Place a bet on all the horses in a race, except one.
Place a bet on all the horses in a race, except one.
This is the designation given to the betting against a particular horse (or small group of horses). If a punter believes a horse is sure to lose he can back all the others – ‘the field’. This was referred to in the 1878 Chambers’s Encyclopedia:
“There are men … ready to lay against any horse and ‘back’ the ‘field’.”
Trend of back the field in printed material over time
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UV W XYZ
American Animals Australian Bible Body Colour Conflict Death Devil Dogs Emotions Euphemism Family Fashion Food French Horses ‘Jack’ Luck Money Military Music Names Nature Nautical Numbers Politics Religion Shakespeare Stupidity Entertainment Weather Women Work
Have you spotted something that needs updated on this page? We review all feedback we receive to ensure that we provide the most accurate and up to date information on phrases.