Racing Glossary 'R'

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.

Racecourse officials : racecourse officials are all licensed by the jockey club, the officials are The Clerk of the Course, Runs the racecourse is responsible for all routine from ensuring the racecard gets to the printers to ensuring the stables are properly cleaned and disenfected, more importantly they must attract sponsors and frame the races he/she will make or break a racecourse. The Clerk of the Scales, responsibility for weighing jockeys and their equipment in accordance with the rules, as well as promulgating information on the numbers board and furnishing the starter with a list of runners.

The Starter, responsible for starting the race from the stalls (flat only) responsible for calling the roll of jockeys at the start, seeing horses are either loaded into the stalls or lined up properly for the start. when all is ready the field will 'come under starters orders' after this if an horse fails to start he is deemed a runner.

Stewards, three stewards for each race metting are appointed by the racecourse executive and approved by the stewards of the jockey club, stewards are in overall control of a race meeting, including disciplinary matters, they may order stewards enquiries or hear evidence of objections, they may impose fines or suspensions or if warranted refer a matter to the stewards of the jockey club, if the weather is bad the stewards have the responsibility of deciding wether the meeting shall go on.

Racing Calendar : name of the official and expensive weekly publication which gives entries in full for future races, weights allocated in handicaps as well as other information such as details of the official findings of inquiries, fines imposed, etc

 

 

 

 

Racing Plates : these are the special light weight horseshoes specially fitted for racing

Rails : the white post and rails which mark out a racecourse on either side and are known as the running rails, also refers to the rails which seperate the different betting rings.

Rated Stakes : A handicap for which the range of weights shall be limited to not more than 14lb.

Ratings: this is the expression of an horses ability in figures, each year there is an internation handicappers meeting which includes in its findings the seasonal order of merit in europe on the flat.

Record Sequences : this is the sequence of wins by racehorses, check out the Guiness Book of records Horse Racing Records book,

Result: the outcome of a race. or for bookmakers 'we got a result' will mean that an unfancied horse won.

RHT: the Racecourse Holdings Trust a non profit making company whose main purpose is to preserve racecourses for horseracing. course belonging to the trust are: Aintree, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Epsom, Haydock, Huntingdon, Kempton, Market Rasen, Newmarket, Nottingham, Sandown, Warwick, Wincanton.

Ringer: a name given to older horses illegally running in a race in the name of a younger one.