Racing Glossary 'B'
An alphabet of racing terms
We hope you find this glossary useful and informative. With this knowledge we hope you find that you can pick winners that little bit easier.
Bad Legs: A common ailment amongst race horses horses forlegs particularly among jumpers take a real pounding this can also affect horses who run on hard ground. a protective measure that does seem to work is the wearing of bandages.
Betting Exchanges : a relative newcomer to the betting scene allowing the punter to bypass the traditional bookmaker.
Betting On The Rails : Bookmakers are not allowed into members enclosures at racecourses so to get round this most bookmakers set up pitches next to the railings seperating the members from Tattersalls.
Betting Ring : these are the enclosures on the course where betting takes place mainly Tattersalls ring where admission charges also cover admission to the paddock and the lower priced silver ring (so called because bookies would take bets with silver coinage.)
Betting Shop : a shop on the high street that caters for placing of bets.
Black type : when an horse has had some success in a pattern race or listed race they are said to have achieved black type - to draw attention to the horses importance for breeding purposes their name appears in bold black type in pedigrees featured in bloodstock sales catalogues..
Blinkers: a device consisting of a hood which fits over the horses head with shield at the eye holes which restrict the horse's peripheral vision. the aim is to concentrate the horse's attention ahead by cutting out what might have been seen on either side. Horses who are wearing blinkers for the first time are worth noting.
Blow Up : A horse which has blown up has for some reason lost it's place in a race after going well
Bookmakers: a person who sets a price and accepts bets on a race or other event.
Box Walker : A horse that will not settle in a loose box and persistently walks round and round causing it to lose weight and being difficult to train.
Breeze Up: a form of bloodstock sale taking place at a racecourse where the horse is put through it's paces.
British Horseracing Board: the governing body and administrative body for racing
Bumping and Boring: Sometimes in the final stages of a race a horse by tire and the Jockey may be unable to prevent the horse from veering off a straight line thereby bumping an opponent and 'boring' them off it's intended course. This usually leads to a stewards inquiry.
'By' and 'Out of': expression indicating the parentage of a horse he or she is usually described as being BY a sire OUT OF the Dam whose origin will often be indicated in turn by brackets giving the name of her sire.