Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting

• 750s: Binoculars with magnification of 7x50 mm. • 10-50s: Binoculars with magnification of 10x50 mm. ==A==

• Acceptor: A horse confirmed by the owner or trainer to be a runner in a race. • Aged: A horse seven years old or older. • All up: A type of bet where the winnings of one race is carried over to the next race and so forth. • Any2: see Duet. • Apprentice: A young jockey, 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". • 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 on a horse. • 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'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’ bank funds and replace them without detection. • Banker: A key selection in an exotic bet which must win, or run a particular place to guarantee any return. • 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. • 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. • Breeder: A breeder of a foal is the owner of its dam when it is foaled. The breeder 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 raffled and then auctioned to the highest bidder. • Colours: Coloured racing jacket and cap worn by jockeys to indicate the owners of a horse. • Could not lay it with a trowel: Said by bookmakers 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==

record of the first triple dead heat in harness racing. • 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 placegetter 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: 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: A stakes event for three-year-olds. • Desperate: A hopeless gambler; one who has no control over their tendency to bet. • Dip: A pickpocket on a racecourse; someone with light fingers. • Dishlickers: A colloquial term for greyhound racing. • Dogs are barking it: A big tip which has become common knowledge. • 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: To be placed second or third in a race; to run "the drum." • Dutch book: To bet on a number of horses, at varying odds, such that whichever bet wins, a set profit 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. • Early crow: When someone, usually a race caller, calls the winner of a race prematurely and incorrectly. • Educated money: An amount invested on a horse from a stable 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: 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: Includes regular tack and gear which must be approved. See Gear changes. • Even money: 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, 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: A person who shoes the horses. • Favourite: The horse which is quoted at the shortest odds in a race. • Field bet: To incorporate all of the runners in a race in one combination of an exotic bet. • Filly: 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, known as a superfecta in the US. • First up: The first run of a horse in a new preparation. • Flip of the coin: The odds available are quoted at even money. • Flying handicap: A sprint race generally of less than 1200 metres. • Foot on the till: Expression indicating that a horse is ready to win. • Form: A horse's record of past performances. • Fractions: The cents left over after TAB dividends are rounded down to the lower 10 cents. • Front-runner: A horse that performs best when allowed to run along at the head of the field. • Furlong: An eighth of a mile (220 yards). ==G==

• Gear changes: Modifications to horses that 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: A male horse that has been castrated. • 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. • 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 at: A horse is said to have been got at when it was by any means been put in such a condition that it cannot win. • 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 (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. • Ham: Term used for a horse that has been in a good paddock/looks a little large around the edges, as in "what a ham!" • 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: A class of race for which the official handicapper assigns the weight 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: Randwick Racerouse. In Victoria, Flemington Racecourse is known as headquarters. • The Heath: The nickname for Caulfield Racecourse. • 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: 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: An investigation into the running of the race. Can result in demotion of one or more horses in the finish order. • Irons: Stirrups. ==J==

• Jackpot: Monies carried over to the next suitable race or meeting. This occurs in exotic bet types such as quadrellas and first fours 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 when they have almost won back the money they have lost earlier in the day. ==K==

• Knocktaker: An absolute certainty; a moral. • 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 department (i.e. courage). • Late mail: Final thoughts and selections of tipsters allowing for things like scratchings, jockey changes and on-course information. • London to a brick on: Long odds-on. • Long shot: An outsider at long odds with little chance of winning. • Lost a leg in the float: The horse has drifted alarmingly in the betting. • Low flying: A horse travelling so fast it is said to be "low flying" rather than running. • 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. • 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 horse'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 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 which are shorter than evens (e.g. 1–2 or 2–1 on). In Australia, this is more commonly displayed as $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. • 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. • 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: 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 four nominated races. Also known as a 'quaddie'. • Quinella: The bettor must pick the two runners which finish first and second, but need not specify which will finish first. ==R==

• Racing plates: Aluminium horseshoes. • 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 was the Fine Cotton 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 • 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. 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 affected tracks. • Swooper: A horse which charges home at the end of a race. ==T==