| s: | | | | The silver ring is named due to the coinage that |
| Bad Legs are a very common condition amongst | | | | bookmakers used to accept here. |
| racehorses | | | | On some courses there isn’t a silver ring |
| To really get to grips with what is involved when | | | | anymore. Betting on the course occurs in areas of |
| training a horse in preparation to race, we should | | | | the racecourse with free admission and is known |
| make a comparison with the process that is | | | | as surprisingly enough Betting on the |
| undergone when training human athletes. | | | | Course |
| For example, what might have happened if Seb | | | | Betting shop: |
| Coe had tried to run in the 100m? | | | | Since the boom of the sixties when they were |
| Did you ever see Seb Coe turning up on the | | | | first legalized, the number of betting shops has |
| track without his tracksuit on, or would he have | | | | been in steady decline to about 8000 today. |
| raced if he had badly injured his legs? | | | | Between 1st April and 31st August betting shops |
| Horses exactly like humans have distances that | | | | are now allowed to stay open until 10pm. But it |
| they favor and are competitive at, and this is | | | | wasn’t till 1993 that the law was altered to |
| very important in deciding how a horse will fare in | | | | allow this, so that punters could bet on evening |
| a race against the competition. | | | | races. |
| When sweating up before or after a race, horses | | | | Betting shop technology has improved beyond |
| have blankets thrown over them because just as | | | | recognition in recent years, with Satellite |
| humans pull muscles, strain tendons and in severe | | | | Information Services (SIS) now available on banks |
| cases pull up during a race, so do horses. | | | | of screens in the betting shops giving all the latest |
| Trainers get really anxious about a horses | | | | prices and running commentaries |
| forelegs. It is these in particular that take a great | | | | Black type: |
| deal of punishment during a race, and especially | | | | Once successful in a listed or pattern race a horse |
| when jumping fences or when the ground is very | | | | is then said to have gained black type. This |
| hard. | | | | means basically that in order to indicate the |
| Sometimes the condition bad legs can be | | | | horses relevance as breeding stock, the horses |
| put down to being inherited, and often it can be | | | | name appears in black bold type in the bloodstock |
| protected against by wearing bandages on the | | | | sales magazines. |
| forelegs to provide additional support. | | | | If a horse finishes below third in any of these |
| Betting on the rails: | | | | races it is no longer entitled to black type. |
| Bookmakers are not allowed to make a book in | | | | Blinkers: |
| the member’s enclosure on racecourses. | | | | Basically a hood which fits over the head of the |
| Many of the annual members or those who pay | | | | horse with shields at the eye holes to diminish the |
| on the day to enter the members enclosure, do | | | | horse’s peripheral vision. The idea is that |
| obviously want to have a bet, so to get around | | | | this concentrates the horse’s attention |
| this problem bookmakers set up pitches right | | | | ahead by reducing what it might be able to see |
| next to the rails that separate members from | | | | on either side. |
| Tattersalls ring. | | | | It’s always worth noting when a horse |
| A lot of business on the rails is done on credit, but | | | | first wears blinkers and this will be advertised on |
| cash is usually also taken | | | | the better race cards and often in the racing |
| Rails bookmakers are essential to the price shifts | | | | press. It can sometimes result in a notable |
| in a market, but they are no longer able to | | | | improvement in a horses running, but it should not |
| control the movements exclusively. This is | | | | be considered as an antidote to poor form. |
| because 90% of betting today takes place off | | | | Blinkers are more common these days and no |
| course. | | | | longer carry the reputation as being a signature |
| The balance of power has been disrupted by the | | | | for a horse of poor character. There may well be |
| Betting Exchanges, such as Betfair and Betdaq. | | | | horses that are less reliable that wear blinkers, but |
| Rails Bookmakers have their own association, and | | | | there are more frequently horses whose |
| are generally considered to be at the top end of | | | | performance is simply improved by wearing them |
| the market. | | | | Racing Post and Timeform give their view as to |
| Solid support for a given betting shop horse will | | | | whether a horse is genuine, and will advise on |
| force the price down on the racecourse as the | | | | whether or not blinkers will improve their chances. |
| money for it filters through to the racecourse, | | | | Conversely a good tip towards a horse’s |
| and in particular the rails by telephone by tic tac, | | | | true capabilities can be if after being tried in |
| and now by wireless computer networks. | | | | blinkers, the horse races next time without them. |
| Instantly the shorter price is relayed to the other | | | | A visor is created by taking a pair of blinkers and |
| betting rings on the course. | | | | cutting a slit in the eye shield to give the horse a |
| The interaction between the 3 main betting | | | | degree of peripheral vision. This may allow the |
| sources nowadays includes Betting shops, the | | | | horses that are running at the side to be seen. A |
| Betting Ring and the Betting Exchanges. The use | | | | hood covers the ears while leaving the eyes full |
| of live websites and Satellite Information Services | | | | vision. This is used for horses that are affected |
| enables these 3 sources to interact | | | | by too much noise. |
| simultaneously, and the experienced trader will | | | | Hood and visor use should be indicated on race |
| have to establish the delicate balance between | | | | cards and in the better racing press. |
| these 3 sources to succeed at his trade. | | | | Blow up: |
| Betting ring: | | | | Went like a bomb is not a related term |
| Betting Rings on a racecourse are the enclosures | | | | (for those with a sense of humor). |
| where the betting actually takes place. | | | | This term refers to a horse which in the home |
| In Tattersalls ring, the admission charge covers | | | | straight simply falls out of contention after running |
| admission to the lesser rated silver ring and also | | | | a good race up till that point. Very frustrating for |
| the paddock. | | | | the losing punter. |