Blagger's Guide

A |  B |  C |  D | E |  F |  G |  H |  I |  J | K |  L |  M | N
O |  P | Q |  R |  S |  T |  U |  V |  W | X | Y | Z

All Out : A horse who is trying to the best of his ability, giving every last bit of effort.

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. The idea is that their weight allowance compensates for their lack of experience

Ante Post: Betting prior to the day of the race. This gives you the opportunity to back a horse at big odds weeks or months prior to the day of the race and to then annoy everyone you know by telling them what a great price you've gotten. Murphy's Law will dictate that your horse will get pulled out on the day of the race and you will not get a refund.

Apprentice: Young professional jockeys who can also claim a weight allowance of up to 10lbs, dependent on the same parameters as above. Also known as a Bug Boy

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B

Banker: What you call a horse that is guaranteed to win: i.e. money in the bank. Also known as a ‘good thing', ‘cert', or ‘steering job'. There are of course no such things as certainties except for this one I've got in the next at Fairyhouse.

Best Dressed Lady: This competition is held on most major race days. There are quite generous prizes given to the winner. These days there's also a competition for the men on certain days and there's talk of a best Christmas Jumper competition for this Stephen's Day.

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. Generally you would think that this would be a good omen however many punters get turned off the best turned out as it's one times seen as a jinx on the horse – as of course everyone know punters are very scientific.

Bismarck: A favourite that the bookmakers do not expect to win. If you fancy it then you should be able to get a good price.

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C

Checked: A horse pulled up by his jockey for an instant because he is cut off or in tight quarters. This loss of momentum can cost a horse a couple of lengths and sometimes the race. You might roar for a stewards enquiry in that situation.

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.

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D

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.

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F

Filly: Female horse aged up to 4 years old.

Front Runner : A horse who usually leads (or tries to lead) the field for as far as he can.

Furlong: 1/8 of a mile. Equal to 220 yards or 200 metres.

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G

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. (Generally you'll know a gelding by the horse's high-pitched voice)

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. Occasionally use of your own hand/racecard as a whip can also be effective in getting your horse over the line.

Green: An inexperienced horse. You'll often hear people say that a horse ran green, it's a good excuse for why your horse had a view of the field with a furlong to go.

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H

Headgear: usually this is just bridle which includes all the equipment a horse wears on his head: the bits, curb chains, crownpiece and browband, cheekpiece, and reins. Different headgear fitted on horses:

Cheek Pieces: Sheepskin bands on each side of the bridle which help keep the horse focused.

Blinkers: A piece of equipment that goes over the horse's head to restrict it's vision and help it concentrate in a race.

Noseband: A sheepskin band around the horse's nose to help it concentrate.

Visor: A similar device to blinkers but less restrictive.

Tongue Strap: A piece of cloth or elastic tied on the horse's tongue to keep it in place during a race. Needed because sometimes the tongue can obstruct breathing.

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I

In The Money: Finishing first, second or third.

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J

Judge: The official who declares the winner and placed horses in a race and the winning distance.

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L

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.

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M

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!)

Mudder: A horse that races well on muddy tracks. Also known as a ' Mudlark '.

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O

Odds on: Odds of less than even money. Sometimes confusing - a bookmaker price. Eg. at “2 to 1 on” you have to stake 2 to win 1. This will appear as 1/2 on bookmakers boards but is referred to as 2 to 1 on. Not very exciting if you're looking to make some big bucks but usually horses odds on are so for a reason and those at 50/1 are also priced thus for a reason, I've found out.

On the bridle: When a horse is going the pace seemingly without much effort or without its jockey having to push it, the horse is said to be coming there on the bridle, on the bit, swinging or pulling double.

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 but generally not a good sign.

On The Nose: Betting a horse to win only.

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P

Photo finish: In a close race, a photo finish is required to decide which horse has won. When numerous horses are involved the commentator may call it a ‘ Blanket Finish' i.e. the horses finish so close to the winning line you could theoretically put a single blanket across them. When the judge cannot split two or more horses in a race it is called a ‘ Dead Heat '.

Pulling: A horse pulling on the bit: i.e. wanting to go too fast too soon so the jockey tries to restrain it by pulling back on the reins leading to a tug of war effect. This is necessary because horses that go too fast early in a race are usually burnt out before the finish however the horse can waste a lot of energy battling with the jockey. In this situation you hope to have a jockey who can strike a good balance between fighting the horse and going too fast.

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R

Rag : A rag or "The Rag" is the outsider in the field, usually offered at a favourable price in betting.

Ringer: A horse entered in a race under another's name - usually a good runner replacing a poorer one. This doesn't happen very often any more, of course if it were pulled off we'd never find out.

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S

Schooling: Accustoming a horse to starting from the gate and to teach him racing practices. In steeplechasing, more particularly to teach a horse to jump.

Sex Allowance: Fillies and mares, according to their age and time of year, are allowed to carry three to five pounds less when meeting males.

Silks: Jacket and cap worn by riders which designate owner of the horse.

Starting stalls: Only used in flat racing to ensure every horse gets a level break.

Steamer : A horse dropping rapidly in odds due to large amounts of cash being placed on it.

Steps Up: A horse moving up in class to meet better runners is said to be “stepping up in class”.

Stewards: Representatives of the Turf Club who regulate every race-meeting, maintaining fairness and integrity for everyone involved. There are also several stewards' secretaries to assist them, who are paid professionals.

Stewards Enquiry: An investigation by the stewards into any incidents during the race, e.g. if a jockey has broken the rules or one horse has caused interference to another. These can often lead to several tense minutes after the race before you know if you can go collect.

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T

Tic-Tac : The secret and complex sign language used by bookmakers at racecourses to indicate movements in the price of a horse. The more colourful names of certain prices are Double Carpet for 33 to 1and Burlington Bertie for 100/30.

Tips: Information about a horse you sometimes get from people at the races. The two things to look at when you get a tip is the form of the horse and the reliability of the person who gave it to you.

Turf Club: The regulatory body in charge of the rules and regulations, maintaining the integrity of Irish racing.

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U

Under Starters Orders (or Under Orders): The starting of a race. Usually followed by “and they're off”.

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V

Value: Getting the best odds on a wager. Even if your horse loses, it's nice to know you got a better price than others.

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W

Weight: The amount the horse has to carry in the race. Shown in stones and pounds (lbs) on the racecard. There are 14 pounds in a stone.

Weight for age: A weight allowance younger horses get from older ones.

Weigh Out/Weigh In: Weighing a jockey and saddle before and after a race to make sure the correct weight is carried.

Winner All Right: An announcement that confirms the result is official. Time to go collect your winnings.

WOOHOO: The sound made by those who have just backed a winner or want everyone around them to at least think so.

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