Glossary D-F

D

Disqualification

When a horse is demoted in the finishing order due to an infringement of the Rules following a Stewards’ Enquiry.

Distance

The margin by which a horse has won or has been beaten (e.g. a horse might have a winning distance of three lengths) OR in Jump racing, if a horse is beaten/wins by a long way (more than 30 lengths) it is said to have been beaten/won by a distance.

Dividend

The amount that a winning or placed horse returns for every £1 bet.

Double

Consists of one bet involving two selections in different events. Both selections must be successful to get a return, with the winnings from the first selection going on to the second selection. The return is calculated by multiplying the odds on the two selections: e.g. a £10 double on a 2-1 winner and a 7-1 winner pays £240 (£10 on a 2-1 winner = £30, then that £30 on a 7-1 winner = £240).

Double carpet

The tic-tac bookmaking term for 33-1.

Draw

A horse’s starting position in the stalls allotted in races on the Flat. Stall numbers are drawn at random by Weatherbys (except in a handful of top races that allow each horse’s connections, having been randomly selected, to choose the stall number for their horse). A horse with a seemingly advantageous draw is said to be “well drawn”. Stalls are used for Flat racing only.

Drifter

A horse whose odds get bigger just before the race due to a lack of support in the market. Often referred to as being “on the drift”.

Drop in class/trip

A horse racing in a lower class of race than he has recently run in/running over a shorter distance.

Dual forecast

A bet where the aim is to select both the winner and runner-up in a race in either order.

Dwell/dwelt (at the start)

To start slowly.

Dam

A horse’s mother.

Damsire (broodmare)

The sire of a broodmare; in human terms, the maternal grandfather of a horse.

Dark horse

A horse regarded as having potential but whose full capabilities have not been revealed. A trainer will plan a horse’s campaign carefully so that it does not carry too much weight in a major handicap. Punters often perceive these types of horses as a ‘dark horse’.

Dead-heat

A tie between two or more horses for first place, or for one of the other finishing positions. In the event of a dead-heat for first place, when a winning bet has been made, half the stake is applied to the selection at full odds and the other half is lost. If more than two horses dead-heat, the stake is proportioned accordingly.

Decimal odds

Used on the Tote and betting exchanges, instead of fractional odds. Decimal odds are expressed as a figure (in round or decimal terms) that represents the potential total winning return to the punter. So, 4 (or 4.0) in Tote or decimal odds is the same as the conventional 3-1, as it represents a potential total winning return of £4 to a £1 stake.

Declared (runner)

A horse confirmed to start in a race at the final declarations stage.

Deductions

When a horse is scratched from a race after the betting market has already opened, deductions are taken out of the win and place bets at a rate in proportion to the odds of the scratched horse.

E

Each-way

A bet where half the total stake is for the selection to win and half is for the selection to be placed (usually in the first three, but in big handicaps the places may extend to fourth or fifth). If the selection wins, the win portion is calculated in the normal way, while the place portion of the bet is settled at a fraction of the win odds. This fraction, and the number of places allowed by the bookmaker, depends on the type of race and the number of runners in the race. If the selection is placed but fails to win, the win portion of the stake is lost but, again, the place portion of the bet is settled at a fraction of the win odds.

Enquiry – Stewards’ Enquiry

Review of the race to check into a possible infraction of the Rules made by the Stewards. If the enquiry could affect the result of the race, an announcement will be made on course.

Entire horse

An ungelded horse.

Evens/Even money

A price of 1-1. When your stake brings equal winnings e.g. £10 staked at evens wins £10 (total return £20).

Exacta / Straight forecast

A bet picking the first and second in a race in the exact order of finish.

F

Fixed-odds betting

Staking a set amount to win a set amount by multiplying the stake by the odds. As opposed to spread betting, where the amount that can be won or lost on a single bet may vary.

Fixture

The race meeting

Flat racing

Racing without jumps. The centrepiece of the Flat racing season is the Turf season, which runs from late March to early November. Races are run over a minimum distance of 5f up to a maximum of 2m6f. However, the birth of All-Weather racing in 1989, has allowed Flat racing to continue year-round, and the official Flat racing season now runs for a calendar year to include those Flat races run on all-weather surfaces.

Foal

A horse from birth to January 1 of the following year (when it becomes a yearling).

Forecast

A bet where the aim is to select both the winner and runner-up in a race. A straight forecast is the winner and runner-up in the correct order. A dual forecast is the winner and runner-up in either order.

Form

A horse’s race record. Denoted by figures (and letters) next to its name on a racecard i.e. 1=first, 2=second etc. The form figures are read backwards from right to left – i.e. a horse’s latest run is denoted by the figure nearest to its name on the racecard.

Front-runner

A horse whose running style is to attempt to get on or near the lead at the start of the race and stay there as long as possible.

Furlong

220 yards (one eighth of a mile). The numbered posts on British racecourses count the furlongs back from the winning post.

Fancied

When a horse is expected to win or at least to be involved in the finish.

Favourite

The horse with the shortest odds in the race.

Field

The number of horses in a race or, in betting, all of the horses in a race except the favourite.

Filly

Female horse four-years-old or younger.

First string

Where a trainer and/or owner has more than one runner in a race, the horse considered to be the stable’s main fancy is referred to as the stable’s first string. Clues to which horse this is can be whether it carries the owner’s first colours, is ridden by the stable jockey and/or is shorter odds in the betting than a stablemate.