Don’t get caught out on Melbourne Cup race day because you don’t understand the jargon. Learn how to talk the talk by following this easy guide.



Also Ran – This is a horse that finishes out of the money.

Backed Off the Map – A racehorse that’s heavily backed, usually in a short space of time.

Barriers – The race starting gates or stalls.

Birdcage – An area where the horses are proudly paraded around before the race.

Blinkers – A hood to restrict the horse’s field of vision so it doesn’t get distracted.

Bolted – When a horse bolts ahead of the pack out of the gate, or races away to win the race by many lengths.

Bookie – The bookmaker who takes your bets.

Checked – A horse gets interference on the track.

Class – This is grade or standard of the race.

Colt – A non-gelded male horse under the age of three.

Connections – This refers to the team surrounding the horse; including owners, trainer, jockey and other representatives involved with the horse.

Correct Weight – Once a race has been run, after everything has been checked and verified, the result becomes official and winnings can be paid out.

Daily Double – A betting option where you need to pick the winners in two select races.

Dead Heat – This occurs when two horses are tied at the finish line and can’t be split in a photo finish.

Derby – A stakes race day for 3 year olds only.

Each Way – Cover your bet by placing equal money on a horse for a win or a place.

Extended – The jockey has the horse running at top speed.

Farrier – A blacksmith who specialises in horse’s hooves.

Favourite – This is the horse with the most bets placed on it and therefore has the shortest odds.

Feature Race – This is the main race on the day’s calendar. Usually the feature race will have the most prize money on offer, such as the Melbourne Cup.

Field – All the horses in a given race.

Filly – Like a colt, this is a female horse 3 years old or less.

Front Runner – This horse likes to lead from the front for as long as possible.

Furlong – A horse racing unit of measurement equivalent to about 200 metres.

Grew Another Leg – A floundering horse suddenly gets a second wind and makes a comeback.

Heavy Track – A slow, muddy and rain affected track.

Hoop – Slang term for a jockey.

In the Money – The horse placed in the race and won prize money.

Lame – This simply means a horse has an injury and is physically encumbered.

Late Mail – Late tips about scratchings and track conditions.

Long Shot – Big odds on a horse not given a chance of winning.

Maiden – This horse has never won a race.

Mudlark – A racehorse that loves racing on wet, muddy tracks.

Mug Punter – If you’re one of these, it means you suck at betting on horses.

Nose – Smallest measure between horses, as in “won by a nose”.

Protest – After a race is run, a complaint is lodged with the stewards that could affect the race’s outcome.

Punter – A person who bets on races.

Runner – A slang term for racehorses.

Silks – This is the uniform the jockeys wear.

Sprint Race – Short distance race of no more than 1200 metres.

Stallion – A virile male horse reserved for breeding and not racing.

Stayers – These horses are not sprinters, but excel at long distance races.

Stewards – These are the racing officials. They are responsible for ensuring everybody follows the racing rules.

Strapper – An employee who basically grooms and looks after a horse daily.

Stone Motherless – This horse finishes last.

Swooper – This horse comes home with a surge, from the tail, up the outside and overtakes the other horses.

Trifecta – Picking the first 3 place getters in the right order.

Unders – This horse’s odds are too low in comparison to its chances of victory.

Wager – The placing of a bet on a horse race.

Well Held – A horse that wins easily without really having to extend itself throughout the race.

Write Your Own Ticket – The chances of this horse winning are so remote that a bookie will give you any odds you want.

Yearling – A horse around a year or two old.