<p>The world of horse racing is full of colourful lingo and terminology which can sometimes feel like a different language to the uninitiated.</p> <p>If you’ve ever wondered ‘what is a roughie in horse racing?’ or ‘’how do I know what happened to that horse? Then you’re one of many.</p> <p>Never fear! Below is a list of key terms to help you decipher the unique dialect that is horse racing slang and make you an all-round better punter.</p> <p>So, before you bet with Sportsbet, make sure to consult this guide and familiarise yourself with as much horse racing terminology as you can.&nbsp;</p> <p>We’ve put together an extensive glossary of horse racing terms to help you sound like an expert in no time.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>The Most Important Horse Racing Terms For You To Be Across</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Across the Board:</strong> A bet on a horse to win, place and show.</p> <p><strong>Also Ran:</strong> A horse who finishes outside of the money.</p> <p><strong>Backed Off the Map:</strong> A horse heavily backed in betting.</p> <p><strong>Bailed Up: </strong>A horse trapped amongst other horses, just waiting for a gap to push and have a crack at the lead.</p> <p><strong>Banker: </strong>A bet that is supposedly a sure thing.</p> <p><strong>Barriers:</strong> The starting gate where horses begin the race from.</p> <p><strong>Blinkers:</strong> A device placed around a horse’s eyes to restrict their peripheral vision and stop them swerving from the other horses either side of them.</p> <p><strong>Blows:</strong> When a horse that was previously favoured is suddenly unwanted by bettors and as a result the bookmaker increases their odds.</p> <p><strong>Bolted: </strong>When a horse runs many lengths in front of the field or wins a race by a great distance.</p> <p><strong>Bookmaker (Bookie): </strong>Sportsbet.</p> <p><strong>Box: </strong>To select two or more runners to win, place or show in any order in an exotic bet such as a <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/what-is-a-trifecta">Trifecta</a> or <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/what-is-a-quinella">Quinella</a>.</p> <p><strong>Boxed in: </strong>When a horse is surrounded by other horses during a race and unable to obtain a clear run due to the close proximity of the other horses.</p> <p><strong>Broken Down:</strong> When a horse picks up an injury.</p> <p><strong>Checked: </strong>Referring to a horse which has experienced interferrance at any point in the race.</p> <p><strong>Class: </strong>These are the standards or grade of each race.</p> <p><strong>Colt:</strong> A male horse less than three years old.</p> <p><strong>Connections: </strong>A general term referring to the people associated with a horse such as owners, trainers, jockeys, and stable staff.</p> <p><strong>Correct Weight: </strong>The official declaration that the race result stands, confirming that all jockeys weighed in correctly post-race. Once declared, payouts can be made.</p> <p><strong>Daily Double:</strong> Select the winner in two races.</p> <p><strong>Dead Heat:</strong> Two or more horses finishing at the exact same time, unable to be separated.</p> <p><strong>Dead Track:</strong> A racetrack with a reasonable amount of give in the surface.</p> <p><strong>Distanced: </strong>A well beaten horse, one that finishes a large distance behind the winner of the race.</p> <p><strong>Dividend:</strong> The amount paid by the bookmaker for a winning wager.</p> <p><strong>Each-Way:</strong> To bet on a horse to win and place.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/each-way-bet">Check out our guide on each way betting</a>.</p> <p><strong>Eased: </strong>This referes to a horse that has been pulled back in the race to a more suitable position in the field, giving them a chance to make a challenge at the death.</p> <p><strong>Even Money: </strong>Odds of 1-1, i.e., $10 bet = $10 return.</p> <p><strong>Exacta: </strong>To select the first two finishing horses in the correct order.&nbsp;We’ve also put together a <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/what-is-an-exacta-bet">full guide on exacta bets</a> for you to read up on!</p> <p><strong>Extended:</strong> To run at top speed.</p> <p><strong>Exotic Bet: </strong>A multiple bet such as a Trifecta, Exacta, <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/what-is-a-quaddie">Quadrella</a> etc.</p> <p><strong>Fast: </strong>A dry, hard track – the firmest possible track rating.</p> <p><strong>Favourite:</strong> The horse who is deemed to have the best chance of winning the race and therefore has the shortest odds.</p> <p><strong>Feature Race: </strong>Feature races are the centre point for each race day. With these are the main race you can often tell through the category such as a Group 1 race or the prizemoney on offer.</p> <p><strong>Filly:</strong> A female horse that is aged four years old or younger.</p> <p><strong>First Starter: </strong>This is a horse making making it’s debut at this race track.</p> <p><strong>First Up:</strong> A horse having its first run after an extended break from racing.</p> <p><strong>Flexi-Betting:</strong> To invest a smaller amount than the full dollar value of a wager and as a result receive a reduced percentage of the final dividend. <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/what-is-flexi-betting">Learn more about flexi-betting</a>.</p> <p><strong>Fluctuation:</strong> The movement of odds either up or down.</p> <p><strong>Foal:</strong> A baby horse aged younger than one year.</p> <p><strong>Form:</strong> A horse’s previous performances leading into a race.</p> <p><strong>Furlong:</strong> A unit of measurement, approximately 200m.</p> <p><strong>Gear Changes: </strong>Adjustments to the horse’s racing equipment (like blinkers, tongue ties, nose rolls, or bandages) that can influence performance.</p> <p><strong>Good track: </strong>A track that is somewhere in between fast and slow. Generally considered to be the optimal track condition for racing.</p> <p><strong>Head: </strong>The margin between runners.</p> <p><strong>Hoop: H</strong>oops are one of the million different names given to jockeys.</p> <p><strong>Heavy Track: </strong>This is a wet, rained on race track. With rankings given a Heavy-10 (the highest rating possible) could spell disaster for your race tip if they aren’t a heavy track specialist.</p> <p><strong>In the Money:</strong> Finishing in the placings, 1st, 2nd or 3rd.</p> <p><strong>Knocked Up: </strong>When a horse weakens and falls back in the pack through the closing stages of a race.</p> <p><strong>Late Mail:</strong> Last minute tips and news for punters concerning some aspect of the race and or it’s runners.</p> <p><strong>Late Scratching:</strong> A horse that withdraws from the race shortly before it begins.</p> <p><strong>Length:</strong> The length of a horse from nose to tail.</p> <p><strong>Listed Race:</strong> A level of race just below Group 3 in prestige, part of the graded race hierarchy (Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, then Listed).</p> <p><strong>Long Shot:</strong> A horse who has long odds and is unlikely to win their race.</p> <p><strong>Maiden:</strong> A horse who is yet to win a race.</p> <p><strong>Mare:</strong> An adult female horse that is at least four years old.</p> <p><strong>Moral:</strong> A horse that is seen as an absolute certainty to win their race.</p> <p><strong>Near Side: </strong>The left side of a horse.</p> <p><strong>Neck:</strong> A margin between horses, approximately the length of a horse’s neck.</p> <p><strong>Nose:</strong> The smallest possible measuring margin between two horses.</p> <p><strong>Odds-Against:</strong> Odds which are longer than even money.</p> <p><strong>Odds On: </strong>Odds which are shorter than even money.</p> <p><strong>Off Side:</strong> The right side of a horse.</p> <p><strong>Off the Bridle:</strong> A term used to describe a horse that is not travelling well in a race.</p> <p><strong>On the Bridle: </strong>A term used to describe a horse that is travelling well in a race.</p> <p><strong>On the Nose: </strong>To bet on a horse to win only.</p> <p><strong>Photo Finish:</strong> A finish so close video technology must be used to determine a winner.</p> <p><strong>Place: </strong>When a horse runs either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.</p> <p><strong>Protest:</strong> A protest is when a jockey or trainer challenges the result due to interference during the race.</p> <p><strong>Punt:</strong> Another term for bet.</p> <p><strong>Punter: </strong>You.</p> <p><strong>Quadrella (Quaddie):</strong> A type of exotic bet where a punter tries to select the winners of four different races.</p> <p><strong>Quinella:</strong> An exotic bet where you try to pick the first two finishers of a race, the order in which they finish are not taken into account.</p> <p><strong>Racecard:</strong> A program containing information about the scheduled races at a particular race meeting and the horses who are set to run in them.</p> <p><strong>Rail:</strong> The barrier on either side of the track. During a race, the rail refers to the barrier which is closest to the #1 positioned gate.</p> <p><strong>Runner:</strong> A horse.</p> <p><strong>Roughie:</strong> A horse that is at long odds to win their race.</p> <p><strong>Scratched/Scratching: </strong>If a horse has been removed from a race for any reason, such as illness, injury or at the direction of officials it has been scratched. Keep this one top of mind when surveying the lineups.</p> <p><strong>Silks:</strong> The garments worn by jockeys that are used to identify them.</p> <p><strong>Show:</strong> Finish in the money.</p> <p><strong>Spell: </strong>Another fancy name for a break, giving a horse a spell refers to giving them a 60 day+ break from racing to rest and recuperate. Even horses need some R&amp;R.</p> <p><strong>Sprinter: </strong>A horse who only competes in short distance races. These races are usually over six furlongs or less.</p> <p><strong>Stallion: </strong>If you don;t know what a stallion is then we’re going to be extremely concerned. One of the most well known horse terms, a stallion is a male horse who hasn’t been gelded and 9/10 times will be of the highest pedigree, with desirable traits across the board.</p> <p><strong>Stayer: </strong>A horse that typically races in long distance races, usually 2000m or more.</p> <p><strong>Stewards: </strong>Officials who ensure races are run fairly and investigate any incidents or breaches of the rules.</p> <p><strong>Straight Six:</strong> The most difficult of all the exotic bets, a punter must select the winner of six consecutive races.</p> <p><strong>Strapper: </strong>This is someone who’s main job is to tend to and groom a horse, they’re ultimately responsible for the horses welfare on a daily basis.</p> <p><strong>Swooper: </strong>Arguably one of the best names in the biz, the Swooper does precisely as you’d thinks and swoops in at the last minute to get a victory.</p> <p><strong>Tip: </strong>A prediction as to what is going to happen in an upcoming race. We release frequent <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/tips">expert horse racing tips</a> right here on the huddle!</p> <p><strong>The Tote:</strong> A pool where all bets are placed for a race.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/what-is-tote-betting">Check out our full guide on tote betting</a><strong>.</strong></p> <p><strong>Tongue Tie: </strong>A strap used to keep the horse’s tongue in place to help breathing and focus.</p> <p><strong>Treble:</strong> A bet involving three consecutive races.</p> <p><strong>Trifecta:</strong> Arguably the most famous exotic bet type. It requires you to successfully pick the first three runners of a race in the correct order.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/what-is-a-trifecta">Learn more about Trifectas with this handy guide.</a></p> <p><strong>Under Double Wraps: </strong>Often seen as a dream race, this is where a horse is racing well without the need for any interferrance from the jockey telling them to get a move on.</p> <p><strong>Unders:</strong> A horse whose odds are too short comparative to their chances of winning.</p> <p><strong>Wager: </strong>Another term for a bet.</p> <p><strong>Warned Off: </strong>Someone who is warned off is a person not permitted to enter a racecourse and/or associate with other licensed persons.</p> <p><strong>Well Held: </strong>If a horse has been comfortable beaten or ‘held up’ then they have been well held.</p> <p><strong>Yearling: </strong>A yearling is a teenager horse, they’re between the ages of 1 and 2, this is around the age most horses are bought and sold. So keep a look out for the next superstar yearling!&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>So there you have it, you know have all the horse racing lingo and terminology firmly seared in your brain. From the well known horse racing terms like foal or stallion to the more obscure ones like quaddies or quinella’s (we love our q’s if you can’t tell), racing has it all. And now so do you. So dive on in to this world and you won’t look back</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Are You Ready To Become A Horse Racing Aficionado?&nbsp;</h2> <p>The world of horse racing and punting is incredibly vast. Luckily, Sportsbet have put together the quintessential hub of information for punters to get on top of everything from punting lingo to <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-do-odds-work-betting">how betting odds work.</a> Introducing <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq">Punter IQ</a>. Check out betting guides for sport and racing today.&nbsp;</p>