The racetrack, like any other sport, has developed its own language over the years. If the phrase `betting a monkey on the accumulator` leaves you staring blankly into space spend a few minutes catching up on the terms below:

Accumulator: Placing a double bet where the winnings for the first race are used as the stake on the second.

Allowance: When a rider is inexperienced the horse is given a weight concession to compensate.

All Weather Racing: racing that takes place on an artificial surface Amateur (rider): if a rider is an amateur when their name is written down, for example on race cards, they are prefixed by Mr, Mrs, etc.

Ante-Post: placing a bet during a period in advance of the date of a race, although not including the date itself.

Apprentice: a trainee jockey apprenticed to a licensed trainer - usually by annual contract. An apprentice will generally ride only flat races.

Backward: Describes a horse that is either too young or not fully fit.

Clerk of the course: The person in overall charge of running the race

Colours: refers to the silk shirts worn by the jockeys. Each trainer/jockey will have their own colours.

Colt: ungelded, male horse up to four years old.

Conditional Jockey: Same as apprentice but it also allowed to jump.

Connections: usually refers to the owner and trainer of a horse, but also applies generally to anyone involved.

Course Specialist: a horse which is used to a track, and has either won or made good time on previous races.

Distance: can refer either to a) the length of a race; or b) the distance by which a horse has won or is beaten by a horse in front that has won.

Distance, the: an unmarked placing 240 yards from the winning post.

Draw: refers to a horse`s placing in the starting stalls. For flat racing only. Stall numbers are drawn at random.

Even Money or Evens: or 1:1 bet. When your stake brings equal winnings - for example £10 evens wins £10

Filly: female horse up to four years old.

Foal: In racing the term foal is more complicated than simply a `baby` horse. It usually refers to either a male or female horse from birth to January 1st of the following year.

Furlong: 220 yards

Gelding: a male horse that has been castrated.

Going: describes the condition of the racecourse. Ranks as: heavy - soft - good to soft - good - good to firm -firm.

Green: refers to an inexperienced horse.

Hand: unit in which a horse`s height is measured, at the shoulder. A hand is four inches

Handicap: A race where each horse is allocated a different weight to carry, the theory being all horses then run on a fair and equal basis

Jolly: the favourite in a race

Judge: the official who determines the finishing order of a race.

Juvenile: two-year-old horse.

Maiden: a horse that has not won a race. Mare: female horse over five years old.

Monkey: £500.

Nursery: A handicap for two year old horses

Objection: a complaint by a jockey against another.

Odds On: betting odds where the winnings are less than the stake.

Off the bit/Off the bridle: describes a horse being pushed and losing contact with the bit in its mouth.

On the bit/On the bridle: describes a horse pushing himself, still having a bite on the bit.

Open Ditch: steeplechase jump with a ditch on the side facing the jockey.

Over the Top: when a horse is considered to have hit its peak for that season.

Penalty: a weight added to the handicap weight of a horse

Photo Finish: a photo is automatically taken as the horses pass the winning line and when the race is too close to be judged the photo is referred to

Plate: racing shoe worn by a horse Pony: £25.

Racecard: a programme for the day`s racing.

Run Free: a horse going too fast

Schooled: a horse trained for jumping

Scope: the potential in a horse.

Selling Race: A race where the winner is sold by auction immediately afterwards

Short runner: a horse who barely stays, or doesn`t stay, the full distance of a race.

Sire: father of a horse.

Spread a plate: when a horse loses a shoe SP/Starting Price: an estimation of odds available when the race starts.

Stewards: the group of people (usually 4) who make sure the rules are adhered to.

Stewards Enquiry: an enquiry by the stewards into a race. Tic-Tac: the hand signals, or sign language, used by bookmakers to converse with eachother.

Under Starters Orders or Under Orders: refers to the starting of a race. They`re off refers to the horses leaving the stalls. Walkover: a race involving only one horse and jockey.

Weigh In / Weigh Out: where a jockey is weighed to make sure he is the required and stated weight.

Yearling: a horse of either sex during 1 January to 31 December following the year of its birth.