured in lengths. If you believe there are likely to be a number of close races you would sell the index. If your view was that the races would not be close and the winning horses would win by large distances, then you would buy the index. For this example the quote is 38 - 42 for a seven race meeting. The winning distances over the seven races are 9, 10, 12, 5, 8, 2.5, and 1. Therefore the total make up for the meeting settles at 47.5. Those who had thought the races would be close and who chose to sell at 38 would suffer a loss. It is a fortunate outcome for those who had bought at 42 since the total make-up is 47.5. If you had bought at 42 for 5 a point you would calculate your winnings as follows The difference between 42 and 47.5, the final make-up, is 5.5. Multiply this by your stake of 5. This gives a return of 27.50.

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If you had sold 38, and in this example you have bet 20, the loss is calculated as follows The difference between the buying price, 38, and the total make up 47.5 is 9.5. When you multiply this by your stake of 20 you are left with a 190 loss. The Jockey or Trainer Index These two markets provide a medium by which you can bet on the performance of either a jockey or trainer competing over the course of a particular meeting. To assess the likely outcome one needs to consider the form of the horses, the competition, and the form of the jockey or trainer in question. Twentyfive points are awarded for first place, ten for second, and five for third. In a seven race meeting the total make up could be as high as 175, in the unlikely event that all the nominated jockeys or trainers win. Therefore if you bet at 10 per point in this improbable example, your liability could be approaching 1750. The spread firms quote in this example for the six race meeting is 44 47. The result of the meeting is 5th, 6th, 1st, 1st, 2nd, and 1st. Therefore the total make-up is 85 since there were three 1st and one 2nd (25 + 25 + 25 + 10 total 85). If you had sold at 44 you would calculate your losses as follows. The difference between the selling price 44 and the total make-up of 85 is 41. If you had bet 10 you would multiply this stake by 41, resulting in a loss of 410. If you had bought at 47 and bet 20 you would multiply your stake (20) by the difference between the buying price (47) and the total make-up (85) which is 38, resulting in a return of 760. Total S.P The Starting Price index is similar to the Favourites Index and is framed around the starting prices of all the winning horses at a particular race meeting. Some spread firms have a maximum starting price of 50/1. The Starting Prices are rounded off to one decimal place. For instance 5/2 becomes 2.5 and 11/4 becomes 2.8. To convert the odds simply divide the left number by the right. So 11/4 becomes 11 divided by 4 = 2.75, then rounded off to one decimal place = 2.8.

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If for instance there is a six race meeting and the average S.P of the favourites is 2/1 the minimum make up will be twelve and the maximum make up could be as high as or higher than three hundred, providing races are won by outsiders at odds above 30/1. If you were betting at 10 per point, in the highly unlikely event that all favourites won, your potential liability could be approaching 3000. Here is an example of how to calculate a six race meeting. The quote for this meeting is 38-42. The winning horses are returned at 5/1 (5), 8/1 (8), 7/2 (3.5), 7/2 (3.5), 20/1 (20), and 11/1 (11). The total make-up is 51 (the sum of the individual winning horses). If you had bought at 42 and bet 20 per point your winnings would be the sum of 20 multiplied by the difference between the final make-up of 51 and the buying price of 42. In other words 20 x 9 = 180. If you had sold at 38 and bet 10 you would have lost 13 x 10 = 130. Double Race Card Numbers This refers to the race card numbers of winning horses over a full days racing. This bet involves doubling the racecard numbers of the winners at a given meeting. The purpose behind the doubling is to save pricing the spreads in fractions for the meetings with few runners, making calculations easier. Furthermore, doubling race card numbers creates a more volatile, highly geared market. The card numbers referred to are those that are published in the official racecard and which are reproduced throughout the sporting press. You will also find these numbers on the saddle-cloth of the horse in question. The runners with the greatest weight have the lowest numbers. Horses with the same weight are listed in alphabetical order on the racecard. So if number three were to win every race of a six race meeting the makeup for each race would be six. The total make-up for the meeting would be 6 x 6 races, equalling 36. Markets on races with lots of runners are more highly geared/volatile than races with a small number of runners. Consider a race with twenty-one runners, where the possible make up is anything between two and fortytwo.

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If you believe that the aggregate racecard numbers of the winning horses will, when doubled, be greater than the spread, you would buy at the higher figure of the spread. If you thought the aggregate racecard numbers would be less you would sell at the lower price. You calculate your profits or loss in the same way as the other markets. To arrive at your profit or loss you simply calculate the difference between the price at which you made the bet and the final result multiplied by your unit stake. Here is an example of how to calculate a seven race meeting. The spread is 52-56. The numbers of the winning horses for this meeting are 5, 8, 4, 2, 10, and 1. The total makeup for this meeting is 30 doubled = 60. If you had bought at 56 and bet 20 per point you would have won 80 4 x 20 = 80. If you had sold at 52 and bet 10 you would have lost 80 (10 x 8 = 80). Spread Firm Specials The spread betting markets that are available can vary from firm to firm. Here are some examples. Double Draw This market, offered by IG Index, enables you to bet from which stall the winner of a race will come. The draw number is doubled and a price is quoted for the result of all the races of a meeting. If a horse drawn 8 won all the races of a six race meeting the total make up would be 6 x 8 doubled = 96. Stop at a Winner This market involves betting on which will be the first race of a meeting to be won by the favourite. The make-up for the first favourite is set at ten. So if no favourite wins for four races and on the fifth race a favourite wins the total make up will be fifty. Heads You Win This involves betting on how many close finishes there will be at a particular race meeting. A dead-heat is worth fifty points, a shorthead victory is worth twenty-five, a head is worth ten, and a neck is worth five points. If two dead-heats take place in a seven race meeting the total make up would be one hundred.

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Different Gear This market enables you to bet on how the horses that are wearing blinkers, eye shields, or visors will perform. Twenty-five points are awarded for a winning horse, ten for second place, and five for third place. For example, a meeting has a quote for fourteen horses with different gear. Two of these fourteen horses win. As a result the total make up is 50 (2 x 25). Heavy Weights This is a market on the performance of Racecard Number 1s for a days racing at a particular meeting. The Racecard Number 1 in each race is awarded twenty-five points for winning, ten points for coming second, and five points for third. For example, a quote for a six race meeting is 25-28.You expect the horses carrying the most weight will perform well and you buy at 28. Two horses won and one horse came second. The total make up therefore is 25 x 25 + 10 = 60. If you bought at 28 and bet 10 you would win 32 x 10 = 320. Had you sold at 25 you would have lost 35 x 10 = 350. Racing Post Favourites Index This is based on the same principle as the Favourites Index but the favourites are those printed first in the betting section below each race card in the Racing Post. Spring Double The two big handicaps run in the spring, the Grand National and the Lincoln Handicap. Alternatively it can refer to a double bet on these two races. Springer This term is used to refer to horses that have shortened in their price/odds prior to the race, for instance from 5/1 to 6/4. If you have backed such a horse this is great news for you, particularly if you have got the early price. It could suggest for instance that those with inside information have backed the horse. Sprints Races for horses run over a distance of five and six furlongs. Sprinters Horses whose best racing distances are between five and six furlongs. Stake The amount invested on a bet.

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Stale If a horse is said to be stale it has raced too much. Stallion Male horse used for breeding. Stalls The stalls are a row of compartments designed to give all runners in Flat races a level start. Standard Times Standard times are compiled by Raceform for all racetracks in Great Britain. They can be used as a mark against which one can judge the pace of a race and assess the effect of going. Obviously a race below standard time is a faster race than a race run above standard time. Stand Out Refers to a horse which has a considerably higher rating than the other horses in the race. Starter The role of a starter in the world of horse racing involves ensuring all participating horses are at the start, and from the correct draw, etc. Starting Gate / Stall Practically every race on the Flat is started from starting stalls and on the National Hunt from starting gates. The starting stalls for Flat racing are opened by an electrical locking system, ensuring that the horses have the opportunity of starting the race at precisely the same time. On the National Hunt races are started by using a tape strung across the course which is raised to start the race. Alternatively an elasticised tape is pulled across the course and released to start the race. Starting Price (S.P) Generally speaking starting prices are the average prices that the bookmakers are offering at the racecourse at the start of the event in question. Often starting prices is abbreviated to S.P. Stayers Horses whose best racing distances are from thirteen furlongs and upwards. Those renown for having stamina. Steamer Heavily backed horse. Steeple-chasing A form of National Hunt racing run over distances from two miles up to four and a half miles, where the horses jump fences of varying height and consistency.

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The name stems from the practise of running from one steeple of a church to another, probably in the next village. The horses would race over fields, down tracks, and over fences. Stewards Officials who represent the Jockey Club and oversee a race meeting to ensure the rules are adhered to. They look out for horses not running to their full potential (non-triers) and horses who demonstrate a marked improvement in form. They also look out for jockeys who break guidelines such as excessive use of the whip. They also watch out for incidents during a race that may lead to a horse being disqualified. Stewards Enquiry On any suspected infringements of the Rules of Racing the stewards hold investigations. These are carried out in a similar manner to objections. Stewards Secretary See Stipendiary Steward. Stiff If a racetrack is stiff it has either a big hill or a long home straight that tests the stamina of a horse. Stifle A joint on a horses hind leg between the hick and the hip. Stipendiary Steward Also referred to as the stewards secretary or stripe, a stipendiary steward is an official who offers advice regarding racing rules and the conduct of a meeting to racecourse stewards. St Leger The final Classic race of the season, which takes place at Doncaster in September, and is run over one mile and six furlongs. Stop / Loss A specified level at which bets will be automatically closed to prevent further profit or loss. This limits the maximum that can be lost on a bet to a specific amount and prevents open-ended losses for punters. Stop / Profit Refers to the maximum number of points that may be won on a particular bet. This limits the maximum that can be lost on a specific bet and limits the liability of a spread firm. Store A horse that is not trained until a later age of four or five and is most commonly heard with regard to National Hunt racing. Straight Forecast See Types of Bet.

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Strike Rate Refers to the ratio between winners and losers. Studs In the bloodstock business studs refer to those places that are in essence factories for producing thoroughbred foals. Super Flag See Types of Bet. Super Heinz See Types of Bet. Super Yankee See Types of Bet. Supplement If for some reason a horse has not been entered into a race at the entry stage it may (for some big races only) be supplemented for a substantial fee and be allowed to take part. Supremacy Betting This term refers to a type of spread bet that relates to the performance of one participant over another. Surcingle A strap which is fitted over the saddle and under the horses stomach to help keep the saddle in place. Syndicates If you would like to own shares of a racehorse it is possible thanks to horse syndicates. By dividing the ownership of a horse amongst a number of people, racing fans can now have a taste of racehorse ownership for a fraction of the cost. T Tailed Off When a horse is well behind the rest of the field it is described as being tailed off. Take-Out A slice of the total stakes, which is paid to the operator. Talking Horse A horse that comes to the racecourse with a big home reputation. Tattersalls The Tattersalls Committee is the authority for all horse racing disputes. Anyone who chooses to ignore the committees judgment can be warned off by the Jockey Club and thereafter will not be able to neither attend horse racing meetings nor run horses.

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Tattersalls Rule 4 See Rule 4. Tax The now abolished off-course betting tax used to stand at nine percent and was either deducted from winnings or added on to the stake at the punters request. T H Slang for 8/1. Thick Un Slang for a large bet. Thoroughbred Breeders Association Trade association responsible for representing racehorse breeders. Through the Card (TTC) When a jockey, a particular number, a punter, the favourites, a racing tipster, etc, have been successful in every event at a particular meeting, he or she is described as having gone through the card. Tic Tac Manual sign language system used by on-course bookmakers to transmit prices of horses. Tied Up When a horse begins to tire rapidly during the latter stages of the race. Tierce A French jackpot in which one has to name the first three horses to finish a race. It consists of two pools, one for predicting the first three in the correct order (order), and another for naming them in any order (desordre). Tight Track These are racetracks that are preferred by smaller horses because of the narrow nature and tight corners of the track. Timeform The UKs largest publisher of form information. Founded by Phil Bull, Timeform publish a number of useful publications including the annuals Racehorses (detailing every runner on the Flat) and Chasers and Hurdles for National Hunt racing. Timing The official times of Flat races in Great Britain are measured by a system controlled by Racetech. The electrical system which starts with the breaking of an electrical circuit attached to the starting stalls is used on the

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Flat only, since National Hunt races are timed by Raceforms watch holders. Tips Betting slang 11/10. Tipsters The term tipster refers to people who present themselves as experts on racing and offer advice or tips on current betting opportunities. If you are not privy to inside information, or you wish to seek professional advice on selections, one way of getting information is to buy it. An entire industry has been built up advising punters, particularly for horse racing bettors. A tipster is a professional horse race bettor. He provides 'tips' i.e. information and advice, for a fee. Of course, some advisors are better than others. There are two indications as to whether a service is genuine. Firstly, all tipsters tend to be creative with their advertising. However, the trustworthy tipsters tend to shy away from making plainly ludicrous claims. The second indication is the length of time they have been in business. If an information provider has been in business for several years, it is reasonable to assume that they must be doing something right. Commercial tipsters are less likely to stay in business, if the service they provide fails to deliver worthwhile results. You may encounter tipsters in the sporting press. These tipsters have a serious disadvantage in that they have to keep a constant supply of recommended bets and so do not have the luxury of being selective. Every day or even every race they have to produce a selection whether there is value present or not. An additional problem with following such advice is the fact that it is not only the punter who pays attention to such opinions but also the bookmaker. Commercial tipping services and advisory services often make ludicrous claims promising overnight wealth. Do not be sucked in by such claims. However, do not be lead to the belief that all tipsters are ineffective. Some do manage to consistently produce substantial profits year in and year out. A question you have to ask yourself is why would a truly successful tipster need lots of custom. If he were genuinely effective then a small customer base would suffice because he could increase his subscription rates along with his clients profits. You may hear a tipster declare that he cannot place

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bets because he has been banned from all the bookmakers in his area. This is clearly a lot of twaddle. What about his family and friends? I have also encountered watchdogs who apparently monitor large amounts of services and who operate a league table, which supposedly helps guide punters to the better tipsters. Unfortunately, in my experience they have proven to be corrupt since I have subscribed to services that have appeared at the top of the league and yet have been one of the poorest performing services around. As previously mentioned do not be led to the belief that there are no genuine tipsters. There are many services about that offer genuine, high quality advice that produces regular profits. You just have to find one. Your best bet would be contact a pirate or relay agency. Relay agents will have access to the best services and systems in the country and they will be happy to point you in the direction of the more effective systems and services. They will also be considerably cheaper. For more details see Relay Agents. Often tipping services based on a systematic approach prove the most reliable. For one, you should be able to verify their claims by back checking the results. ICSTIS The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services is an independent body for regulating phone services that charge premium rate. This includes telephone tipster lines. If you have a complaint about a tipping service such as misleading claims or the unnecessary prolonging of call times you can contact ICSTIS at the following address: 4 Floor, Clove Building, 4 Maguire Street, London, SE1 2NQ Tel 0800 500212. Tissue Advanced betting forecast prepared by a form expert. Tools Bookmakers stand.
th

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Ton Betting slang for 100. Top of the Head 9/4. Tote The Horserace Totalisator Board (Tote) enters all bets into separate pools, deducts the operating costs, and shares the remaining money from the pool among the winners. This is known as a pari-mutuel system. Bookmakers may be licensed to take Tote bets or may be partners in Tote Direct, where the bets are placed through terminals in betting shops, which are directly linked to the Totes central computer. Instead of betting against the bookmaker by betting on the Tote you are betting against other punters. The odds fluctuate according to the pattern of betting and different pools are operated for different bets. The operators take-out for the British Tote varies from bet to bet. For example 16% is deducted from the win pool and 24% from the place pool. One problem with the Tote system is that you do not know precisely how much money you are going to win, though you can bet at S.P. The amount you win depends upon how many people share any win and the total amount staked. However, a good estimate of your potential win can be reached. Real-time shows are transmitted to the internet and odds close to real-time are displayed on racecourse screens and in Tote betting shops. The early Tote shows are misleading and the odds look very big when only small amounts of money are in the pools. The Totes main advantage is that you can place bets with lower stakes. Professional gamblers often wait until the last possible moment in order to have the most certain estimate of the Tote dividend. This late money distorts the pool. If a bookmakers price has shortened suddenly and you think you might beat the book by betting on the Tote because the dividend looks like being

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better than the starting price odds, to make sure you will need to wait until the last possible moment before placing your bet due to this late money. The Tote is divided into four parts. Tote bookmakers operate betting shops, Tote Direct provide some off-course bookmakers with terminals to take Tote bets which are then transmitted to the racecourse pools, Tote Credit Club enables punters to place bets over the phone, and the Tote Racecourse Division controls all the Tote windows on all racecourses in the United Kingdom. Tote Shows Tote odds are displayed on the racecourse, teletext, and on the internet. They show only the potential return from each horse, which is based on the amount bet on a horse in the pool at the time, and which is as close to real time as possible. Tote Dividend Tote dividends are quoted by the official Tote representative on the racecourse. For bets at Tote odds there are dividends quoted to a 1 stake for the following bets... win, place, forecast, tricast, placepots, and jackpots. We will take a look at Tote betting shortly (see Types of Bet). Trained-On / Trained-Off It is said between one season and the next that a horse has trained-on if it is expected to improve the following season or at least remain at the same level. If a horse is said to have trained-off it has been over raced and is over the top. It is not expected to perform to the same standard. Trainer The trainer is the most influential person associated with a horse since it is a trainers abilities that can determine whether the horse reaches its optimum ability. Training horses is both an art and a science that requires considerable skill. Trainers for Courses Following a particular trainer at particular tracks is by no means an original idea, but it is an idea that often produces excellent profits. Often trainers perform particularly well at certain courses and not at others. A trainer may specialise in training horses to win a specific race and may succeed year in year out. Trainers have great difficulty finding winners and when they succeed they often try and repeat their success at the same track and in the same race. One trainer has a runner every November at

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the same track and wins every time, always at good prices. One trainer has had 54 consecutive losers at one major course. This track is near to his stable and he has no intention of winning. His aim is to simply take his horses out for a run to enable them to get used to the world of racing. Wouldnt it be nice if you could read the thoughts of all the trainers? In this respect trainer performance statistics can prove most useful. It is best not to use trainer statistics on their own to select horses, rather use them to boost confidence in a selection. However, analysing these statistics can provide valuable insights in to trainers methods and strategies. For instance, at the time of writing 2003 Do you know that one top National Hunt stable would have LOST you 920.88 backing all the runners to 10 level stakes at Aintree over the last six seasons? Yet the same bet at Ascot would have WON you 920.68! Do you know which top northern stable has regularly sent horses to Sandown without a single winner over the last 6 seasons? But a 10 bet on all the runners at Newcastle would have WON over 1,380. Do you know there is one top lady trainer who has yet to saddle a winner at Chepstow? But which top southern stable would you follow at this course with a winning strike rate of over 30%. There are several sources of trainer stats including the racing press. However the best source is a unique for book entitled Trainers4Courses. Ken Turrells classic must have form book will guide you to an understanding of current trainer trends. It shows at a glance which trainer wins where. With the last 6 years results analysed, it advises you whom to watch at every course. This book is too good! wrote Gary Wiltshire Top on-course bookmaker. It is an Invaluable asset to serious punters says Luke Harvey Top jockey and TV pundit. It will show you many big priced winners states Mark Winstanley, racing journalist and tipster. To obtain a copy write to Sportsworld Publishing, Raines House, Wakefield, Yorkshire, WF1 1HL or visit www.sportsworldpublishing.co.uk.

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Trainers Selected If two or more entries trained by the same stable participate in the same race, the term trainers selected refers to the one starting at the shorter price. Trap Number In greyhound racing, the dogs start from numbered boxes (usually 1-6) which are called Traps. Travelling Refers to a horse that is going well in a race. Trial Races Some races are considered trial races for other events even though they may be big, prestigious races in their own right. For instance the Two Thousand Guineas is widely regarded as a trial race for the Derby. Treble See Types of Bet. Tricast See Types of Bet. Trifecta See Types of Bet. Trip The race distance. Triple Crown To win the Triple Crown a horse must win three other events, the Two Thousand Guineas, the St Leger, and the Derby. To date fifteen Colts have achieved this aim. Trixi See Types of Bet. Truly-Run The race was run at a fast pace throughout. Turf Club Irish equivalent of the Jockey Club. Turn of Foot Expression used to refer to the horses capacity for speed and acceleration. Twist Card A bookmakers race card. Types of Bet There are many different types of bets that you can place with your standard bookmaker. The following is a guide to the most popular. Win For this type of bet you select one horse to win the race.

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E.W Single This is a combination of two bets. The first bet is to win. The other bet is for it to be placed. The place bet allows your selection to finish a number of places behind the first horse depending upon the number of runners in the race. For instance, if there are five to seven runners a place bet will allow the horse to finish either 1st or 2nd and the bet will be settled at a 1/4 fraction of win odds. If there are more runners in the race then you will be allowed more places for your place bet to finish. However, the bet may be settled at a different fraction of the win odds. For instance if there are eight to eleven runners your place bet may finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd and it will be settled at 1/5 fraction of the win odds. Double This is just one bet but on two horses. Both horses must run in different races and they must both win. If the first horse wins the winnings are placed onto the second selection to win. If the first horse loses you lose your entire stake. E.W Double This consists of two separate bets, a win double and a place double. Treble This bet is similar to a double but as the name suggests it consists of three selections and they must all win. If the first horse wins the winnings are placed on to the second selection and if this horse wins the returns are staked on the third horse. Accumulator A bet on any number of selections in different races. The winnings from the first bet go onto the second and then onto the third and so on. It is one bet win and two each-way. Because returns on this bet can be very great it is advisable to check that your winnings do not exceed the bookmakers maximum payout. Straight Forecast With this bet you have to select which horses will finish first and second in the correct order. Reverse Forecast This consists of two bets. You have to select the horses that will finish first and second in either order.

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Combination / Full Cover Forecast With this bet you can select any number of horses in a race to finish either first or second in any order. The more selections you make the more bets there are. To work out how many bets there are, simply multiply the number of selections by one number less. For instance ... if there are 3 selections 3 X 2 = 6 bets. if there are 5 selections 5 X 4 = 20 bets. With / Against the Field Forecasts With this type of forecast you select the winner and any of the other horses may finish second. An alternative is to nominate a selection to finish second and for any of the other runners to win. This bet would be written as a selection to finish second against the field. To calculate the number of bets in both cases, deduct one from the number of runners in the race. Tricast This consists of three selections. You must select the horses that will finish first, second, and third in the correct order. Trixi This is four bets involving three selections in different events. The four bets consist of three doubles and one treble. Yankee This is four selections in four different races, comprising six doubles, four trebles, and one fourfold. Mix The only difference between this type of bet and a Yankee is that there are double the stakes on the fourfold. Therefore it involves four selections in four different races comprising six doubles, four trebles, and a double staked fourfold. Super Yankee / Canadian This bet consists of five selections in five different races comprising ten doubles, ten trebles, five fourfolds, and one fivefold. Heinz This consists of six selections in six different races comprising fifteen doubles, twenty trebles, fifteen fourfolds, six fivefolds, and one sixfold. Super Heinz This consists of seven selections in seven different races, comprising twenty-one doubles, thirty-five trebles, thirty-five fourfolds, twenty-one fivefolds, seven sixfolds, and one sevenfold.

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Goliath This consists of eight selections in eight different races, comprising twenty-eight doubles, fifty-six trebles, seventy fourfolds, fifty-six fivefolds, twenty-eight sixfolds, eight sevenfolds, and one eightfold. Patent / Twist This consists of three selections in three different races, comprising three singles, three doubles, and one treble. Perm Patent 4 This consists of four selections in four different races, comprising an individual patent on each group of three selections. Lucky 15 This consists of four selections in four different races, comprising four singles, six doubles, four trebles, and one fourfold. With this type of bet you can benefit from bonuses and consolations, which apply to the win part of the bet. If there are four winners a 10% bonus is paid, normally at starting price. If there is only one winner you will receive double the starting price odds. Lucky 31 This consists of five selections in five different races, comprising five singles, ten doubles, ten trebles, and one fivefold. With this type of bet it is worth shopping around because the bonuses vary from bookmaker to bookmaker. Some pay bonuses on four and five winners whereas others only pay bonuses on five winners. A consolation is paid for one winner which is double the starting price odds. Lucky 63 This consists of six different races, comprising six singles, fifteen doubles, twenty trebles, fifteen fourfolds, six fivefolds, and one sixfold. It is sixty-three bets to win and one hundred and twenty-six bets each-way. Again bonuses vary from bookie to bookie so it is worth shopping around. Normally a 10% bonus is paid for five winners. For six winners the bonus is likely to be somewhere between 15% and 25%. For one winner you can expect a consolation of double the starting price odds. Any to Come This consists of two selections in two different races (although more can be played). If the first selection wins, a stake equal to the original stake is placed on the second selection. It is possible to specify any amount of stake for the second bet. Single Stakes About / Up and Down Bet This consists of two selections in two different races. If the first selection wins, an equal amount to the original stake is placed onto the second selection and vice-versa.

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Flag This bet consists of four selections in four different races, a Yankee, and twelve single stakes about bets. Super Flag This bet consists of a super Yankee and ten single stakes about bets. Double Stakes About / Double Stakes Up and Down The difference between this type of bet and a single stakes bet is that double the original stake is placed on the second selection and vice-versa. Rounder This bet consists of three selections in three different races. You place three bets win and six bets each-way. For instance, with a 1 win rounder on selections A,B,C the bet is as follows: 1 win A any to come 1 win double BC. 1 win B any to come 1 win double AC. 1 win C any to come 1 win double AB. Roundabout This bet consists of three selections in three different races in three bets. It is similar to a rounder except for the fact that for this bet you place double the original stakes on the double. For instance, with a 1 win roundabout on selections A, B, and C the bet is as follows: 1 win A any to come 2 win double BC. 1 win B any to come 2 win double AC. 1 win C any to come 2 win double AB. Round the Clock This bet consists of as many selections over three as you wish, in different races. For three selections you will need to place three bets and for four selections you will need to place four bets. It is one stake on the first selection, any to come, then one stake on the second selection, any to come and so on. This pattern continues for all the selections. For instance, with a 1 win round the clock, the stake would be 3. For selections A, B, C, the bet is as follows: 1 win A any to come 1 win B any to come 1 win C. 1 win B any to come 1 win C any to come 1 win A. 1 win C any to come 1 win A any to come 1 win B. Round Robin This bet consists of three selections in three different races, in three doubles, one treble, and six single stakes about bets. It is ten win bets and twenty each-way bets.

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For instance, if you placed a round robin on selections A, B, and C, your bets are as follows: Doubles - AB, AC, BC. Treble - ABC. Single stakes about - AB, AC, BC. TOTE BETS Tote Win A single horse to win a given race, just like a normal win bet with a bookmaker. The take-out for this bet is 16%. Tote Place Select a horse to finish in the first two in races of five to seven runners, the first three in races of eight or more, the first four in handicaps of sixteen or more. The place pool has a higher take-out than the win pool (24%), which puts the punter at an immediate disadvantage. However, you do have the advantage of being able to bet place only, rather than having to bet win and place as you do with a bookmaker. Tote Jackpot Involves selecting the winners of the six races at the daily nominated Jackpot meeting. This bet has a take-out of 29%. Trifecta Select the first, second, and third in the correct order in a Tote Trifecta race. The take-out for this bet is 29%. Tote Exacta Select the first and second in the correct order in any race of three or more runners. The take-out for this bet is 24%. Tote Scoop6 Select the winners or placed horses in the six nominated televised Saturday races. The take-out for this bet is 30%. Tote Multibet Select two or more horses at a Multibet meeting in doubles, trebles, etc. Tote Placepot Select a placed horse in the six Placepot races at any nominated meeting. The take-out for this bet is 27%. Tote Quadpot Select a placed horse in each of the last four placepot races at any nominated meeting. The take-out for this bet is 26%.

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This bet was introduced in 1994 to offer an alternative to the placepot. With a quadpot you do not have to bet in the first two races of the day, which may consist of either maiden races (for horses which have so far failed to win a race) or seller races (the lowest class of race, after which horses are sold if they win). The pool for the quadpot is about a ninth of the size of the placepot pool. The Tote also offers the following bets Patent, Yankee, Lucky 15, Super Yankee, Heinz, Computer Forecast, and Trixie, all of which are similar to the bets offered by standard bookmakers. Types of Prices Betting shops have a wide variety of different prices. Some are only available at certain times. Early Morning Prices - A soon as the bookmakers open they offer prices on several races which are normally limited to handicap races, however, some may give prices on all the races. Often these prices are advertised in the sporting press. As soon as betting begins the prices will change. The events for which early morning prices are quoted occur that day. Some bookmakers allow a certain amount of time, after the shop opens, for customers to benefit from the advertised prices. Other bookmakers guarantee that if their early morning prices are worse than the starting prices they will settle the bet at the starting price. Ante-Post Prices - If a bet is placed on an event the day before or even earlier this is known as an anti-post bet. The prices for the larger races such as the Grand National are made available months before the race is to run. Generally ante-post prices are better than the odds offered on the day of the event. The main disadvantage with ante-post bets is that if your selection is withdrawn from the event you lose your entire stake. If a horse is balloted out you will receive your money back. If there are too many runners in a race the outsiders will be entered into a draw in order to select who will take part. This process is known as balloting out. Starting Prices - Starting prices are the average prices that the bookmakers are offering at the racecourse at the start of the event in question. Often starting prices is abbreviated to S.P. Board Prices / Shows - Bookmakers receive shows of betting from the racecourse approximately 10 minutes before the race is to be run. The

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prices represent the average prices of the on-course bookmakers. Once the betting shop has received these prices they will, up to the start of the race, enter a constant state of flux as more bets are placed. Tote Dividends - The official Tote on the racecourse quotes Tote dividends. For bets at Tote odds there are dividends quoted to a 1 stake for the following bets... win, place, forecast, tricast, placepots and jackpots. Forecast and Tricast Dividends - These are quoted to a 1 stake from the racecourse. When a dividend has not been quoted from the racecourse, for instance in a French race, the bookmaker may offer his own price. Pari-Mutuel Dividends - Foreign racing is often shown live in British betting shops. The most popular foreign betting in Britain is on French racing. Parimutuel is the name of the French horseracing Tote. The dividends are quoted to a one-franc stake. Tax is deducted at the racecourse before the dividend is announced therefore you have no need to pay it. Prices Given in Newspapers - When a newspaper prints a race card they normally also give the prices. These prices are meant to be a rough guide only since they are merely the newspapers estimation at what it thinks the prices will be. They vary from paper to paper. Types of Races A variety of different types of races exist for horses of differing abilities. The planning department of the B.H.B conducts the organisation of these races. Their aim is to provide suitable opportunities for all horses. Each race has a set of conditions attached that are detailed in racecards. These conditions include which horses and riders can enter, what weight needs to be carried, and the cost of participation. Maiden Races Horses that have never won a race are known as maidens. They are generally two years old. Maiden races are obviously races for such horses and are the Flats equivalent to National Hunt Novices. Stakes Races The aim of stakes races is to run horses carrying equal weights. There may be penalties for horses that have won races or allowances for female horses.

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Sellers / Selling Races In these events the winning horses are sold by auction at the end of a race in the winners enclosure. Horses in these races have usually underachieved by their stables standard and are being moved on. The problem with running good horses is that the owner might be outbid and consequently lose the horse with potential to another bidder. Sellers are run on the Flat as well as National Hunt. Claiming Races / Claimers These races are similar to sellers in the sense that horses can be bought after the race and the contestants are usually horses of a mediocre nature. The participants can be claimed, hence the name claimer. A horse that is claimed is bought for a pre-determined price based on the weight carried. For instance, if 2000 was the best claim made for the top weight of, say, nine stone 5lb, a horse carrying nine stone could be bought for 15,000 since a deduction of 1000 per 1lb is applied. All claims are sealed and registered prior to the race and horses can, and often do, change hands after these races. Claiming races are run under both codes of racing Flat and National Hunt. Auction Races Each horse entered in these events must have been bought at a public auction. The weight carried by such horses is dependent upon the price paid for the horse in question, usually when it was a yearling (horse below the official age of two). Therefore the better horses are more expensive and carry more weight where as the poorer, cheaper horses carry less weight. A sum of 1000 per 1lb is applied. If horse A is 1000 cheaper than horse B, horse A will carry 1lb less weight. National Hunt Flat Races or Bumpers These are Flat races run by National Hunt Horses under National Hunt Rules. Horses that have raced on the Flat are not eligible. Bumpers are designed to give inexperienced horses race experience. The horses are usually three years of age. They are generally run at the end of a meeting on the hurdles course after the hurdles have been removed.

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National Hunt Hurdles In these races horses jump over light-weight wooden panels approximately three feet high. Horses in these events are normal around four to five years old. National Hunt Jumps These races are the most testing of all National Hunt races and require the biggest, strongest horses to jump over high brush wood fences that can be, as in the case of the Grand National, six feet tall. The horses that participate in these races are usually between six and eleven years of age. Generally horses increase in ability as they get older, peaking at around the age of eight or nine years old. Hunter Chasers These are for horses that have been riding with a registered hunt and must be ridden by an amateur jockey. They are also usually trained by amateur trainers. U Under Pressure The horse is subject to vigorous riding from its jockey and is being struck with the whip. Under (Starters) Orders When the official starter is completely satisfied that all the runners for the race are at the start (for Flat races in the correct stalls) and ready to race, a flag is raised signalling that the field is under orders and off. Bets on any runner failing to start after this signal are lost. Undulating If a racecourse is undulating it is not level and has hills. Under Rules This term refers to official racing under the rules of the Jockey Club as opposed to point-to-point races which are not under such restrictions. Under Starters Orders The point at which the race is about to start, the starter is satisfied that the horses are ready to go and all the bets stand. Unexposed The horses potential is still unknown. Unfurnished A horse less than fully mature. Un-Genuine A horse that refuses to give its best effort.

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Unnamed Selections Numbered selections, trap numbers, favourites, etc, are referred to as unnamed selections. Unseated Rider When a jockey falls from a horse he has become unseated. This is represented by a U in the form line. Up the Arm Betting slang for 11/8. Up Tight Book made with restrictive odds. V Value Theres a great difference between backing winners and being a profitable bettor. If the aim of the game was to back winners all you would have to do is back poorly priced favourites, which would lose you money in the long run. It is a common opinion that if you aim to be a profitable gambler you need to concentrate on value. The way to achieve good value bets is by trading at better than true odds. This is known as the value approach. For example, a tossed coin can only ever land on either heads or tails. Theres a 50/50 chance that either will happen and therefore the true odds are evens. If you trade at worse odds than this, for instance 4/5, then in the long run you will lose money. If you trade at a price better than evens, lets say 5/4, then in the long run you will make a profit. This is considered a value bet. Of course you can get great value and still lose. If you bet 5/4 on a tossed coin theres still a 50/50 chance that you will lose money. Also you can get terrible value and still collect. Most punters have hundreds of bets per year and the more bets you have the more you can be confident that the percentages will win out. If you keep betting at 5/4 on the toss of a coin, you may lose on any one throw but you can be certain in the long run you will win. Providing you are constantly trading at value odds, over a period of time, you will win and luck has nothing to do with it. To use this approach you must have an understanding of the true odds, otherwise how can you judge whether you are receiving good value? It is therefore essential to be able to assess what the true odds should be.

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Viruses In the world of horse racing the term virus or flue is often loosely used and can refer to any number of disorders, which may manifest in obvious symptoms such as high temperature and coughing, or may subtly reduce a horses performance and only become apparent when the horse has raced several times. If a surprising number of fancied runners from a particular stable lose it could be due to the fact that it has been infected by a virus, in which case it would be wise to avoid the stable for the time being. Visor A form of blinkers, which consist of a cup for each eye and a narrow slit, which is cut into both cups to enable the horse to see a narrow field of vision. Since the horse can only see straight ahead this is supposed to encourage the horse to focus and not be distracted. Void Bet A bet that is declared invalid. The stake is returned without deduction. Volatility This spread betting term refers to a measure of how widely a result may vary. This variation reflects the level of risk involved in betting on that particular market. W Walk-Over A walk-over occurs when only one entry goes to the post. But in order to collect the prize money connections must go through the normal procedure. For settling purposes a winner of a walk-over is treated as a non-runner. Warning Off A person who is warned off cannot attend any racecourses or enter any horse into a race. This results from a serious offence against the Rules of Racing. Wasting The practise of losing weight that a jockey undergoes. A number of techniques are used such as eating the bear minimum of food, consuming diuretic pills, or spending time in a sauna. Wetherbys On behalf of the British Horse Racing Board, Wetherbys control the complex administration necessary for the smooth running of horse racing in the United Kingdom. Some of the responsibilities of Wetherbys include the formation and interpretation of racing rules, the

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organisation of accounts, publication of the racing calendar, publication of the fixtures list and conditions of races, entries and declarations, registration of owners, registration and administration of the naming of horses, allocation of weights, the draw, registration and approval of colours, and the issuing of passports for horses. Weaving If a horse is swaying from side to side in its box it is said to be weaving. This is a sign of nervousness.

Weigh-In After a race has been run the winning horse and all the placed horses must be weighed to ensure that they were carrying the correct weight during the race. Weighed In / Out When a race has been run the winning horse and all the placed horses must report to the Clerk of the Scales within a certain time after the race is run to be weighed in. This ensures that they were carrying the correct weight during the race. When all is well the weighed in signal is announced. Once the weigh-in has been announced as far as the punter is concerned the result will stand regardless of any subsequent events. A jockey is also weighed out prior to the race. A jockey that weighs a difference of 2lb or more at the weigh-out from being weighed in is reported to the stewards. Weighing Room Section of a racecourse with strictly limited access where the jockeys are weighed in and weighed out. Weight Refers to the weight carried by a horse in a race. This includes the jockeys own weight and all the equipment except the jockeys helmet and the bridal. The official handicapper will demand a certain amount of weight be placed on the horse. If the weight of the jockey and equipment does not match this demanded weight then lead plates (dead weight) is placed in the saddle pockets. Weight Cloth If a jockey and a saddle do not make up the required weight the horse should be carrying the difference. This is made up by using a weight cloth. This fits underneath the saddle and has pockets for weights to be added.

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Weight-for-Age Horses of different ages carry weights according to a scale formulated by the Jockey Club. Any race which is not a handicap is a weight-for-age race. The weight-for-age scales express the number of pounds that it is deemed the average horse in each age group falls short of maturity at different dates and distances. A young horse that is not as mature as an older horse will carry less weight with the aim of giving both horses an equal chance. Welcher Anyone who fails to pay up on a bet. Whipping Rules It is an offence to excessively whip a horse during a race. According to the Rules of Racing a jockey should not whip the horse to such an extent that it causes injury, should not whip a winning horse, or whip a horse excessively, etc. Windsucker A horse that gnaws at an object and sucks air into its stomach. It is a sign of nervousness and agitation. Winner Alright The Irish equivalent to the weighed in announcement in Britain. Win Pool The Tote operates separate pools for place and win betting. For a dividend from the win pool your chosen horse must win, and not come second, third, or any other position, as this will not count. Withers Refers to the top of a horses shoulder. With / Against the Field See Types of Bet. With the Thumb This means the horse is well backed and the price is solid. Work In training work refers to when a horse is being asked to gallop instead of just canter. Wrist Betting slang for 5/4. XYZ

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X Frequent alias used by winners of large amounts who do not wish for any publicity. Yankee See Types of Bet. Yearling Every horse has its official birthday on January 1st. Horses of less than the official age of two are yearlings. Y.C / Your Choice When a spread firm cannot decide which of two competitors will win because they are so evenly matched and they are also indifferent as to which one will win, they will quote a choice price or your choice spread. In such cases neither competitor is the favourite.

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