Horse Racing Glossary - B

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Bad legs – A chronic condition amongst many horses, particularly hurdlers, that can be caused by the physical pressures of racing or be hereditary.

Banker – Selection regarded as a near certainty.

Bar - A term used in connection with bookmakers' prices. e.g. '7 - 1 bar three' means that you can obtain at least 7 - 1 on any horse bar the first three in betting, and '10 - 1 bar three' means at least 10-1 on any horse bar the first three in betting.

Best In - The horse that is favourite at the weigh-in.

Betting forecasts – Predictions as to what the odds will be prior to a betting market being formed.

Betting in running – Where odds are proposed and accepted after an event is underway.

Betting on the rails – Betting conducted over the rails surrounding the members’ enclosure, where bookmakers are not otherwise allowed to operate.

Betting ring – The enclosures where betting takes place, where admission charges also cover admission to the paddock and the Silver Ring.

Betting shop – Off-course bookmakers that can take bets on a wide range of sports and other activities.

Bias – Some feature that gives some competitors an advantage over others. Where racecourses are concerned, this could be the left hand side or the right hand side.

Black type – A horse that has been successful in a pattern or listed race appears in bold black type in bloodstock sales catalogues, in order to draw attention to the horses importance for breeding purposes.

Blinkers - Head-gear which prevents a horse looking either left or right.

Blow up – A horse that suddenly loses its place in a race after competing well up to that point.

Blower - A means of communication between racecourse and betting shops/offices.

Blue Bet - A bet that is not genuine but made to catch unaware punters.

Board price - The price offered against each horse on the bookmaker's board. 'Taking the board price' means taking the last price shown against your selection at the time you make the bet.

Bonuses – Promotional features that can be found with some speciality bets and branded betting slips.

Book – A record of betting transactions for a specific event.

Bookmakers – Individuals or companies who are licensed to make a book either on a racecourse, in an off-course betting shop, via a telephone or postal credit service, or over the internet.

Bookie's runner - A person who works on behalf of a bookmaker.

Box-walker – A horse that walks round and round in his loose-box. This makes horses more difficult to train and also means they lose more weight.

Breeze-up – A bloodstock sale where the horses are cantered along for two or three furlongs in front of prospective buyers.

Bridle, won on the - An easy win.

British Horseracing Board – The governing body for horse racing in the UK, which took over from the jockey club in 1993.

Bumping and boring – Where a jockey is unable to prevent a tired horse from veering off course and bumping into an opponent, thereby boring it off course. Can lead to objections or even a steward’s inquiry.

Buy – To bet higher in spread betting.

‘By’ and ‘Out of’ – Expressions indicating the parentage of a horse – by a stallion and out of the boodmare.

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