Racehorses are also described by their colour and markings and information about a horses colour will be shown in the race card.
Bay (race card abbreviation = b): a term that describes a variety of shades of brown, from light to dark. A bay horse will have a black mane and black tail. Bays are the most common colour of racehorse.
Brown (br): a horse registered as brown will be brown all over, including its tail and mane
Chestnut (ch): will have a red/gold hue to its coat and have a similar colour in its mane and tail
Grey (gr): ranges from almost white to dark grey
Roan (ro): a mix of white and a number of colours
Black (bl) and white (wh): horses that a truly black or white are rare to see
Newmarket racecourse runs a race solely for grey horses. The Grey Horse Handicap is a six furlong sprint for grey horses aged three years and older. In 2012 the race attracted 15 runners and was won by Medici Time. There is no doubt that the sight of 15 grey horses charging down the track is an arresting one.
