For the uninitiated, a day at the races can be a bit intimidating. With a long and proud history, the thoroughbred industry has developed a language all of it’s own.
Relax, OutInCanberra is here to help with a guide to all the terms you need to know (both on and off the track) to help you get the most out of this year’s Black Opal.
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Birdcage
Not related to birds (or even Fashions on the Field), this is a nickname for the parade circle where horses are shown prior to the race. Often the place for some great ‘late mail’, this term has been appropriated by a Melbourne Cup marquee that parades B-grade celebrities.

By a Nose
When a horse goes first ‘past the post’ to win the race. Like Olympic sprinting and hooking up during O-Week, getting in first is the name of the game. Unlike many words around the track, ‘by a nose’ is quite visual and, unlike that O-Week hook-up, should result in a ‘photo-finish’.

Camel
Pretty much every horse I have ever bet on. That is, they come ‘stone motherless’ last.

Furlong
An American and European word for a section of track 200 metres long. This is a measurement almost as useful as other ancient variations including fathoms, cubits and bushels, which is why they didn’t teach you this at school.

Late Mail
Derived from ancient times when people would correspond using ‘envelopes’ and ‘stamps’, ‘late mail’ is new information that assists in deciding on a bet that arrives shortly before the race. Often spurious at best, most late mail should be treated like spam.

Roughie
Pretty much the opposite of the favourite, this is a horse that offers pretty high odds, and you throw a couple of dollars on for fun. Another way of describing a roughie is likely to be the horse you placed a bet on because, “it had a really cool name.”

On the Nose
No, not the sweaty, rum-swilling bloke lined up in front of you at the food stall, this means to put a bet on a horse for a ‘win’ only. Second and third place will get you nothing for this bet, even if you lose ‘by a nose’.

Photo Finish
While it would make sense to be the final judgement at Fashions on the Field, a photo-finish occurs when horses thunder past the finish line so closely together that it’s ‘too close to call’. Like red light cameras and every single try in every single rugby league game, technology is used to ensure the final decision is the right one.

Scratching
Not the result of an ill-fitting bra or the rash that comes from sitting on the grass, this is a horse that has withdrawn from its race. A late scratching withdraws only minutes before the race starts, and may only be evident as the horses enter the ‘starting gate’.

Tote (1)
Short for ‘totaliser’, this is the tall, wooden structure in the main betting hall that looks like it was built in the 1800s. The tote is the old-skool way of displaying the odds of horses in the next race, and will soon be all but a memory thanks to the TAB app on your iPhone.

Tote (2)
Named after the bookie’s bag you’ll find next to the tote board, this is the large, voluminous bag that women at the track might carry in order to store spare shoes, compact umbrellas, make-up bags and smuggled-in booze.

Trifecta
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 and 3rd in any order.

Quaddie
Pick the four winners from the four Quaddie races nominated by TAB at the one meeting. You need to nominate at least one selection in all four legs.

Thoroughbred Park have also teamed up with Uber! So if you use the code: BLACKOPAL you’ll receive $20 off your first ride.