Today’s Non Runners in Horse Racing

It’s an occupational hazard in the sport of horse racing that today’s non runners happen. Abbreviated to NR and sometimes still referred to as scratched from race they intended to run it, horses are absent from the track for a variety of reasons on a daily basis.

We’ll come on to those later. First of all, we know you want to know right away what today’s non-runners are, so check out the list below:

The Importance Of Today’s Non-Runners

You may be wondering what all the fuss is about. This page discusses and lists erstwhile entrants in horse races in the UK and Ireland that aren’t actually taking part anymore.

Well, today’s horse racing non runners matter. Why? Their absence from the line-up after the final declaration stage can affect ante post bets and impact the market. Everyone involved with betting on horse racing with on-course and online bookmakers works on the assumption that every declared runner turns up on the day.

That is all bookie traders and those giving horse racing tips can do. In practice, of course, things can turn out quite different. Today’s racing non-runners are often the result of subsequent happenings.

Say a favourite is withdrawn from the final field. The market can’t carry on as if nothing happened. A Rule 4 deduction applies to all bets placed before the time of withdrawal and said horse came out of the race, then traders form a new market.

Although it infuriates punters, it is the only way to be fair to the bookies. The shorter the price of the favourite who is now among today’s non runners, the larger the deduction based on 5p intervals for every Pound Sterling (£) bet.

Paying attention to the horses that actually come under starter’s orders on the track has real significance, then. No owner or trainer of a racehorse sets out with the intention of adding to today’s non runners in horse racing or spoiling your patent bet, but circumstances arise from time to time that result in it.

Why Aren’t Today’s Non Runners Taking Part?

There are all sort of reasons why NR might appear next to the names of horses on today’s racecards in the British Isles. These equine animals are like people.

They have good days and bad days with illness and injuries. Certain horses like certain types of going better than others. There are any number of explanations behind today’s horse racing non-runners.

Each of the following in the list below is a valid reason accepted by stewards that has appeared in official horse racing results in the past:

• Bereavement – if the owner or a member of their family has died.
• Declared in error – for genuine administrative mistakes.
• Got loose – when a horse unseats its rider on the way to post, or breaks out of the starting stalls during the loading process before the race is off.
• Illness – horses can pick up infections and sickness just like us.
• Injured in transit – when runners sustain an injury in their horsebox on the way to the races.
• In season – only applies to fillies and mares.
• Not qualified – if a horse no longer meets race conditions or criteria.
• Off feed – when a horse hasn’t eaten up on the morning of the race.
• Self certificate – a trainer can self certify without giving a specific reason.
• Stone bruise – if a horse has been to have bruised its hoof.
• Travel problems – should a horsebox be caught up in traffic and miss the race, or bad weather cause an overseas ferry to be cancelled.
• Unsuitable ground – when the going isn’t conducive to the horse in question.
• Upset in stalls – if a horse becomes restless in the starting gates of a Flat race.
• Veterinary examination – when the horse fails a check from vets.

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