A Quick-Reference Glossary
This page collects the terms that come up constantly in UK horse racing but rarely get explained in one place. For the bet types with enough depth to warrant it, we've linked through to full dedicated guides — this glossary gives you the short definition first.
Betting Terms
SP (Starting Price): The official odds of a horse at the moment the race starts, determined by on-course bookmakers. Many bets are settled "at SP" if no price was taken in advance.
NAP: A tipster's most confident selection of the day, short for "Napoleon" (an old term implying near-certainty). The second-most-confident pick is often called the "NB" (next best).
Forecast: A bet requiring you to correctly predict the first and second horses in exact order.
Tricast: Like a forecast but for the first three finishers in exact order — much harder to land, much bigger payout.
Rule 4: A deduction applied to winnings when a horse in the same race is withdrawn after you've placed your bet, since the market has become less competitive. Full breakdown in our Rule 4 guide.
BOG (Best Odds Guaranteed): A bookmaker promise to pay out at the best price available between the time you bet and the official starting price, whichever is higher.
Ante-post: A bet placed well in advance of a race, usually at bigger odds, but with no refund if your horse doesn't run. See our full ante-post guide.
Each-way: Two bets in one — win and place. Full mechanics in our each-way guide.
Racing Conditions
Going: The condition of the turf or all-weather surface, ranging (on turf) from Hard through Firm, Good to Firm, Good, Good to Soft, Soft, to Heavy. It's officially assessed by the clerk of the course and directly affects how races are run — some horses have a clear preference for soft ground, others for quicker surfaces.
Draw: The starting stall position. Covered in full in our draw bias guide.
Official Rating (OR): A numerical assessment of a horse's ability set by the BHA handicapper, used to allocate weight in handicap races.
Non-runner: A declared horse withdrawn before the race, for reasons ranging from injury to unsuitable ground. Any win or place stake on a non-runner is voided and refunded; other runners in the same race may trigger a Rule 4 deduction on remaining bets.
Race Types
Handicap: A race where each horse carries weight according to its official rating, designed to equalise their winning chances on paper.
Maiden: A race for horses that have never won a race before.
Novice: A race restricted to horses that haven't won a certain type or number of races, common in jump racing for horses new to hurdles or fences.
Stakes race: A race, often without handicap weight restrictions, typically for higher-quality horses competing on more level terms.
Multiple Bets — Quick Index
For the full mechanics of each of these, we have dedicated guides: Yankee, Trixie, Patent, and Lucky 15. Heinz, Lucky 63, Canadian/Super Yankee, Lucky 31, Super Heinz and Goliath calculators (with worked explanations) are available directly on our bet calculator page.
Race-Day Terms
Parade ring: The area where horses are walked before a race so connections and the public can assess their condition.
Silks: The coloured jacket and cap worn by a jockey, registered to the horse's owner, used to identify runners during the race.
Photo finish: Used when the placing between two or more horses is too close to call by eye, decided instead by a finish-line camera image.
Stewards' enquiry: A post-race investigation into possible interference or a breach of the rules, which can result in a horse being demoted from its finishing position.