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Definition

Scratched

Also known as Scratch, Withdrawn, Non-Runner, NR

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In short

A scratched horse has been withdrawn from a race after entries closed. Bets on it are normally refunded, and bets on the remaining runners may be reduced by a Rule 4 deduction.

A scratching is a withdrawal. The horse was entered and declared but will not run, because of injury, ground conditions, a veterinary issue, or a decision by connections.

Scratched is the standard American term; British and Irish racing says non-runner, abbreviated NR on racecards.

What happens to your bet

If you backed the scratched horse:

  • Standard fixed-odds bets are voided and the stake returned
  • Ante-post bets lose the stake entirely: this is the defining risk of betting well in advance
  • Non-runner no bet markets refund the stake, which is what they exist for

If you backed another horse: your bet stands, but a Rule 4 deduction may reduce your winnings. The shorter the withdrawn horse’s price, the larger the deduction, because the race just got easier for your selection and your price no longer reflects that.

Bets taken at starting price are exempt, since the SP is set after the withdrawal.

Timing matters

  • Withdrawn before the market reopens: the market is usually reformed at new prices with no deduction
  • Withdrawn after betting has reopened. Rule 4 applies to bets taken at the old prices
  • Withdrawn at the start, having come under starter’s orders. Treatment varies by operator, and this is the case most likely to produce a dispute

Reading the card

Non-runners are announced progressively: at the overnight declaration stage, on the morning of the race, and occasionally at the track. Large fields in big handicaps commonly lose several runners, which is why field size for each-way place terms is determined by the number of horses that actually start, not the number declared.

Common questions

What happens to my bet if a horse is scratched?

Standard fixed-odds bets are voided and the stake returned. Ante-post bets lose the stake entirely, which is the defining risk of betting early. Non-runner no bet markets refund the stake, which is what they exist for.

Does a scratching affect bets on other horses?

It can. A Rule 4 deduction may reduce your winnings, scaled by the withdrawn horse's price. The shorter that horse was, the bigger the cut, because the race just became easier for your selection.

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