Cheltenham Day 1: Betfair's ultimate guide to Tuesday at The Cheltenham Festival

• Day 1: everything you need to know

• Full race guide to Tuesday at Cheltenham 

• All race times with stats and trends

• For the latest Betfair Racing odds click here

• Check out our Betfair Tipsters' Best Bets for the Festival

• Bet £10 get £10 on racing multiples every day of Cheltenham Festival

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Cheltenham Day One Market Movers from the Betfair Sportsbook

Cheltenham, 13:20 - Supreme Novices Hurdle - Sober Glory - 10/111.00 into 7/18.00

Cheltenham, 14:40 - Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle - Manlaga - 13/27.50 into 5/16.00

Cheltenham, 15:20 - Ultima Handicap Chase - Knight Of Allen - 20/121.00 into 12/113.00

Cheltenham, 16:40 - Plate Handicap Chase - Zurich - 11/112.00 into 8/19.00

Cheltenham, 17:20 - National Hunt Novices' Handicap Chase - Iceberg Theory - 8/19.00 into 5/16.00

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Cheltenham Weather (Real Time) - Four Day Forecast

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Cheltenham Day 1 Superboost is a Winner! 

The Cheltenham Festival got off to a flyer for more than 31,000 Betfair customers who celebrated a winner with our day one Superboost!

That huge number of punters were on the Betfair Sportsbook's Superboost as Old Park Star won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in a thrilling finish to the day's opening race.

We boosted a top four finish for Nicky Henderson's hurdler from 2/71.29 to even money. 

Keep your eyes peeled for more as we will be back with another Betfair Superboost for day two at the Festival dropping later this afternoon.

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Racing... Only Bettor. Listen to our Cheltenham Festival preview now.

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Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Races - Champion Day

After weeks of anticipation, preview nights and general chat, the time for talking stops on the first day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival and it's time for the equine stars to show us what they can do.

The famous Cheltenham Festival roar will be heard when the starter releases the tape for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at 13:20, and then the races will come thick and fast including the Arkle Novices' Chase before the feature race of the day, the Champion Hurdle, commences at around 16:00.

With four competitive handicaps on Tuesday there's something for everyone, and below we have your day one schedule with market links to every race on the Betfair Sportsbook and BetfairExchange. Note that all market links are now 'Day of the Race' markets and not antepost.

We also have stats and trends for every race while we'll keep you up to date with the latest news, confirmed entries and relevant information on a regular basis from now until the first race of the day.

Tuesday's race schedule:

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Rolling News

Keep checking back for the latest news including significant market changes, jockey injuries and suspensions, confirmed runners and big-name horses that wll miss this year's Cheltenham Festival.

- 8 Mar: Willie Mullins has declared Lossiemouh to run in Tuesday's Champion Hurdle

- 7 Mar: Romeo Coolio removed from Arkle Chase and will instead run in the Brown Advisory

- 4 Mar: Betfair Ambassador Paul Nicholls supplements Tutti Quanti for the Champpion Hurdle

- 4 Mar: Idaho Sun ruled out of Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Second fav Mighty Park confirmed to run

- 27 Feb: Get Katie Midwinter's verdict on the chances of Lulamba in the Arkle Chase here

- 26 Feb: Grand National favourite Iroko to miss Kelso and instead run in the Ultima Handicap

- 25 Feb: Constitution Hill will not run in Champion Hurdle and is in betting for Ebor & Melbourne Cup

- 24 Feb: Decision whether to run Constitution Hill in Champion Hurdle is 50/50 says Nicky Henderson

- 23 Feb: Impressive Pendil Chase winner Jax Junior likely to go for the Arkle says Lucy Wadham

- 20 Feb: Constitution Hill wins Flat race in superb fashion and is now 9/43.25 to win Champion Hurdle

- 17 Feb: Grand National plans scrapped for Myretown and he will bid to win the Ultima Handicap

- 14 Feb: Kingwell Hurdle winner Alexei will go straight to the Champion Hurdle

- 13 Feb: The Betfair Sportsbook is now Non-Runner No Bet on all 28 Cheltenham Festival races

- 11 Feb: Joseph O'Brien says he's inclined to go for the Supreme with top novice Talk The Talk

- 10 Feb: Act Of Innocence scratched from Supreme and will run in the Turners Novices' Hurdle

- 7 Feb: Arkle favourie Lulamba into 6/42.50 after impressive win in Grade 2 Game Spirit at Newbury

- 4 Feb: Oisin Murphy confirmed to ride 2023 Champion Hurdler Constitution Hill at Southwell on 20 Feb

- 2 Feb: Irish Arkle winner Romeo Coolio 7/24.50 second favourite for Arkle Chase behind Lulamba

- 1 Feb: Brighterdaysahead the new 9/43.25 favourite to win Champion Hurdle after success at the DRF

- 25 Jan: Antepost Champion Hurdle favourite Sir Gino ruled out for remainder of the season

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Day 1 Stats and Trends (last 10 winners)

13:20 Supreme Novices' Hurdle

• 9/10 were aged 5yo or 6yo
• 9/10 had won a Graded hurdle
• 9/10 had a starting price in single figures
• 8/10 had won last time out
• 6/10 were Irish-trained
• 3/10 were trained by Willie Mullins
• 3/10 were trained by Nicky Henderson

Record of the Favourites:

Three winners in last 10 years at odds of 4/61.67, 8/111.73 and 9/43.25.

The Grade 1 Supreme Novices' Hurdle is the premier two mile hurdle race for novices and every year attracts a stellar field from the UK and Ireland.

It has a rich history of producing future Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase winners and since the turn of the century has been won by the likes of future stars Brave Inca, Vautour, Douvan, Altior, Shishkin and Constitution Hill, all of who achieved great success after winning this race.

The last named trio of the horses mentioned above were/are all trained by Nicky Henderson, and he is responsible for the current favourite in the race, Old Park Star, who has won all three hurdle starts this season including a Grade 2 contest in impressive fashion last time out.

That means he will fit all of the significant trends for this race - age, last time out winner, Graded hurdle winner and will almost certainly go off at a single figure starting price - as too does one of the other leading market leaders Talk The Talk who won impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival recently.

A big springer in the market is the Willie Mullins-trained Mighty Park, who demands maximum respect given that Mullins has a fabulous record in this race. Mighty Park lacks experience over hurdles and has never run in a Graded race, never mind one won, so that's a negative, but he was a hugely impressive 39 lengths winner of a maiden hurdle last time out and is obviously very highly regarded at home.

Sam Turner's Ante-post Tip:

*Please Note: The prices for Sam's tips shown in this column are what he advised them at antepost and not their current prices.

*You can read Sam's column in full to find out why he's keen on the chances of outsider Sober Glory.

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Read Katie Midwinter's 1-2-3 runner guide to the Supreme Novices' Hurdle here

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14:00 Arkle Chase

• 9/10 were aged 6yo or 7yo
• 8/10 had won a Graded race that season
• 8/10 had won last time out
• 7/10 had no more than three Chase runs
• 5/10 were trained by Willie Mullins
• 4/10 were sent off at odds-on
• 3/10 were trained by Nicky Henderson

Record of the Favourites:

Seven winners in last 10 years at odds of 1/41.25, 1/41.25, 4/91.44, 5/61.84, 11/102.11, 2/13.00 and 5/23.50.

Like the previous race, the Grade 1 Arkle Chase brings together the top two mile novice chases from the UK and Ireland and often produces future star chasers able to win races like the Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and other prestigious Grade 1 races in the National Hunt calendar.

And like the opening race on the first day, Nicky Henderson is once again responsible for the ante-post favourite in the shape of last year's Triumph Hurdle runner-up Lulamba. He has won all three chase starts to date including a Grade 1 and Grade 2, so once again he fits all the significant 10-year trends.

However, it is Willie Mullins who has pretty much dominated the Arkle in recent times, winning the race five times in the last 10 years and six of the last 11 renewals. He is responsible for last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes, though having a minor injury setback and going to Cheltenham having not run since the middle of November might not be the ideal preparation.

In the lead up to the race Mullins has stated that Kopek Des Bordes is in full health and that it's all roads ahead to the Arkle Chase, and on the back of those words he has now leapfrogged Lulamba at the top of the market.

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14:40 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

• 8/10 were Irish-trained
• 8/10 carried a weight between 11st and 11st 9lb
• 8/10 had won previously over hurdles
• 5/10 had a starting price in double figures
• 3/10 were trained by Gordon Elliot
• 3/10 were trained by Joseph O'Brien
• 3/10 were ridden by Mark Walsh

Record of the Favourites:

One winner in last 10 years at odds of 7/24.50.

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15:20 Ultima Handicap Chase

10/10 were British-trained

8/10 were aged between 6yo and 8yo

7/10 were beaten on their previous start

6/10 had a starting price in single figures

3/10 were trained by Lucinda Russell

Record of the Favourites:

Three winners in last 10 years at odds of 5/16.00, 6/17.00 and 13/27.50.

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16:00 Champion Hurdle

• 9/10 were aged between 6yo and 8yo
• 9/10 had won last time out
• 8/10 had won a Grade 1 hurdle
• 8/10 had previously had no more than 12 runs over hurdles
• 8/10 had a startng price of 5/16.00 or shorter
• 4/10 were trained by Nicky Henderson

Record of the Favourites:

Six winners in last 10 years at odds of 4/111.36, 2/51.40, 4/61.67, 8/111.73, 2/13.00 and 5/23.50.

The Grade 1 Champion Hurdle is the feature race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival and the first of the four traditional 'championship' races (along with the Champion Chase, Stayers' Hurdle and the Gold Cup). It is the most prestigious race in the calendar for two mile hurdlers with arguably the biggest hurdling star in the last 30 years, Istabraq, winning the race three years in succession.

Nicky Henderson once again would have been responsible for the ante-post favourite had his star hurdler Sir Gino not suffered a pelvic injury that has ruled him out for the remainder of the season. And Henderson lost another potential favourite for the race, former winner Constitution Hill, who following an impressive Flat debut win at Southwell last month will miss the race in favour of staying on the Flt.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Brighterdaysahead jumped to the top of the ante-post market when winning the Irish Champion Hurdle at the beginning of February, but he has since drifted slightly leaving Dan Skelton's The New Lion as the current market leader in what looks like a far from vintage renewal.

However, the race could gain more strength to it should Willie Mullins decide to run his brillian mare Lossiemouth in the race. At this stage, that looks likely. EDIT: Lossiemouth has been declared to run in the Champion Hurdle.

Sam Turner's Ante-post Tip:

*You can read Sam's column in full to find out why he tipped up Alexei earlier in the season.

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Read Katie Midwinter's 1-2-3 runner guide to the Champion Hurdle here

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16:40 Plate Handicap Chase

10/10 had previously won between 2m3f and 2m5f

8/10 had won a Class 3 race or higher

7/10 had an Official Rating between 140 and 145

7/10 had previously had no more than 11 runs over fences

6/10 carried no more than 10st 13lb

Record of the Favourites:

Four winners in last 10 years at odds of 9/43.25, 3/14.00, 10/34.33 and 5/16.00.

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17:20 National Hunt Novices' Handicap Chase

• 8/10 had previously run at the Cheltenham Festival
• 7/10 had not won on their previous start
• 7/10 were Irish-trained
• 7/10 had a starting price in single figures
• 6/10 were aged 7yo
• 3/10 were trained by Willie Mullins
• 3/10 were ridden by Patrick Mullins

Record of the Favourites:

Two winners in last 10 years at odds of 10/111.91 and 7/24.50.

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Cheltenham Festival Naps - Our expert picks

We asked five of Betfair's racing tipsters to come up with their Nap selections for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, and below you can see a summary of what they selected and why. 

Mark Milligan, Alan Dudman, James Mackie, Sam Turner and Katie Midwinter also give their Next Best selection, an outsidter to follow, and a fancied runner to oppose, and you can read the column in full here.

Tipster	Horse	Race	Day	Best Odds	Why?
Katie Midwinter	Kopek Des Bordes	Arkle Novices' Chase	Tuesday 10th March	6/42.50	Brilliant winner of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle last year and should have too much speed and class for his rivals.
Mark Milligan	The New Lion	Champion Hurdle	Tuesday 10th March	15/82.88	I've been gradually warming to him and he now ranks as my best bet in what looks a sub-standard Champion Hurdle.
Alan Dudman	Majborough	Champion Chase	Wednesday 11th March	8/111.73	He's a bigger price this year than the 1/21.50 he was last year and judging on his last win he's now a more polished and safe jumper.
James Mackie	Bambino Fever	Mares Novices' Hurdle	Thursday 12th March	4/51.80	She improved massively on her second start over hurdles and I expect her to improve again for returning to Cheltenham.
Sam Turner	Ma Shantou	Stayers' Hurdle	Thursday 12th March	6/17.00	He has already established himself as a course specialist courtesy of three track wins this season and he looks a fair price to land the nap.

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Betting on the Cheltenham Festival

There are many ways you can bet on the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, either on the Betfair Exchange or on the Betfair Sportsbook, with the most popular and traditional way being to back on individual races via either win or each-way bets.

All 28 of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival races are now priced up for ante-post purposes on the Betfair Sportsbook while all 15 Graded races, plus the Cross Country Chase, have ante-post markets on the Betfair Exchange (markets for the handicaps will appear soon). The Non-Runner No Bet markets, meaning that if your ante-post selection becomes a non runner then you get your money back, are now live for all 28 Cheltenham Festival races.

The 'day of the race' markets typically appear around 48 hours before racing should you want to wait until the final declarations (runners and riders) are known.

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Betfair Safer Gambling: A range of tools to help

Betfair is committed to safer gambling and here you can find out about the tools that help you set your budget, keep track of your spend, take a break when you need it, and more. Click here for full details.

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And you don't just have to back singles. You can include more than one selection in what is called a multiple.

A selection in two different races combined in a multiple is called a double, three races it's a treble, and four or more races is often referred to as an acca (accumulator).

Closer to the races Betfair will be enhancing odds on certain horses, enhancing the place terms for each-way betting on some races (6 places paid instead of 4 for example), and providing plenty of 'specials' which can include a boosted price for a jockey to ride 2+ winners, or a horse to win by over 5 lengths, among many other specials.

And keep an eye out for the daily Betfair Superboost, where the Betfair Sportsbook will select a strongly-fancied odds-on shot - whether it be a horse to win or a horse to finish in a certain number of places - and superboost the price to 1/12.00 or even bigger.

From the Horse Racing section on the Betfair Sportsbook, simply click on the Specials tab to see all the offers for that day, Betfair Exchange specials can be found here.

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Betfair Education - Betting Explained

We understand and appreciate that not everyone betting on this year's Cheltenham Festival will be familiar with how it all works, and that to some new customers it may appear a bit daunting at first.

With so much information already given in this guide you might just want to jump straight in and place some bets. If that's the case, then we have you covered.

Within our excellent Betting Explained section on betting.betfair.com you will find all the educational pieces that you will need to place a bet.

You might just want to know what the simplest types of bets are available to you, or how betting odds work, and even how to place a bet on either the Betfair Sportsbook or Betfair Exchange.

Click the links below for some popular Betting Explained articles for beginners.

- What are the simplest types of bet? Click here.

- How do odds work? Click here.

- How to place a bet on the Betfair Exchange. Click here.

- How to place a bet on the Betfair Sportsbook. Click here.

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Cheltenham Top Jockey Betting

Another popular way to bet on the 2026 Cheltenham Festival is to have a bet in the Cheltenham Top Jockey market on the Betfair Sportsbook (click on the Cheltenham tab and scroll down to the Top Jockey market).

This can be a fun way of having an interest in all 28 races at the Festival, cheering on the jockey you have backed in races that they're riding in, and hoping that a potential danger to your bet - a jockey you haven't backed - doesn't win a race in any contest that your selection isn't riding in.

Paul Townend, winner of this award for the last four years, is the current favourite at 1/12.00, and he'll be riding a lot of the Willie Mullins fancied runners, so his chances of making it five top jockey titles on the bounce are obvious.

But a below par week for Mullins, or dare we say it, an injury to Townend, then the door would be well and truly open for another jockey to win the title. Below is Townend's current form, which will update in real time.

Mark Walsh will have a very strong book of rides as the retained rider for the JP McManus-owned horses and he'll be desperate to take the prize given that this will be the last Cheltenham Festival he will ride in as the McManus retained rider as Harry Cobden is set to take that role after the current season. Walsh is the 7/42.75 second favourite in the market.

Third favourite in the market, Jack Kennedy at 9/25.50, will also have a very strong book of rides as the retained rider of Gigginstown and no one would begrudge him winning the top jockey honours after missing plenty of festivals due to some horrendous injuries.

Nico de Boinville will have a strong book of rides, especially on the opening day riding mostly for Nicky Henderson, and he is 20/121.00 in the market, while Harry Skelton has been backed as a decent outsider in recent days and is now 8/19.00 from 16/117.00 which is no surprise given the ammunition that trainer Dan Skelton has and their excellent record in the handicaps.

So if you can't decide on a runner, then how about just picking a rider and keeping an eye on that jockey all week?

Cheltenham leading jockey and no. of wins in last eight years:

2025 - Paul Townend (4)
2024 - Paul Townend (6)
2023 - Paul Townend (5)
2022 - Paul Townend (5)
2021 - Rachael Blackmore (6)
2020 - Paul Townend (5)
2019 - Nico de Boinville (3)
2018 - Davy Russell (4)

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Cheltenham Top Trainer Betting

Just like the top jockey market, on the Betfair Sportsbook there is a Cheltenham Top Trainer market available to bet on.

It works in exactly the same way as the top jockey - whoever trains the most winners at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival wins the award - though sadly, it's not a very competitive market with Willie Mullins a long odds-on shot at 1/51.20 to take the leading trainer honours. Below is Mullins' current form, which will update in real time.

Mullins has won the award at 11 of the last 13 festivals, and the two that he didn't win went to his Irish counterpart Gordon Elliott!

Elliott is the second favourite in the market this year at 5/16.00, while third favourite Dan Skelton, like his brother Harry in the Top Jockey market, has been very well backed in recent days and is now 12/113.00. Nicky Henderson has lost some of his big guns recently with the absence of Sir Gino and Constitution Hill, but he still has a lot of fancied runners including Old Park Star and Lulamba, and he might be a decent outsider at 20/121.00.

Cheltenham leading trainer and no. of wins in last eight years:

2025 - Willie Mullins (10)
2024 - Willie Mullins (9)
2023 - Willie Mullins (6)
2022 - Willie Mullins (10)
2021 - Willie Mullins (6)
2020 - Willie Mullins (7)
2019 - Willie Mullins (4)
2018 - Gordon Elliott (8)

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Horse Racing Jargon Buster

When it comes to betting, no sport has its own jargon more than Horse Racing.

From an Acca to a Yankee (we can't think of a term that starts with Z), taking in a Jolly and a Steamer, racing is full of weird and wacky terminology that you'll hear and read on a daily basis.

But what does it all mean? Fear not, we have you covered with our in-depth jargon buster below.

Accumulator (Acca)

In simple terms an accumulator is a bet consisting of at least two selections (legs) where all parts of the bet must be successful to secure a payout, with the winnings from the first part of the acca rolling onto the next part and so on.

However, a bet containing just two selections is referred to as a double, while three selections is called a treble, so the term Accumulator or Acca usually refers to a bet that contains at least four selections.

Ante-post

A betting market that appears well in advance of a race's scheduled start time, often meaning you can get bigger odds about your selection.

Back

A 'back' bet on a horse means you're backing that horse to either win or place if it's an each-way bet.

Banker

A horse that is very likely to win, or a horse that is by far your strongest selection if backing more than one, is considered to be a banker.

Betting Exchange

A platform through which gamblers can bet directly against each other on a peer-to-peer betting network, rather than a bookmaker. Betting exchanges like the Betfair Exchange allow lay bets to be made, as well as win and place bets, meaning that gamblers can bet on hores to lose.

Bookmaker

A bookmaker is the organisation that provides odds on the outcome of horse races in order to accept bets based on predictions by customers.

Cash Out

The process of taking a payout offered by your bookmaker before the full completion of the bet.

Dead Heat

When two or more horses cross the winning line at exactly the same time a dead heat is declared the result, meaning both (or all) horses are deemed the winner.

Double

A bet that contains just two horses in two different races whereby both horses must win to guarantee a return.

Drifter

A horse that is regularly getting bigger in price (its odds are lengthening) is referred to as a drifter.

Each-Way

An each-way bet is available in horse races that feature a winner and a number of other horses finishing in a sequence of places.

The bet involves a single selection but is comprised of two bets: a 'win bet' and a 'place bet'. The same horse is thereby backed to win the event at set odds, and backed to finish within a range of places at different odds. The each-way bet will provide a payout if either part of the bet proves successful.

Favourite

The shortest priced horse in the race, the market leader.

Fell (F)

Signified by a letter F in a form line, fell means that a horse tripped up, or didn't clear an obstacle in jump racing.

Flip-flop

When a favourite in a race drifts in price and/or the second favourite shortens in price meaning they swap positions at the head of the market, the favourites are said to flip-flop.

Forecast

A bet consisting of two horses where both must finish first and second in the order that you predict to guarantee a return.

Gamble

A gamble is a term used for a horse that has been significantly backed, whether it be by just a small number of punters for large stakes, or by many punters for smaller stakes, resulting in the horse's odds shortening considerably.

Going

The term used to describe how soft or hard the ground is on turf racing. In the UK the going ranges from Heavy (very soft ground) to Firm (hard ground) though the latter is a going you will rarely get these days because of horse welfare and the ability for racecourses to add water to the ground to make it less firm.

In-Running (In-Play)

A form of betting that has become hugely popular through online betting sites, and involves placing a bet on a horse after the racet has started but before the race concluds, hence betting In-Running. It is also referred to as In-Play, especially in sporting events other than horse racing.

Jolly

Another term used for the favourite in a horse race.

Jumps

The code of racing whereby most races are contested on a racecourse that contains 'jumps' in the form of hurdles and fences. Officially it is called National Hunt racing, but jumps is a more commonly used term. The jumps season usually runs from mid autumn to late spring.

Lay

On a betting exchange a customer can play a lay bet, which effectively means that you're backing a horse NOT to win. Laying a horse to win a race for example means that you're betting that it doesn't win the race and therefore every other horse in the race is on your side.

Long-shot

A horse who appears to have a low chance of winning and therefore is priced at big odds, 33/134.00 for example.

Lucky 15

A popular form of bet consisting of four different horses in four different races, making up 15 bets (4 x singles, 6 x doubles, 4 x trebles and 1 x four-fold). Just one horse must win to guarantee a return.

Market Mover

A horse that significantly moves in price, either by shortening - 10/111.00 into 3/14.00 for example - or by lengthening in price - 2/13.00 out to 6/17.00. A horse that significantly shortens in price is called a postive market mover while a horse that significantly lengthens in price is classed a a negative market mover.

Nap

A 'Nap' is often used by tipsters and simply means what is, in their opinion, their strongest fancy if they have put up two or more selections.

Non-Runner

Non-Runner means that a horse that was originally due to take part in a race is no longer going to take part, hence being a non-runner.

Non-Runner Money-Back

Non-Runner Money-Back (NRMB), also known as Non-Runner No-Bet (NRNB), is a concession that bookmakers will offer on some ante-post markets and simply means that should you back a horse that doesn't take part in the race, then you will get your stake back.

Odds

Also referred to as the price. Odds are the returns a bookmaker offers for a horse to win.

Odds-against

A price where the odds are bigger than 1/12.00 (fractional) or 2.01/1 (decimal); 2/13.00 for example.

Odds-on

A price where the odds are less than 1/12.00 (fractional) or 2.01/1 (decimal); 1/21.50 for example.

On the nose

To back a horse to win only without any consideration to backing it each-way. The term is derived from the fact that to determine the winner of a horse race, the first body part of a horse used when crossing the winning line is the nose.

Outsider

A horse who is deemed to have the least chance of winning in a race and therefore has the biggest betting odds.

Photo Finish

When two or more horses cross the winning line in very close proximity and it's not obvious which one won, a photo finish is declared, meaning a photograph (or a digital image) is required to determine who crossed the line first.

Pillar to Post

A term used for a horse that leads all the way (from start to finish) and wins a race.

Place Bet

A place bet involves backing a selection to finish in a particular place, or within a range of places, in a horse race.

Price

Also referred to as the odds. Price is the returns a bookmaker offers for a horse to win.

Pulled-Up (P)

Signified by a letter P in a form line, pulled-up means a horse was prevented from finishing a race by its jockey. This usually occurs when a horses gets injured in a race or is so far behind in a race that for its welfare it is better to pull it up rather than continue to race.

Punter

The individual or customer who places a bet.

Return

The money to be returned to the customer if a bet is successful.

Rule 4

A rule that allows a bookmaker to deduct a percentage of a customer's winnings should a horse become a non-runner AFTER the customer has backed a horse at a certain price.

Single

The simplest of all bets and means to back just one selection, whether to win or each-way, in a particular horse race.

Starting Price or SP

The starting price is the odds for each hose at the time of a race commencing, and is used to determine the payout to a customer if they didn't take an earlier price.

Stake

The amount of money that you bet on a horse.

Steamer

Similar to a gamble, a steamer is a horse that is being backed regularly meaning a significant shortening in the price.

Tailed Off

The term used for a horse that is a huge distance behind the rest of the runners during a race, and therefore has very little or no chance of winning.

Tip

A selection that is put up or advertised by a respected tipster. A tip can also be valuable but not widely known information about a horse - an owner telling a friend that his horse has been training really well for example, and therefore has a good chance of winning a race.

Trainer

The official name given to a person who holds a license to train horses and is therefore responsible for planning and entering horses into races.

Treble

A bet that contains three horses in three different races whereby all horses must win to guarantee a return.

Tricast

A bet consisting of three horses where all must finish first, second and third in the order that you predict to guarantee a return.

Unseated Rider (UR)

Signified by a letter U in a form line, unseated rider means a jockey came out of the saddle and fell of the horses during a race. This usually happens when a horse makes a mistake at a hurdle or fence but doesn't actually fall itself, it just unbalances the jockey resulting in an un-seat.

Void bet

A bet which is declared invalid. The stake is returned to the customer without deduction.

Yankee

A popular form of bet consisting of four different horses in four different races, making up 11 bets (6 x doubles, 4 x trebles and 1 x four-fold). At least two horses must win to guarantee a return.

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