Racing: Unfortunate name turns out well for disaster relief fund

It might be an unfortunate name for the times but race horse Blue Tsunami has done his bit for the tsunami relief fund.

Before the Matamata 4-year-old raced at Ellerslie yesterday, his owners, trainers and jockey agreed if the horse won they would donate half the prize money.

He did, collecting $17,200.

The donation was matched by the Auckland Racing Club.

Yesterday, managing owner Paul Moroney said he was thinking about the horse's name on New Year's Eve and in an email to the owners' group discussing Blue Tsunami's prospects, suggested making the gesture.

"I said it was a bit unfortunate that what we thought was a very well-named race horse was now currently not so well named."

He approached the trainers and jockey Michael Coleman and they also agreed.

"We were very confident it would win and we just thought it was a gesture to get around the possible embarrassment of a horse called Blue Tsunami."

Mr Moroney said the horse was named after its sire, Blu Tusmani. "I thought it was a good strong name for him to have."

And in his eighth race start, Blue Tsunami proved he was made of winning stuff.

"Today's prizemoney doubled what he's earned in the past so it's a fairly big gesture from the owners."

After the feature race of the meeting, the $150,000 Zabeel Classic, the "February Syndicate", owners of winner St Reims, announced that they would donate $10,000 to the tsunami relief fund as well.

Racegoers donated a further $2600.