Crossword Genius

The horses in the racket (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

string

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'the horses' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'in the racket' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'in' is present in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for string that I've seen before include "Violin wire" , "How long could a piece of it be?" , "This vest is made of large mesh" , "Cord, twine" , "light cord" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail and The Irish Independent.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.