The art of naming a horse: Wear The Fox Hat and other rejected racehorse names

Racing boards check-off names to make sure they are appropriate. Photo / Nick Reed

They are the rudest, funniest and - in some cases - the most inappropriate racing horse names you will never hear.

Wear The Fox Hat, Willie Nailher, and Wooden Swallow are all names owners, breeders, and trainers tried to give racing horses in New Zealand recently.

However, they were all rejected by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing. Just In Beaver did not even make it past the sniff test either.

The British Horseracing Authority also banned the names Arfur Foulkesaycke, Ben Timover, Anita Bath, Ivanna Humpalot, and Are Soles To You in recent years.

The name of a horse might not make it run any faster, however, a clever name can make all the difference for punters come race day.

Around 160 thoroughbred horses are registered with the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) each month, with 2000 named in the 2019 season.

Julie Walker, NZTR's keeper of the studbook, says most people look for a memorable name, but one that's suitable for a champion horse.

"People also put a lot of thought into names that relate back to the breeding and we get some very clever names at times," Walker said.

"My favourite, which is an oldie but very clever, is The Fame Game, who was by Shocking out of Young American."

Other memorable names include Are You Cereal, out of Cornflake, Contempt of Court, out of Miss Judged, and Boot It Scooter, by Vespa, out of Toohottohandle.

Karen Breckon, who owns Breckon Farms in Te Awamutu with husband Ken, is in charge of naming their harness racing horses.

Constantly updating a list of names on her mobile phone, Breckon says there is quite the art to naming racehorses and she is always on the lookout for them.

"Lyrics of songs are fantastic, you get some really good names and if they're a good horse they'll play the song," she said.

Ken and Karen Breckon. Photo / Supplied

"I'm always sitting there thinking what I'm going to name it, or if I'm sitting with someone I'm always asking what do they think?

"If someone says something funny I'll just write it down… [names] come from everywhere."

She tried to name a colt Big Willy because his mother's name was Willow and he was quite large when he was born. Sadly, it was rejected.

Glossy names, like one Breckon saw called Diamondsandbubbles, are good for getting bets from punters at the races without much racing knowledge.

"I think names make a big difference. If you're going to the races and you have a big crowd, you just pick names," she said.

This year she is hoping to name one horse Jacinda and another Crusher to see which is better and who the people put more support behind.

"I don't know if they'll let me do that but that'll be interesting."