THE OWNER’S NOTEBOOK · RACING LANGUAGE
Glossary of racing terms
Stable updates are more enjoyable when the language makes sense. Start with these everyday terms, then use the example below to put them together.
Watch for the confirmed field and the latest owner update before making race-day plans. Even an accepted runner can subsequently be scratched.
Before the gates open
- Nomination
- An initial race entry; not yet a guaranteed start.
- Acceptance
- Confirmation of an intended start.
- Ballot
- A field-size limit may leave some entries out.
- Scratching
- A runner withdrawn from a race.
- Barrier
- The stall a runner starts from.
- Silks
- The jockey’s distinctive racing colours.
Reading the race card
- Maiden
- A race for horses without a win in that racing code.
- Rating
- An assessment used when matching horses to races.
- Handicap
- A race with individually allocated weights.
- Apprentice claim
- A permitted weight allowance for an eligible apprentice rider.
- Going
- The track’s surface condition; check the current rating.
- Distance
- The length of the race, usually shown in metres.
Following the action
- Field
- The runners in a race.
- Mounting yard
- The area where horses parade before racing.
- Front runner
- A horse racing near the lead.
- Checked
- A runner interrupted or impeded during a race.
- Dead heat
- An official tie at the finish.
- Stewards
- Officials who oversee racing and apply its rules.
Around the stable
- Trial
- A practice race, separate from a raceday start.
- Spell
- A break from racing or training.
- First up
- The first race after a spell.
- Sire / dam
- A horse’s father / mother.
- Strapper
- The person attending and caring for a horse at the races.
- Black type
- A Group or Listed win or placing recorded in a pedigree.
Read a race card in one glance
This fictional example is for practice, rather than a real runner or race:
Race 4 · 1,400 metres
- Horse number
- 7 — Example Runner
- Barrier
- 3 — starting stall
- Weight
- 57 kg — allocated weight
- Jockey
- A. Example — rider
When the commentator calls “number seven”, they mean the horse’s race-card number. Barrier three describes where that horse starts. Neither number is a prediction of where it will finish.
Turn a stable update into plain English
“Accepted for Saturday, first up after a spell, drawn barrier three.”
The horse is intended to start on Saturday, is returning after a break, and has starting stall three. Check the final update for any change to the plan.
You do not need to learn every term at once. Keep this page nearby when you read MY FRAC, and ask about unfamiliar language in the next club update. Ready to attend? Use our race-day preparation guide.
Terminology references: LOVERACING.NZ’s beginner guide and Victoria Racing Club’s glossary. This guide focuses on terms useful to owners in New Zealand.