Horse racing has its own language. Some of it makes immediate sense, some of it doesn’t, and most of it goes unexplained on form guides, betting sites and race calls. This is a plain-English guide to the terms you’ll come across most often as an Australian punter.
The list covers the basics (bet types, horse and racing terminology) plus the Australian-specific terms you won’t find in international guides (TAB, BOBS, Group races, track conditions and so on).
If you’re new to reading a form guide, our guide on how to read a form guide walks through the layout step by step. This page is the dictionary you can come back to when you hit a term you don’t recognise.
A
Acceptor. A horse confirmed to start in a race.
All-up bet. A series of bets where each winning return is reinvested onto the next selection. High reward, high risk.
Apprentice. A rider learning to become a fully qualified jockey. Apprentices receive a weight allowance (a small reduction in the weight they carry) to make them more attractive to trainers.
B
Bit. The mouthpiece part of the bridle. The rider controls the horse’s head through pressure on the bit via the reins.
Bleed. When a horse bleeds from the nostrils due to a haemorrhage in the lungs. Bleeders are stood down from racing under Racing Australia rules.
Blinkers. Eye coverings that limit a horse’s side vision to help it focus on the race ahead.
BOBS. Breeder Owner Bonus Scheme. A NSW bonus paid to the connections of eligible horses that win nominated races.
Bookmaker. A licensed business that takes bets at fixed odds. In Australia, this includes on-course bookmakers at the track and corporate bookmakers operating online.
Bridle. The headgear worn by a horse during a race, including the bit and reins. Used by the jockey to steer and slow the horse.
Broken down. A horse forced to retire from racing due to injury.
Broodmare. A female horse used for breeding.
C
Carryover. When a Tote pool isn’t won, the prize pool rolls over into the next race or pool. Common in exotics like the Quaddie.
Check. Interference suffered during a race that affects a horse’s chances.
Class. The grade of race a horse is competing in. Horses generally race within their class level (Maiden, Class 1 through Class 6, Benchmark, Listed, Group).
Colt. A male horse aged three years or younger.
Correct weight. The official confirmation that all placegetters carried the correct weight during the race, allowing dividends to be paid.
Cup race. A premium handicap race, often with a long heritage (Melbourne Cup, Sydney Cup and similar).
D
Dam. A horse’s mother.
Dead heat. Two or more horses finish in exactly the same position. Dividends are split between them.
Distance race. A race over 2,000 metres or further. Suits stayers rather than sprinters.
Dividend. The amount returned on a winning Tote bet, expressed as a return per $1.
E
Each-way bet. A bet half on the horse to win and half on it to place. Pays a return if the horse wins or finishes in the placings.
Exotic. Any multi-runner bet type, such as the Quinella, Trifecta, First 4 or Quaddie. Higher payouts, harder to win.
F
Farrier. The specialist who fits and shoes horses’ hooves.
Favourite. The horse the market gives the best chance of winning, reflected in the shortest odds.
Field. All the horses competing in a race.
Filly. A female horse aged three years or younger.
First 4. A bet where you pick the first four horses across the line in correct order.
Fixed odds. Odds locked in at the time the bet is placed. The standard offering from corporate bookmakers.
Foal. A horse less than a year old, still with its mother.
Form. A horse’s race history and recent performances, as set out in a form guide.
Furlong. An old British distance measurement equal to roughly 200 metres. Rarely used in Australia today, but still appears in historic references.
G
Gelding. A male horse that has been castrated.
Get-out stakes. The last race on a card. Punters who’ve lost on the day often back this race trying to recover, which is precisely what the term implies and precisely why it’s a bad idea.
Group race. The highest tier of racing in Australia. Group 1 races are the most prestigious, followed by Group 2 and Group 3. Listed races sit just below Group 3.
H
Hand. A unit of horse height equal to 4 inches (about 10 cm). Most racehorses are 15 to 17 hands.
Handicap. A race where horses carry different weights to even up their relative ability. The better the horse’s form, the more weight it carries.
I
Inquiry. A steward’s investigation into an incident during a race. The official result may not stand until the inquiry is resolved.
J
Jockey. A licensed rider who has completed their apprenticeship.
L
Late mail. A tipster’s selection released close to race time, often after the final scratchings are confirmed.
Late scratching. A horse withdrawn from a race after the official acceptance time.
Length. A unit of measurement used to describe the gap between horses at the finish. Roughly the length of one horse, about 2.4 metres.
Listed race. A race ranked just below Group level. The lowest tier of Black Type racing.
M
Maiden. A horse that has not yet won a race. Many young horses start their careers in Maiden races.
Mare. A female horse aged four years or older.
Mounting yard. The fenced area where horses are paraded before the race, and where jockeys mount before going to the barrier.
Multi. A combined bet on two or more selections from different races. All selections must win for the multi to pay.
O
Off the bridle. A horse no longer pulling against the bit, usually because the jockey has had to start riding it to keep it in the race. Generally a sign the horse is struggling.
On the bridle. A horse running comfortably, pulling against the bit. Usually a sign of a horse travelling well within itself.
P
Photo finish. A finish too close to call by eye, requiring the photo to determine the winner.
Place bet. A bet on a horse to finish first, second or third. In smaller fields, just first or second.
Protest. A formal objection raised after a race, alleging interference that affected the placings.
Punter. Australian and British informal term for a bettor.
Q
Quaddie. A bet on the winners of four nominated races on a card. Hard to hit, but pays well when it lands.
Quinella. A bet on the first two horses across the line, in either order.
R
Race caller. The commentator describing the race as it’s run.
S
Scratched. A horse withdrawn from a race before it runs.
Set weights. A race condition where every horse carries the same weight (usually adjusted for age and sex). The opposite of a handicap.
Silks. The coloured jacket and cap worn by a jockey, identifying the owner of the horse.
Sire. A horse’s father.
Sky Racing. The dedicated horse racing television channel in Australia, available via subscription and through some bookmakers.
Spell. A scheduled rest period for a horse, usually several weeks or months between racing campaigns.
Stallion. A male horse aged four or older, used for breeding.
Starter. The official who signals the start of the race.
Starting barrier. The mechanical gates from which the horses begin the race.
Steward. A racing official responsible for enforcing the rules and conducting inquiries.
Strapper. The person who looks after the day-to-day care of a horse, including walking it in the mounting yard before the race.
T
TAB. Totalisator Agency Board. The state-based tote operators, now run primarily by Tabcorp, offering on-course and off-course betting.
Tote. A betting pool where all bets on a race are pooled together, with the dividend paid out based on how much was bet on each runner.
Track condition. The official rating of the racing surface, ranging from Good (firm and dry) through Soft and Heavy (progressively wetter), to Synthetic (artificial surface).
Trial. A practice race used to assess a horse’s condition, usually before its return from a spell.
Trifecta. A bet on the first three horses across the line, in correct order.
W
Weanling. A foal that has been separated from its mother but is not yet a yearling.
Weight-for-age. A race condition where horses carry weights based on age and sex, with the scale adjusted seasonally. Considered the truest test of a horse’s ability.
Whip. The riding crop used by a jockey, regulated by strict rules on use during a race.
Win bet. A bet on a horse to finish first.
Y
Yearling. A horse aged between one and two years.