Horse Racing. In a handicap race: a horse carrying a light weight or light handicap. Also: a jockey riding at a low weight.

colloquial. A horse with good endurance or staying power.

Elliptical uses of the adjective. Horse Racing. A racehorse that has not yet won a race; a race or class open only to such horses.

Horse Racing, etc. The competitor or competing animal generally favoured or ‘fancied’, as being most likely to win.

a horse trained to race over the mile distance.

Originally Horse Racing. A horse generally expected not to win or be placed in a particular race, and against which long odds are laid. Now also…

A person or animal of more than the average weight; spec. a jockey, etc., of more than the average weight; a professional boxer weighing over 12 st…

Sport. A person or animal having great ‘staying power’.

In combination with prefixed numeral: A person weighing, or a horse carrying, (so many) stone (stone, n. 14).

an outsider at very long odds; also in extended use.

Originally Betting colloquial. A competitor fancied as a likely winner, esp. in a race; a favourite; (more generally) a tip, a recommended…

Horse Racing slang. A horse on which a large sum is staked; the favourite in a race. Obsolete.

With specifying adjective. A person, horse, etc., that completes, or has the ability to complete, a course or race in a fast time. Frequently in fast…

Horse Racing colloquial. A horse which unexpectedly recovers form or vigour during the course of a race. Obsolete. rare.

(a) Physical Anthropology a brachycephalic person; (b) Horse Racing a distance less than the length of a horse's head; a horse that has lost by a…

colloquial (now Australian). A competitor, esp. a racehorse, likely or generally favoured to win; the favourite in a contest; a person in a strong or…

A certainty (esp. in a dead cert); spec. in horse racing, a horse that is considered certain to win.

slang. A racehorse which is unikely to win; spec. one which is not intended to win. Cf. A. 2b. U.S. slang.

Horse Racing. Of a horse: Held in check so as to cause him to lose the race. Also figurative.

figurative. Horse Racing slang. on the mark: on target to win or succeed; in with a chance; (gen.) correct or precise in judgement (cf. on the money…

a horse which comes in among those placed (see place, v. 7a).

the heaviest weight carried by a horse in a race; also transferred a horse carrying this weight.

An athlete or a racehorse specializing or competing in mile races. Also (with a prefixed numeral): an athlete or horse trained in competing, or best…

A horse which fails to win (or to be placed) among the first three finishers. Hence: an athlete, team, etc., whose performance in competition is…

Horse Racing. The horse or horses selected by a racing prophet as likely to win or obtain a place.

A horse that loses in a race.

Horse Racing slang (chiefly Australian). A heavily backed favourite. Cf. hot, adj. 12e.

Australian and New Zealand. Chiefly in dog and horse racing: an outsider.

Sport. An equal or joint favourite (cf. favourite, n. 1b).

A horse which is deliberately prevented from winning one race in order to secure a handicap in another. Cf. ready, v. 4a.

Originally Horse Racing slang. A racehorse on which the betting odds suddenly shorten.

= favourite, n. 1b, as in the results of a horse race.

Sport. A horse or other animal withdrawn from the list of entries for a race or other competition.

slang. A racehorse with no prospect of winning; a rank outsider.

In Horse Racing, a predetermined or ‘fixed’ race, or the winner of it. Hence loosely, a horse which is a certain winner.

A winner, esp. of a horse race. Cf. score, v. 16e.