Guide to Racing Lingo
Here you will find a guide to some of the Racing Lingo you might hear at a day at the races!
| Racing Speak | |
|---|---|
| Amateur | These jockeys mostly ride in bumper races. Their name is always prefixed by Mr, Ms or Mrs. They can claim a weight allowance of up to 7lbs depending on the number of winners they have ridden. |
| Apprentice | Young professional jockeys who can also claim a weight allowance of up to 10lbs, dependent on the same parameters as above. |
| Banker | Slang word for a horse that is guaranteed to win: i.e. money in the bank. A mythological concept, preached by dedicated but misguided believers because there is no such thing. Anything can happen in horse racing. That’s what makes it so exciting. |
| Best Turned Out | Not to be confused with the above. This is a prize given to the groom of the horse that is judged to look the best in the parade ring. Often a good pointer to a horse’s chance. |
| Blinkers | A piece of equipment that goes over the horse’s head to restrict it’s vision and help it concentrate in a race. |
| Cheek Pieces | Sheepskin bands on each side of the bridle which help keep the horse focused. |
| Colours (of horses) | There are 5 colours. B = Bay. Bl = Black. Br = Brown. Ch = Chestnut. Gr = Grey. |
| Colt | Male horse aged up to 4 years old. |
| Draw | Flat races are started from stalls and the draw number designates which stall each horse starts from. At some tracks certain positions are advantageous so check what draw your horse has. |
| Filly | Female horse aged up to 4 years old. |
| Furlong | 1/8 of a mile. Equal to 220 yards or 200 metres. |
| Gelding | A male horse that has been neutered because it is not required for breeding purposes. Most jump horses are geldings because they’re seldom used as stallions. (There are plans to introduce it for some tipsters in the near future!) |
| Go on you good thing/you beauty/horse’s name | An impulsive exclamation emitted by racegoers when the horse they bet on is close to winning. Use whichever one suits your personality or invent new ones. Can also be directed at the jockey in a close finish. |
| Green | The colour of grass! But also used to describe a horse that is very inexperienced. |
| Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) | The national authority for racing – funds, administers and promotes racing in Ireland. Owns the Tote, ITM and Leopardstown & Navan racecourses. |
| Judge | The official who declares the winner and placed horses in a race and the winning distance. |
| Lead | Weights carried in the saddle which make up the difference between the jockey’s weight and what the horse is assigned to carry. |
| Length | The approximate length of a horse: about 8 feet. Winning margins are measured in lengths, ranging from 1/2 a length to a distance (more than 20 lengths). Smaller winning margins are a short-head, head or a neck. |
| Mare | Female horse aged 5 years or over. |
| Mares’ allowance | In non-handicap races fillies and mares get a weight allowance. 3lbs on the flat, 5lbs over jumps. (So much for equality of the sexes!) |
| Noseband | A sheepskin band around the horse’s nose to help it concentrate. |
| Odds on | Sometimes confusing - a bookmaker price. Eg. at “6 to 4 on” you have to stake 6 to win 4. This will appear as 4 /6 on bookmakers boards but is referred to as 6 to 4 on. |
| On the bridle / On the bit | A horse going the pace seemingly without much effort or need for its jockey to push it. Can be deceptive as sometimes these horses will not find extra speed when their jockeys do push them. |
| Off the bridle | A horse being pushed along by its jockey to keep up with the pace. Doesn’t necessarily mean it is beaten as some horses are a bit lazy and need to be roused to get into top gear. |
| Photo finish | In a close race, a photo |