When I was a lad in Harrogate, we had occasion to use the term 'Yank' fairly often because of the Top Secret listening base at Menwith Hill (which doesn't exist). I never heard the term used as an intentional insult. The Yanks mostly came into town to buy Cuban cigars, which they were surprised and delighted to find freely available to buy in shops. It wasn't really allowed, but they occasionally stayed to enjoy a quiet evening apperitif.

A more common use of the term was to describe a bet on four horses. You get all the cross-doubles, cross trebles, and the accumulator. Nothing for a single win. 11 bets in total.
A 5 horse bet is a Super Yankee, also, interestingly called a Canadian, and one is called a Heinz because it's 57 bets in total (7 horses? Can't remember and can't be bothered to work it out). When I first discovered this little avenue of pleasure, off-course betting was illegal but available in a back-room near The Castle pub.


A wager on four selections and consisting of 11 separate bets: 6 doubles, 4 trebles and a fourfold accumulator. A minimum two selections must win to gain a return