Have you ever placed a bet on a horse racing fixture and had less returned to you than expected? Maybe you’ve been told there was a reduction in the price of your bet or were left wondering why your each-way bet didn’t come through. The most likely reason is that your horse became a non-runner. But what exactly does that mean? It’s time to saddle up because we have taken a deep dive into what non-runners in horse racing are, how non-runners can affect your bets, and how to stay ahead of the game if a scenario with non-runners arises.
What Are Non-Runners In Horse Racing?
If you are unfamiliar with the term, you may be questioning what ‘non-runner’ means in horse racing. Thankfully, this is pretty simple. Non-runners are horses that were scheduled to participate in a race, but they were withdrawn before it began or during the race. This withdrawal can take place at any time, potentially occurring in the days leading up to the race or between the final declaration and the off. The former of these refers to the racecard being formed and all intended running horses being announced, whereas the latter instead relates to the name given to the start of a horse race.
What’s The Difference Between A Non-Runner And A Withdrawal?
The difference between a non-runner and a withdrawal simply comes down to the timing in which they occur. Usually, a non-runner is known before a race, whereas a withdrawn horse is taken out of the race much later. Although there’s a slight difference in terminology at the time, a withdrawal will ultimately become a non-runner once the race is over. If you want to familiarise yourself with any other horse racing terminology, then you could take a look at the fully detailed horse racing betting guide we also have on-site.
Common Reasons For Horses Becoming Non-Runners
Horse racing non-runners can occur for a number of reasons, whether that be uncertainty about the conditions of the ground, injury or illness on the jockey or horse’s behalf or even if it is ineligible to run in certain races due to previous wins. However, certain reasons are a little bit more in-depth.
For example, sometimes a horse will be declared on the race card but with an additional site note of it being ‘doubtful’ from the trainer. This could be dependent on the condition of the ground at the time of the race-off and whether or not it will suit the horse in question.
Non-runners in horse racing may also be declared due to an injury in transit. Therefore, a horse may be declared unfit to run on the day of the race due to these unforeseen circumstances.
In the instance a horse bolts just before the off, this may also be enough to declare a horse racing non-runner. This is especially the case if there is not enough time to catch it before the race begins or, in the scenario, a replacement jockey is required.
The number of horses entered into a race, as well as the type of race, can also contribute to the occurrence of horse racing non-runners. For example, if a specific runner has been entered into multiple races over a 2-3 day period and happens to win the first one, this could exclude it from Maiden races as it will, therefore, no longer be able to run. This is simply down to the fact Maiden races are exclusive for horses who haven’t won a race previously.
How Non-Runners Affect Different Types Of Bets
When it comes to sports betting, non-runners can be affected by different types of bets. For example, when it comes to single bets, if your chosen horse is declared as a non-runner, then your original stake will likely be refunded to you by the bookmaker due to the bet in question being voided.
In regards to accumulator bets, however, that leg will specifically become void. This will then be removed from the multiple, and the odds of your accumulator will be reduced accordingly. As a consequence of this, though, the potential return, should the other legs of your accumulator win, will also be reduced because it now relies on a few events and correctly predicted outcomes. Should you need to calculate any potential returns before placing a multiple-selection wager, the accumulator betting calculator could be the ideal tool.
How Your Bet Will Be Affected If It’s Not Your Horse That’s Withdrawn
It is also possible that your bet will be affected if the horse that is declared a non-runner is not your selection; however, this is not always the case. When a horse is withdrawn from a race, the bookmaker then has to re-price the race card. All odds and prices are set so that the sportsbook covers 100% of the horse race, plus a bit of commission on their end in some cases.
For example, let’s say a bookmaker has a horse race in which all 8 runners are equal in terms of ability and form. This would see all of the runners priced at 7/1 as they would each have a 1 in 8 chance of winning in theory. Through this, the bookmaker has balanced the racecard, having all outcomes covered.
However, if one of those horses gets withdrawn, there are only 7 horses left in the race. Presuming they all still have the same equal chance of winning, that chance is now 1 in 7. In this case, the bookie must reduce the odds to 6/1 or 7.00 to keep their book square. This reduction in price isn’t always as straightforward as the above example, though as runners typically aren’t all priced evenly to start with.
What Is A Rule 4 Reduction?
The way in which horse racing non-runners are accurately adjusted for, however, is with bookmakers applying Reduction Factors. This avoids any complex calculations being required in any instance of a horse non-runner, with this frequently being referred to as a Rule 4 Reduction. This is decided based on the price of the withdrawn horse, with the purpose of the rule being to ensure fairness and to adjust the odds to reflect the change in circumstances.
Originally, there was a specific set of rules on horse racing betting that bookmakers had to follow. These were known as “Tattersall’s” Rules of Racing”, and the particular rule that covered suggested price reduction bands was number 4 on the list.
Let’s say you place a bet on a horse at certain odds, and then another horse is withdrawn from the race. This will see the odds of the remaining participants be recalculated to account for the reduced competition. The calculator in question is referred to as a Rule 4 deduction.
The amount of the Rule 4 deduction depends on the odds of the horse being a non-runner, as well as the time of its withdrawal. The higher the odds of the non-runner, the lower the deduction will likely be. This deduction is made from the potential winnings for the bets already placed rather than the original stake.
The purpose of the rule 4 deduction is to protect both bettors and bookmakers at the same time. This makes sure that the prices and any potential returns are adjusted accurately when any unexpected developments or changes occur. Applying this horse racing non-runner rule, the odds of the race card now accurately reflect the new betting landscape.
How To Use The Rule 4 Calculator
Although all of this may sound complex, there is a Rule 4 calculator right here at OddsMonkey that easily recalculates any affected bets. If a non-runner in horse racing were to occur for one of your selected races, this handy tool only requires a few pieces of key information relating to your bet. This includes things such as your stake, the type of bet placed, the odds of your selected horse, the result of the race and the value of the Rule 4 deduction. Once all of this information has been input into this horse racing non-runner calculator, this can easily determine the potential return of your selections.
Could A Non-Runner Affect My Each Way Bets?
If you are someone who frequently places each-way bets, horse racing non-runners can also affect these types of wagers. It’s important to note that the exact impact of a non-runner on each-way bets can vary depending on the specific rules and conditions set by the bookmaker or the racecourse. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check with the relevant bookmaker or refer to their specific terms and conditions to understand how a non-runner will affect your each-way bet in a particular race.
When a non-runner affects an each-way bet in horse racing, it typically results in a change to the terms of the bet. The “win” part of an each-way bet is a wager on the chosen horse to finish first in the race. The “place” part of the bet is a wager on the horse to finish within a specified number of places, which can vary depending on the number of runners and the specific race conditions. The odds and potential returns correlating to this type of bet could be determined thanks to an each-way calculator!
If a non-runner occurs before the race starts, the each-way bet may be subject to a Rule 4 deduction, as covered above. The Rule 4 deduction applies to the potential winnings of the bet, not the original stake, and it is based on the odds of the withdrawn horse at the time of its withdrawal.
In terms of the “place” part of the each-way bet, the number of places paid out may be adjusted if a non-runner occurs in horse racing. The terms for place payouts are usually determined by the number of runners in the race. If there are fewer runners due to a non-runner, the number of places paid out may be reduced accordingly. For example, if the original terms were to pay out in the first three places, but there is a non-runner, the terms might be adjusted to pay out in the first two places only.
Non-Runners Affect On Matched Betting
If you are someone who utilises matched betting, horse racing non-runners can also affect your back bets and lay bets should your selection be ruled out of a race. Not to worry, however, as here at OddsMonkey, we have all the right tools, from the betting calculators we have already mentioned all the way to a series of other resources on our matched betting blog that can help you work around these horse racing withdrawals.
