Australian and New Zealand punting glossary

This page is about the Australian English
Australian English
Australian English is the name given to the group of dialects spoken in Australia that form a major variety of the English language....

usage of punting, for other uses of punting see punt
Punt
Punt may refer to:In boats:*Punt , a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow developed on the River Thames*Norfolk Punt, a type of racing dinghy developed in Norfolk*Cable ferry, known as a punt in Australian EnglishIn people:...

and punter
Punter
The word punter may refer to:* A speculator in the stock market* A gambler, particularly an amateur betting on horse racing or a player in the game of Baccarat* A beginner skier or snowboarder, especially one with particularly bad style...

.

The Australian and New Zealand punting glossary explains some of the terms, jargon and slang which are commonly used and heard on Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n and New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

racecourses, in TAB

Totalizator Agency Board

Totalisator Agency Board in Australia and New Zealand, universally shortened to TAB, is the name given to monopoly totalisator organisations. All were originally government owned...

s, on radio, and in the horse racing media. Some terms are peculiar to Australia, such as references to bookmakers, but most are used in both countries.

The emphasis in this list is on gambling

Gambling

Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...

terms, rather than the breeding

Horse breeding

Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...

or veterinary

Veterinarian

A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....

side of horse racing.

0-9

750s: Binoculars
Binoculars
Binoculars, field glasses or binocular telescopes are a pair of identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects...

with magnification of 7x50 mm.
10-50s: Binoculars with magnification of 10x50 mm.

A

Acceptor: A horse confirmed by the owner or trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

to be a runner in a race.
Aged: A horse seven years old or older.
Apprentice: A young jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

, usually under 21 years of age, who is still in training. Recent rule changes allow older riders just starting out to work their way through their "apprenticeship".
Apprentice allowance: Reduction in the weight to be carried by a horse which is to be ridden by an apprentice jockey. Also called a "claim". It varies from 4 kg to 1.5 kg depending on the number of winners the apprentice has ridden. Recent rule changes have resulted in an increase in the maximum amount able to be claimed—from 3 kg to 4 kg.
Approximates: The TAB
Totalizator Agency Board
Totalisator Agency Board in Australia and New Zealand, universally shortened to TAB, is the name given to monopoly totalisator organisations. All were originally government owned...

prices horses are showing before a race begins.
Asparagus: Name given to a punter who arrives on course with a stack of ‘mail’, hence: more tips than a tin of asparagus.

B

B.: An abbreviation for a bay horse as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
Back: To bet
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...

on a horse.
Backed In: A horse whose odds
Fixed-odds gambling
Fixed-odds betting is a form of wagering against odds offered by a bookmaker, an individual, or on a bet exchange.-Calculating fixed odds:It is customary with fixed-odds gambling to know the odds at the time of the placement of the wager , although this category also includes wagers whose price is...

have shortened.
Backed off the map: A horse which has been heavily supported resulting in a substantial decrease in odds
Fixed-odds gambling
Fixed-odds betting is a form of wagering against odds offered by a bookmaker, an individual, or on a bet exchange.-Calculating fixed odds:It is customary with fixed-odds gambling to know the odds at the time of the placement of the wager , although this category also includes wagers whose price is...

.
Back up: To race a horse soon after its latest engagement. Also, punters who keep backing a particular horse are said to "back up."
Bagman: Bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...

's employee responsible for settling bets on course.
Bank teller job: A horse considered such a near certainty that a bank teller could invest ‘borrowed
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....

’ bank funds and replace them without detection.
Banker: A key selection in an exotic
Exotic
Exotic can mean:*In mathematics:**Exotic R4 - differentiable manifold homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the Euclidean space R4**Exotic sphere - differentiable manifold homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the ordinary sphere*In physics:...

bet which must win, or run a particular place to guarantee any return.
Banker: See Dead cert.
Barriers: Starting barrier
Starting barrier
A starting barrier ensures a fair start to races such as horse races or dog races.- Horse racing :Throughout the history of horse racing, there have been proposals as to how better to start a race. A commonly used starting system for horse races was devised in the mid nineteenth century by Admiral...

used to keep horses in line before the start of a race. Each horse has a stall or place randomly allocated in the barrier draw for the race.
Battler: A trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

, jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

or bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...

who just manages to make a living from his full time involvement in horse racing.
Benchmark: under this system, operating in NSW, the weight a horse carries at its next start is determined immediately after its previous race, according to the merit of that run. Each Benchmark point equals half a kilogram.
Best Bet: The selection that racing journalists and tipsters nominate as their strongest selection of the day. In the UK, it is known as the nap.
Bet back: Action taken by a bookmaker when he is heavily-committed to a horse and spreads some of the risk by investing with other bookies or the totalisator.
Bet until your nose bleeds: Confident instructions to a commission agent or advice to a punter indicating that the horse is so certain to win that betting should only be halted in the unlikely event of a nose haemorrhage.
Better than bank interest: Justification by a punter for backing a horse that is very short odds on.
Betting exchange
Bet exchange
A betting exchange is an entity which provides "trading" facilities for retail or bookmaker customers to buy and sell contracts. Contracts are structured as binary options. Some betting exchanges may also offer CFD products...

: Internet based organisations which broker bets between punters for a commission. The largest is Betfair
Betfair
Betfair is the world's largest Internet betting exchange. The company is based in Hammersmith in West London, England. Since Betfair was launched in June 2000 it has become the largest online betting company in the UK and the largest betting exchange in the world. Betfair claim to have over 3...

.
Big bickies: A large amount of money.
Big note: To skite or exaggerate a position or status - to "big note" oneself.
Big Red: Nickname of the champion race horse Phar Lap
Phar Lap
Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...

.
Binos : Binoculars.
Birdcage: Area where horses are paraded before entering the racetrack.
Bite: To ask someone for a loan.
Bl.: An abbreviation for a black horse, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
Black type: Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

sales catalogues use boldface type to highlight horses that have won or placed in a stakes race.
Bleeder: A horse that bleeds from the lungs during or after a race or workout. In Australia a first-time bleeder is banned from racing for three months. If it bleeds a second time the horse is banned for life.
Blew like a north wind: Said about a horse whose odds
Fixed-odds gambling
Fixed-odds betting is a form of wagering against odds offered by a bookmaker, an individual, or on a bet exchange.-Calculating fixed odds:It is customary with fixed-odds gambling to know the odds at the time of the placement of the wager , although this category also includes wagers whose price is...

have lengthened dramatically during the course of betting.
Blinkers: A cup-shaped device used to limit a horse's vision during a race and improve concentration.
Bloused: To be caught on the line or defeated in a photo finish.
Blow: When the odds of a horse increase during betting.
Blown out the gate: Odds have extended dramatically due to lack of support.
Boat race: A race with a number of non-triers which is said to be fixed
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...

for one horse to win.
Bolter: A horse at long odds.
Box: Betting term denoting an exotic combination bet whereby all possible numeric outcomes are covered.
Box seat: A position in a race which is one horse off the fence and one horse behind the leaders.
Bridle
Horse tack
Tack is a term used to describe any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. Saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, and breastplates are all forms of horse tack...

: A piece of equipment, usually made of leather or nylon, which fits on a horse's head and includes a bit and the reins.
Br.: An abbreviation for a brown horse, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
Breaking: Breaking into a gallop, when trotting horses start galloping.
Bred: A horse is bred where it is foaled. Thus a foal conceived in New Zealand but foaled in Australian is regarded as being bred in Australia.
Breeder: A breeder of a foal is the owner of its dam when it is foaled. He may not have had anything to do with the mating of the mare or the place where it is foaled.
Bring a duffel bag: Term used by a punter who expects to take copious amounts of cash home from the track.
Broodmare: A filly or mare that has been bred and is used to produce foals.
Buying money: Term used by a punter when required to bet ‘odds on’.

C

C: The class of a harness racehorse which stands for Country Assessment; M stands for Metropolitan Assessment. A C11 M6 pacer has won an equivalent of 11 country class races and 6 metropolitan class races.
c.: An abbreviation for a colt, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
Calcutta: Sweepstakes conducted prior to a big event with each horse being raffle
Raffle
A raffle is a competition in which people obtain numbered tickets, each ticket having the chance of winning a prize. At a set time, the winners are drawn from a container holding a copy of every number...

d and then auctioned to the highest bidder.
Carry the grandstand: Said of a horse allocated a big weight
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...

in a handicap race.
Cast: A horse situated on its side or back, and wedged in the starting stalls, such that it cannot get up.
Cast a plate
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...

: Lost a racing plate.
Ch.: An abbreviation for a chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...

horse, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
Chaff burner: Derogatory term for a horse.
Checked: Incident during a race when a horse is blocked, causing it to change stride, slow down or change direction.
Claim: see apprentice allowance.
Clerk of the course: Mounted racecourse officials who manage horses and jockeys on the race track, and lead the winner of a race back to the mounting yard.
Coat-tugger: A racecourse conman
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...

who will tip a horse to a punter, and if the horse wins, is always present when the punter collects, to demand a portion of the winnings.
Colourful racing identity: Euphemism
Euphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...

for a criminal.
Colours: Coloured racing jacket and cap worn by jockeys to indicate the owners of a horse.
Colt: An entire (ungelded) male under four years of age.
Connections: The owners and trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

of a horse.
Cop a minty wrapper: To receive a very light "sling" or gratuity
Tip
A tip is an extra payment made to certain service sector workers in addition to the advertised price of the transaction. Such payments and their size are a matter of social custom. Tipping varies among cultures and by service industry...

.
Correct weight: After a race the weight carried by at least the placegetters is checked, and ‘correct weight’ is the signal by the stewards that bets can be paid.
Could not lay it with a trowel: Said by bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...

s of a horse that has been completely neglected in the betting ring.
Cricket score odds: Very long odds, usually 100 to 1 or better.
Crucified: see Slaughtered.
Crusher: A bookmaker who takes top odds from his colleagues and then offers prices on the same horse or horses at reduced odds.
Cuts his own hair: An expression to indicate a person is very careful about investing any money.

D

Daily double: Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two nominated races.
Dam: The mother of a horse.
Daylight: Often called as second place getter in a race where the winner has won by a wide margin.
Dead cert: Dead certainty, a horse or team that is considered highly likely to win.
Dead heat
Tie (draw)
To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...

: is a tie between two or, rarely, more horses for a win or place in a race.
Dead ‘un: A horse deliberately ridden to lose.
Deductions: The percentage reduction in odds, for win and place bets, when a horse is scratched from a race after betting on that race has commenced.
Derby
Derby (horse race)
A derby is a type of horse race, named after the Derby Stakes, still run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in England. That was in turn named for Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, who inaugurated the race in 1780...

: A stakes event
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

for three-year-olds.
Desperate: A hopeless gambler; one who has no control over his or her tendency to bet.
Dip
Pickpocketing
Pickpocketing is a form of larceny that involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person of a victim without their noticing the theft at the time. It requires considerable dexterity and a knack for misdirection...

: A pickpocket on a racecourse; someone with light fingers.
Dishlickers: A colloquial term for greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....

.
Dogs are barking it: A big tip which has become common knowledge
Knowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...

.
Doing plenty: Having a rough trot on the punt.
Donkey-licked: To be defeated convincingly.
Double carpet: 33/1 outsider.
Drift: When the odds of a horse increase or ease.
Drift in: A horse moving from a straight path towards the rail during a race.
Drongo: A horse or person who was disappointing, slow or clumsy.
Drum: Good information, a tip. Drum can also mean to be placed 2nd or 3rd in a race; to run "the drum."
Dutch book
Dutch book
In gambling a Dutch book or lock is a set of odds and bets which guarantees a profit, regardless of the outcome of the gamble. It is associated with probabilities implied by the odds not being coherent....

: To bet on a number of horses, at varying odds, such that whichever bet wins, a set profit
Profit (accounting)
In accounting, profit can be considered to be the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market whatever it is that is accounted as an enterprise in terms of the component costs of delivered goods and/or services and any operating or other expenses.-Definition:There are...

is guaranteed.
Duet: Exotic bet to select two of the three placegetters in a race.
Duffer in the wet: Does not run well on slow or heavy tracks.

E

Each way: To bet for a win and a place.
Educated money: An amount invested on a horse from a stable
Stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...

or informed source.
Emergencies: Substitutes, or replacements, for horses which are scratched from a race which is limited to a number of starters. The 'emergency starters' are drawn up by ballot or lottery to take the place of any runner that is withdrawn.
Emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...

: A person who picks up discarded betting tickets on a racecourse, hoping that some will be of value. The person strikes a similar pose to Australia’s largest native bird when feeding.
Entire: Any male horse with both testicles in the scrotum.
Equipment
Horse tack
Tack is a term used to describe any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. Saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, and breastplates are all forms of horse tack...

: includes regular tack and gear which must be approved. See Gear changes.
Even money
Even money
Even money describes a wagering proposition with even odds - if the bettor loses a bet, he or she stands to lose the same amount of money that the winner of the bet would win . The term has come to have meaning in the wider English usage beyond actual gambling, however, as a way of describing an...

: Odds of 1-1. A total return of $2 for a $1 outlay.
Exacta: Exotic bet to select the first two finishers in a race in the exact order of finish.
Exotics: Any bet other than a win or place e.g. Quinella, trifecta
Trifecta
In horse racing terminology, a trifecta is a parimutuel bet in which the bettor must predict which horses will finish first, second, and third in exact order. The word comes from the related betting term, "perfecta". A trifecta is known as a tiercé in France and Hong Kong and as a tris in Italy.It...

, quadrella, superfecta, treble, exacta.

F

f.: An abbreviation for a filly, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
Facing the breeze: Horse on the outside that can't get past the leader in trotting races.
Failed to give a yelp: Said of a horse that, although expected to go well, runs down the track.
Farrier
Farrier
A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves...

: A person who shoes the horses.
Favourite: The horse which is quoted at the shortest odds
Fixed-odds gambling
Fixed-odds betting is a form of wagering against odds offered by a bookmaker, an individual, or on a bet exchange.-Calculating fixed odds:It is customary with fixed-odds gambling to know the odds at the time of the placement of the wager , although this category also includes wagers whose price is...

in a race
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

.
Field bet: To incorporate all of the runners in a race in one combination of an exotic bet.
Filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....

: A female Thoroughbred less than four years of age.
Firm: To shorten in the betting, generally because of the weight of money being invested.
First Four: An exotic type of wager picking the first four finishers in exact sequence.
First up: The first run of a horse in a new preparation.
Flip of the coin: The odds available are quoted at even money
Even money
Even money describes a wagering proposition with even odds - if the bettor loses a bet, he or she stands to lose the same amount of money that the winner of the bet would win . The term has come to have meaning in the wider English usage beyond actual gambling, however, as a way of describing an...

.
Flying handicap: A sprint race
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

generally of less than 1200 metres.
Foot on the till: Expression indicating that a horse is ready to win.
Form
Form (horse racing)
----In horse racing, the form of a horse is a record of significant events including its performance in previous races. The form may identify the horse's sire, dam and wider pedigree...

: A horse’s record of past performances.
Fractions: The cents left over after TAB
Totalizator Agency Board
Totalisator Agency Board in Australia and New Zealand, universally shortened to TAB, is the name given to monopoly totalisator organisations. All were originally government owned...

dividends are rounded down to the lower 10 cents.
Front-runner
Front-runner
Front-runner is a term to describe the leader in a race, whether political or athletic. The term arose from the close symbolism between political campaigns and athletic running events. The term is used in the U.S...

: A horse that performs best when allowed to run along at the head of the field.
Furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....

: An eighth of a mile (220 yards).

G

Gear Changes are authorised by stewards and appear in form guides and race books. Gear falling into this category includes: Blinkers, pacifiers, winkers, visors, cheekers, Cornell Collars, ear muffs, nose bands, nose rolls, various bits, tail chain, tongue tie, various plates and shoes for racing. Prior to racing: barrier blankets, stallion chains and blindfolds. Gelding of entire males is also to be notified.
Gelding
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...

: A male horse that has been castrated.
Get on: Have your bet accepted.
Get out stakes: The last event on any racing programme.
Get up: To win.
Getting set: Being accommodated for a wager.
Getting up without names: An indication that a number of long shots have won races, hence: "They're getting up without names today."
Girth: An elastic and leather band sometimes covered with sheepskin, that passes under a horse's belly and is connected to both sides of the saddle.
Going: The surface condition of the racecourse (fast, good, dead, slow, or heavy). A trial system introduced in NSW in 2005 rates tracks on a score of 10, from 1 [Fast] to 10 [Heavy]. Victoria introduced the system for a trial period on 1 December 2005.
Good alley: A barrier draw considered to be ideal for a particular horse.
Good oil: Positive information about a horse’s chances in a race.
Gorilla: A colloquial term for one thousand dollars.
Got the blows: Drifted in the betting.
Gr.: An abbreviation for a grey horse, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
Greet the judge: To win a race.
Group Race: High quality race categorised into Group One
Group One
Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

(G1), 2 and 3 and Listed races, in order of importance.
Grow another leg: Said of horses that handle wet tracks well.

H

h.: An abbreviation for a horse (stallion), as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books.
Had something on the winner: Understatement of a punter who may have bankrupted a couple of bookies.
Hairy-goat: A racehorse that has performed badly.
Half-brother, half-sister: Horses out of the same dam but by different sires. It does not apply to horses by the same sire.
Ham: As in 'What a Ham'. Term used for a horse that has been in a good paddock/looks a little large around the edges.
Hand
Hand (unit)
The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...

: Unit of measure (equals 4 inches) of a horse’s height. Thoroughbreds typically range from 15 to 17 hands. The measurement is taken from the ground to the horse's withers - the point where the neck meets the back.
Handicap
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...

: A class of race for which the official handicapper assigns the weight
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...

each horse has to carry.
Handicapper: The racing official who assigns the weights to be carried by horses in handicap races.
Hang: To veer away from a straight course during a race.
Hard earned: Money.
Head: A margin between horses. One horse leading another by the length of his head.
Headquarters: In Victoria, Flemington Racecourse
Flemington Racecourse
Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River...

is known as headquarters.
The Heath: The nickname for Caulfield Racecourse
Caulfield Racecourse
Caulfield Racecourse is one of Melbourne, Australia's best-known horse-racing tracks. Commonly known as "The Heath" by local racegoers, it is located eight kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs...

.
Hold all tickets: Announcement by the Stewards that no bets can be settled until certain aspects of the race have been investigated.
Hoop: Jockey.
Horse: An entire male horse of four years of age or more.
Hot Pot: The race favourite.

I

Imports: Horses imported to Australia are indicated by an abbreviation the country of their birth, such as New Zealand (NZ) and United States (USA). An * (asterisk) suffix may also be used to denote horses imported from England or Ireland to Australia or New Zealand.
Impost
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...

: The weight a horse is allocated or carries.
In the red: The price of a horse when it is odds on. The Bookmakers’ boards display ‘odds on’ in red to distinguish from odds against.
Inquiry Inquiry into the running of the race. Can result in demotion of one or more horses in the finish order.
Irons: Stirrup
Stirrup
A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a stirrup leather. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal...

s.

J

Jackpot: Monies carried over to the next suitable race or meeting. This occurs in exotic bet types such as quadrella and superfecta when no investor selects the winning combination.
Jigger: An illegal battery powered device used by a jockey to stimulate a horse during a race or track work.
Jumped out of the ground: Said of a horse which comes from nowhere at the end of the race.
Jumped out of trees: Said by bookmakers of a rush of punters to plunge on a horse.
Just about square: Punters expression for nearly broke.

K

Knocktaker: An absolute certainty. A moral. A stone bonker. A B.O.A.T. [Bird Of All Time].
Knuckled over: To stumble away from the starting stalls, usually caused by the track surface breaking away from under a horse's hooves, causing it to duck its head or nearly go to its knees.

L

Lacks ticker: Deficient in the heart
Courage
Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation...

department.
Late mail: Final thoughts and selections of tipsters allowing for things like scratchings, jockey changes and on course information.
Lay: When a bookmaker takes a risk and increases the odds of a particular horse to entice investors because the bookmaker truly believes that horse has no chance of winning the race.
Lay down misere: An absolute certainty.
Lay of the day: A fancied horse considered by a bookmaker to be the one about which he will take the biggest risk.
Lay off: Bets made by one bookmaker with another bookmaker or the tote, in an effort to reduce his liability in respect of bets already laid by him with investors.
Length: A length. The length of a horse from nose to tail. Used to describe the distance between horses in a race.
London to a brick on: Long odds-on.
Long shot: An outsider at long odds
Fixed-odds gambling
Fixed-odds betting is a form of wagering against odds offered by a bookmaker, an individual, or on a bet exchange.-Calculating fixed odds:It is customary with fixed-odds gambling to know the odds at the time of the placement of the wager , although this category also includes wagers whose price is...

with little chance of winning.
Lost a leg in the float: The horse has drifted alarmingly in the betting.
Lug: Racing erratically and hanging in.

M

M: The class of a harness racehorse which stands for Metropolitan Assessment. A C11 M6 pacer has won an equivalent of 11 country class races and 6 metropolitan class races.
m.: An abbreviation for a mare, as it appears in race books, pedigrees and stud books etc.
Maiden: A horse that has not won a race.
Mail: Information and tips.
Mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...

: A female horse over three years old.
Market: The list of all horses engaged in a race and their respective odds.
Mentor: The trainer of a horse.
Monkey: A term used for five hundred dollars.
Moral: An absolute certainty.
Mounting yard: Enclosure where the horses are paraded prior to each race and jockeys mount and dismount their horses.
Muck lather: Term for a horse sweating profusely, usually brought on by nervousness prior to a race.
Mudlark: A horse which goes well on a wet track.

N

Nags: Derogatory term for horse racing.
Near side: Left hand side of a horse. The side on which a horse is normally mounted.
Neck; A win or place margin, which in racing is about the length of a hores's neck.
Neglected: Attracting very little support in the betting.
Nose: The short winning margin in an Australian horse race, followed by a short half-head.
Nose band: A leather strap that goes around a horse's nose to help keep the mouth shut.

O

Oaks: A stakes event for three-year-old fillies.
Odds against: Odds
Odds
The odds in favor of an event or a proposition are expressed as the ratio of a pair of integers, which is the ratio of the probability that an event will happen to the probability that it will not happen...

which are longer than evens (e.g. 2-1). At present Australian odds are expressed as a $ figure: 2-1 is now shown as $3 (2-1 plus the $1 stake).
Odds on: Odds
Odds
The odds in favor of an event or a proposition are expressed as the ratio of a pair of integers, which is the ratio of the probability that an event will happen to the probability that it will not happen...

which are shorter than evens (e.g. 1-2 or 2-1 on). Or $1.50, using the above example in Odds Against.
Odds on look on: An old adage used by punters in which the decision is made not to bet on a race in which the favourite is at odds on.
Off side: The right hand side of a horse.
On course tote: The totalisator which is situated at the race course.
On the bit: When a horse is eager to run.
On the nod: A betting transaction between a punter and bookmaker without money changing hands. A credit bet.
On the nose: A bet placed on the win only
One large: A term used for one thousand dollars.
Ordinary cattle: A derogatory term for a low class field of runners.
Outlay: The money an investor bets or wagers is called their outlay.
Outsider: A horse whose chances of winning a race are not considered very strong. An outsider is usually quoted at the highest odds.
Overs: Odds about a horse which are considered to be good value because they are longer than its estimated probability of winning.
Overweight: Excess weight carried by a horse when the rider cannot make the allocated weight, including apprentice allowances.

P

Pacifiers: Mesh eye-covers used to calm horses down. Racing stewards may restrict their use in wet weather for safety reasons, as mud can stick to them.
Pay the grandstand: Often said of a likely exotic tote dividend when one or more outsiders win or run a place. "It will pay the grandstand."
Penetrometer: A device used for measuring the hardness or softness of the track by measuring the extent to which the device penetrates the ground. [See "Going".]
Persuader: Colloquial term for a jockey’s whip.
Pigskin: A jockey’s saddle.
Pig-root: Horse which bucks and tries to throw the rider.
Pilot the field: To lead the race.
Placed: Finished in the first three in a race.
Place bet A place bet will win if the selected horse finishes in the first three in fields of eight or more horses. If there are only six or seven runners the horse must finish first or second to place.
Plonk: A sizeable amount wagered on a horse. Not quite a plunge but a "decent plonk" nevertheless.
: In the bookmakers' ring, a massive and sudden support for a horse.
Postilion: Jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

.
Preliminary: The walk, canter or gallop by a horse on the way to the starting stalls.
Pre-post odds: A horse's anticipated odds as printed in the morning newspapers.
Price
Price
-Definition:In ordinary usage, price is the quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services.In modern economies, prices are generally expressed in units of some form of currency...

: The odds on offer about a horse.
Prior convictions: A horse which has failed to perform to expectations on previous occasions.
Protest: When a jockey, owner, trainer or steward alleges interference by one party against another during a race that may have affected the outcome of a race. If a protest is upheld by stewards, the runner that caused the interference is placed directly after the horse interfered with. If a protest is dismissed, the original result of the race stands.
Pulled its head off: Said of a horse that would not settle, or over-raced.
Pulling: Over racing.
Punt: To wager on the outcome of a race.
Punter: Person making the wager.
Put your house on: A good thing.

Q

Quadrella: A type of wager which requires the selection of winners of 4 nominated races. Also known as a 'Quaddie'.
Quality Handicap; Races which have a minimum weight of 53 kg and a maximum weight of 61 kg unless otherwise approved, plus minimum rates of prizemoney.
Quinella: An exotic type bet which requires the selection of the first two place getters regardless of order (cf. exacta).

R

Racing plates: Aluminium horseshoe
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...

s.
Rails: The fence on the inside of a race track. Also, the prime position in a bookmakers' ring. Hence "rails bookmaker."
Red-hots: The trots, or harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...

.
Relegated: Horse is demoted in finish order due to an inquiry into the race.
Result: In bookmaking a "result" is a financial outcome of any race. It may be a "good result" or a "bad result."
Ridden upside down: Not ridden in the usual manner. An example would be a normal front runner which is ridden back in the field.
Rig: A male horse which is a cryptorchid or not properly castrated.
Ring: An area on a racecourse where the bookmakers are positioned is always called a "ring", regardless of its shape.
Ring-in: A horse in a race who has been substituted illegally for the correct entrant. The most infamous case in recent years was the Fine Cotton
Fine Cotton
Fine Cotton was a brown Australian Thoroughbred gelding which was at the centre of a substitution scam which occurred on 18 August 1984, in the Commerce Novice Handicap over 1,500 metres at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane, Queensland...

ring-in.
Risky conveyance: A horse which has a record of not performing to expectations in previous races.
Roughie: A horse at long odds which is considered to have only a remote chance of winning a race.
Running double: Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races.

S

Saddlecloth: A cloth which goes under the saddle to identify the horse by number and, sometimes in major races, its name.
Salute the judge: The horse wins the race.
Satchel swinger: A bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...

.
Score up: In harness racing the movement of horses behind the mobile barrier before a start is made.
Scraping paint: Racing tight, or close, to the running rail.
Scratch: To be taken out of a race before it starts.
Sectionals: Intermediate times recorded during a race.
Set the board: When a bookmaker completes the information shown on the betting board, by listing each runner in a race and their respective odds, he or she is said to have set the board.
Settling: A meeting between bookmaker and punter at which money is exchanged in settlement for past credit betting. The majority of settling now takes place at the course prior to the race.
(Shadow) Nose Roll
Shadow roll
A shadow roll is a piece of equipment, usually made of sheepskin or a synthetic material, that is attached to the noseband of a horse's bridle...

: A wide lambs wool covered noseband designed to keep the horse from seeing his own shadow.
Shillelagh: Colloquial term for a jockey’s whip.
Shin sore: Inflammation of the membrane of the cannon bone.
Short half-head: The second-smallest winning margin. In Australia a NOSE is the shortest margin a horse can win by.
Shorten: When the odds
Fixed-odds gambling
Fixed-odds betting is a form of wagering against odds offered by a bookmaker, an individual, or on a bet exchange.-Calculating fixed odds:It is customary with fixed-odds gambling to know the odds at the time of the placement of the wager , although this category also includes wagers whose price is...

of a horse decrease, usually because a lot of money has been wagered on that horse.
Shrapnel: The term used by a bookie's bagman for a heap of small coins.
Silks: A jockey's breeches and bib or cravat
Sire
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...

: The father of a horse.
Skinner: A "result" for a bookmaker which entails very little, or no pay out whatsoever on a race.
Slaughtered: Said of a jockey who has ridden a horse so badly as to be the main cause of it losing a race.
Sling: A sum of money given as gratuity
Tip
A tip is an extra payment made to certain service sector workers in addition to the advertised price of the transaction. Such payments and their size are a matter of social custom. Tipping varies among cultures and by service industry...

or bonus generally by an owner to a trainer, jockey or strapper.
Smarty: A somewhat derogatory term for a person not to be trusted, especially with privileged stable information.
Smoky: A well supported horse with no apparent form to justify its price.
SP
SP bookmaking
Starting price or SP bookmaking literally refers to taking bets at fixed odds, i.e. a fixed starting price, as opposed to the totalisator model of betting...

: An illegal "off course" operator - a starting price bookmaker. The term SP is also used by racing officials to declare the official starting price of a horse.
Special: see Best bet.
Speedy squib: A horse which has a reputation for beginning races extremely fast and running out of steam before the winning post.
Spell: The resting period for a horse between preparations or racing.
Spin: An expression for a five pound note (pre-1966 currency).
Spot: A term used for one hundred dollars.
Spring Grand Slam
Spring Grand Slam
The Spring Gland Slam is the name used by many punters to informally describe the big three Thoroughbred horse races held in Melbourne, Australia, each Southern Hemisphere spring...

: Informally describes the treble of the Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...

, Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...

and Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...

.
Sprout wings: To accelerate surprisingly in the straight to defeat a leader who looked certain to win.
Stake: The sums of money deposited or guaranteed by the parties to a bet.
Stakes races: Group one, group two, group three or listed races.
Stayer: A horse that specialises in longer distance races.
Stewards: Officials who run the race meeting and are responsible for enforcing the Australian [and Local] Rules of racing.
Stick: Jockey’s whip.
Sticks: Hurdles or fences in jumping races.
Stipes: Another term for the Stewards. (Or Stipendiary Stewards)
Stirrup
Stirrup
A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a stirrup leather. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal...

s: Metal "D" shaped rings into which a jockey places his/her feet. Also known as "irons".
Stone motherless: Expression used to indicate that a horse is running a clear last in a race, or is tailed off at the finish.
Stonebonker: A good thing in a race. A horse considered to be over the line.
Straight out: Betting to win only
Strapper
Strapper
A strapper is a British English term for a person holding a position looking after racehorses. The duties range from cleaning out the stables and yards, feeding, grooming and rugging horses, plus saddling horses for track-work and races, hence the name...

: The person who attends to, grooms, and usually leads the horse around the mounting yard.
Superfecta: An exotic type of bet which requires a punter to select the first six horses to cross the finish line in the exact order. Only previously offered in New South Wales; now replaced by the First Four. (Compare with the usual U.S. definition, which is similar to the Australian/New Zealand First Four.)
Swimmer: Horse which performs very well on rain effected tracks.
Swooper: A horse which charges home at the end of a race.

T

TAB: Totalisator Agency Board. The original State government body appointed to regulate off-course betting. Many of the State TABs have been privatised in recent years.
Tabcorp is Australia’s largest gambling and entertainment group. It was established in 1994 following the privatization of the Victorian TAB.
Take the knock: Fail to honour betting debts. The punter concerned generally goes missing.
Taken to the cleaners: An expression used by both bookmakers and punters when they have suffered a huge loss.
Taking a set: When a bookmaker increases the odds of a favoured horse, which in their opinion
Opinion
In general, an opinion is a subjective belief, and is the result of emotion or interpretation of facts. An opinion may be supported by an argument, although people may draw opposing opinions from the same set of facts. Opinions rarely change without new arguments being presented...

can't win the race, in order to receive more bets.
Three-quarter-brother (or sister): A term used for horses out of the same dam, but are by a sires that are half-brothers or who are by the same sire.
Tomato Sauce Odds: Refers to an odds-on favourite in betting parlance. The phrase derives from the days of fractional odds when bookmakers used a red background on their boards to denote horses running ‘odds on’. These days the phrase is used in general (and somewhat colloquial) horse racing vernacular, for example: “Those who took the tomato sauce odds were never in danger as she led throughout to defeat Splash Of Paint and Amber Cash in 23.38”.
Ton: A term used for one hundred dollars.
Tongue tie: A strap or piece of stocking used to tie down a horse's tongue to prevent it getting over the bit, which affects a horse's breathing and the jockey’s control of the horse.
Tote: TAB.
Toppy: The top weight or horse carrying the No. 1 saddlecloth.
Totalisator: An alternative form of betting to bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...

s or a betting exchange
Bet exchange
A betting exchange is an entity which provides "trading" facilities for retail or bookmaker customers to buy and sell contracts. Contracts are structured as binary options. Some betting exchanges may also offer CFD products...

. All bets are placed into a pool, and dividends are paid by dividing the final pool by the amount invested on the winner, less a fixed percentage.
Town: To race in ‘town’ means to race on metropolitan
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...

tracks in a capital city, as distinct from all other tracks which are collectively called ‘The Bush’.
Track condition: Used to describe the racing surface (Fast: Very firm surface, Good: Firm surface, Dead: Track with give in the ground, Slow: Rain affected, Heavy: Very rain affected). Now replaced in some states by a 1-to-10 rating system. (see Track surface)
Transfusion: An injection of cash
Cash
In common language cash refers to money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins.In bookkeeping and finance, cash refers to current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-immediately...

.
Travelling: A descriptive term to indicate current
Present (time)
The present is the time that is associated with the events perceived directly and in the first time, not as a recollection or a speculation . It is a period of time between the past and the future, and can vary in meaning from being an instant to a day or longer...

financial status. A bookmaker or punter might be "travelling well" or "not travelling all that well at the moment."
Treble: An exotic bet consisting of selections in 3 separate races, all of which must win for the wager to be successful.
Trifecta
Trifecta
In horse racing terminology, a trifecta is a parimutuel bet in which the bettor must predict which horses will finish first, second, and third in exact order. The word comes from the related betting term, "perfecta". A trifecta is known as a tiercé in France and Hong Kong and as a tris in Italy.It...

: An exotic type of wager picking the first three finishers in exact sequence.
Triple Crown
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...

: A term for the three-year-old Randwick Guineas
Randwick Guineas
The Randwick Guineas is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run at set weights over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. This race replaces the former Canterbury Guineas which was discontinued after the 2005 running...

, Rosehill Guineas
Rosehill Guineas
The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Thoroughbred horse race run annually in March at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney. A race for three-year-olds at set weights, it is contested on turf over a distance of 2000 metres .-Distance:...

and the AJC Australian Derby.
Trots: Harness Racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
Two Year Old Triple Crown (also known as the Two-year-old Grand Slam): Consists of the Golden Slipper Stakes, AJC Sires Produce Stakes
AJC Sires Produce Stakes
The AJC Sires Produce Stakes is a Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred horserace for two year olds at set weights run over a distance of 1,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney in April. The race was first run over one mile in 1867 and won by Glencoe...

and the Champagne Stakes
Champagne Stakes (Australia)
The Champagne Stakes is a Group 1 horse race in Australia for two-year-old Thoroughbreds at set weights run at Randwick Racecourse over a distance of 1,600 metres during the Sydney Autumn Carnival...

.

U

Unbackable: A horse which is quoted at such extremely short odds
Fixed-odds gambling
Fixed-odds betting is a form of wagering against odds offered by a bookmaker, an individual, or on a bet exchange.-Calculating fixed odds:It is customary with fixed-odds gambling to know the odds at the time of the placement of the wager , although this category also includes wagers whose price is...

that investors decide it is too short to return a reasonable profit for the risk
Risk
Risk is the potential that a chosen action or activity will lead to a loss . The notion implies that a choice having an influence on the outcome exists . Potential losses themselves may also be called "risks"...

involved.
Under double wraps: An expression indicating that a horse won very easily without being fully extended.
Unders: Odds about a horse which are considered to be bad value because they are shorter than its estimated winning probability
Probability
Probability is ordinarily used to describe an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we arenot certain. The proposition of interest is usually of the form "Will a specific event occur?" The attitude of mind is of the form "How certain are we that the event will occur?" The...

.
Undertaker: A bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...

said to only be interested in laying "dead 'uns".
Urger: see coat-tugger.

V

Via the cape: The horse ran wide on the home turn and covered too much ground. The expression is probably an analogy
Analogy
Analogy is a cognitive process of transferring information or meaning from a particular subject to another particular subject , and a linguistic expression corresponding to such a process...

of the ocean voyage from the UK to Australia via the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...

compared to the more direct route via the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...

.
Visor blinkers: Blinkers that have a peep hole cut in them and are used to limit a horse's vision during a race and improve concentration.

W

Wager: Another term for bet
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...

.
Warned off: A person warned-off a racecourse is not permitted to enter a racecourse or associate with licensed persons.
Weigh out: Before each race, a jockey, and his equipment are weighed to ensure that the horse carries its allotted weight
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...

.
Weight for Age
Weight for Age
Weight for Age is a term in Thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race. It means that a horse will carry a set weight in accordance with the Weight for Age Scale. This weight varies depending on the horse’s age, its sex, the race distance and the month of the year...

: Better class of race in which the weight a horse carries is allocated on a set scale according to its age and sex. The Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...

, which is regarded as Australia’s best race, is a weight-for-age event held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club
Moonee Valley Racing Club
The Moonee Valley Racing Club is located at the Moonee Valley racecourse on McPherson Street, Moonee Ponds . It is one of three racing clubs in the Melbourne metropolitan area; the others are the Victoria Racing Club and the Melbourne Racing Club...

in October each year.
Weight-for-age handicap: The system used to determine weights for the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...

in which the weight of the jockey and riding gear is adjusted with ballast to a nominated figure. Older horses are given more weight than younger ones, and weightings are further adjusted according to the horse's previous results.
Welsher: Person who refuses to honour a bet.
Welter: A handicap race with a higher minimum weight.
Whip
Whip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...

: A race whip (or crop) made to Australian specifications, is about 22-24 inches long, and a jockey uses it to control and encourage a horse to increase its speed.
Winkers: A sheepskin device which attaches to the cheek straps of the bridle to help the horse focus its vision to the front. Winkers allow more side vision than a blinker.
Wouldn't back it with bad money: An indication that a punter has no confidence in a horses chances such that even if he had counterfeit money he would not back it.
Write your own ticket: An expression indicating that a horse is at very long odds, with very little chance of winning.

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