Racing Glossary 'V' to 'W'

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.

Virus : fortunately nothing to do with your computers but a term used for a number of highly infectious flu like ailments which can spread quickly through a stable and virtually put it out of racing for a while. Symptoms are dry cough, temperature, and nasal discharges, horses usually take quite a while to recover their best form after such an attack

Weatherbys : dating from 1770 when James Weatherby an attorney from Northumberland was invited by the Jockey Club to move to Newmarket and become the Keeper of the Match Book, Stake Holder and Secretary to the Jockey Club.

usually referred to as racings civil service. For over two hundred years this post was held by a succession of Weatherby's nine in all, today they are under contract with the BHB to supply the complex administration required to run racing in Great Britain.

Weight for Age : This is a scale originally devised by Admiral Rous which lays down how horses of differing ages improve month by month throughout the season,

differences being expressed in terms of weight. This scale is the foundation stone for handicappers in the UK