The must-know racing lingo for Spring Carnival

The Lay of the Land: Everything you need to know to talk like an expert this Spring Racing Carnival

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Like anything steeped in tradition, and ruled by hard-won knowledge and experience, racing has a language all of its own.

The Ladbrokes InfoHub puts a wealth of information in the palm of your hand, allowing you to get the edge this Spring Carnival.

To the uninitiated, this seemingly impenetrable secret code can be confusing, or even intimidating – but once you start to talk the talk, walking the walk becomes the confident strut of the sport of kings.

To help make that big first step, we’ve put together everything you need to know to talk like an expert this Spring Racing Carnival.

Barriers: The starting gates where each horse is loaded into before the start of a race. When the barriers fly, the race is on.

Best Tote: Best Tote is the highest odds paid of the three main Australian totes and is offered by Ladbrokes for the majority of meetings.

Best Tote or SP: Best Tote or SP refers to the highest odds paid of the three main Australian totes OR the final fixed price offered by Ladbrokes.

Blows: When a previously favoured horse is unwanted in betting before the race and its odds increase substantially. It is never a good sign when your horse has the blows.

Cat: A derogatory term thrown at a horse that always loses in a close finish. Tom Melbourne has been the ultimate cat in recent years.

Connections: The owners and trainer/s of a horse. These are generally the people you see jumping around and celebrating after their horse wins.

Each-Way: An each-way bet combines the win and place bets. If your runners wins, you will collect both a win and a place dividend or if your runner finishes second or third, you will collect the place dividend only.

Exacta: A bet type where you pick the runners you think will finish 1st or 2nd in a race, in the correct finishing order. If you ‘box’ your selections, they can finish 1st or 2nd in any order.

Exotics: A multiple bet such as Quinella, Exacta, Trifecta, First Four or Quadrella.

Favourite: The most popular horse in betting and therefore the one who starts at the shortest odds.

First 4: A bet type where you pick the runners you think will finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th in a race, in the correct finishing order. If you ‘box’ your selections, they can finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th in any order.

First Or Second Payout: Ladbrokes is offering a huge exclusive promotion across selected spring carnival races: if your selection finishes in first OR second place, you’ll get paid as a winner! Be sure to check for the latest and greatest promotions, easily found on the homepage of the Ladbrokes app.

Fixed Price: The Odds received at the time of bet placement.

Fluctuation: The movements of the odds of a runner moving up or down in the betting ring. Thanks to Ladbrokes’ InfoHub, you can keep an eye on the live fluctuations in the lead up to the race, and throughout the day.

InfoHub: The Ladbrokes Infohub contains an enormous array of helpful information, allowing you to bet smarter this Spring Carnival. Features available include a race overview, form guide, betting fluctuations, bet tracker, speed maps and even live video.

Moral: A horse that you are confident can’t be beaten.

Multi: A Multi is the combination of numerous single bets together, therefore multiplying the total odds. Ladbrokes accepts Multis from 2 to 13 legs including a combination of Racing and Sports Multis together.

Multiverse: Ladbrokes’ unique Multiverse allows you to combine Same Game Multis with regular sports and racing bets. Get unmatched betting flexibility with the Ladbrokes Multiverse. It’s the ultimate multi experience.

Odds On: Odds of less than $2. What Winx starts at in every single one of her races.

On The Nose: To back a horse to win the race.

Quaddie: A bet type where you pick the winner from each of the four Quaddie races (as nominated by Ladbrokes) at the one meeting. Each race within a Quaddie is known as a leg.

Roughie: A horse with little chance of winning that will start at longs odds. Roughie can still win though – think Prince of Penzance in the 2015 Melbourne Cup.

Scratching: A horse that has been withdrawn from a race. A late scratching is when a horse is withdrawn after 8am, which can happen just before the start of a race.

Stewards: Racing officials responsible for enforcing the rules of racing. It is a tough job, but somebody has got to do it.

Trifecta: A bet type where you pick the runners you think will finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in a race, in the correct finishing order. If you ‘box’ your selections, they can finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd in any order.

Winx: The best horse in Australia and arguably the world. If there is one horse that you should know, it is Winx.

Is gambling a problem for you? Call Gambling Help on 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au

The Ladbrokes InfoHub is the ace up your sleeve this Spring Racing Carnival: It includes race overviews, form guide, betting fluctuations, bet tracker, speed maps and even live video to make sure you don’t miss a trick.