Plenty like to use a combination of the horse’s sire (dad) and dam (mum).
Here’s some of the cleverest horse names that have graced tracks down the years.
Might Bite
Being a son of Scorpion, it could be presumed that Might Bite got his name from a misguided notion that scorpions bite rather than sting. Not the case.
One of the best chasers of his generation, his name actually came from his trainer Nicky Henderson’s love of fishing.
Might Bite’s mum, Knotted Midge, is a fly used in trout fishing. The syndicate who owned the 2017 King George VI Chase winner called themselves The Knot Again Partnership.
Near Kettering
A Redcar maiden winner for trainer Luca Cumani, Near Kettering was named with an amusing nod to Geography.
He was a three-times hurdles winner for Sam England later in his career, that came to an end in September 2022. His name came from his mum, Where’s Broughton.
Where’s Broughton? Near Kettering, of course.
Bouncy Bouncy
There was a bit of a theme going on in the naming of some of Bouncy Bouncy’s family.
Her grandmother was called Supportive and she gave birth to a filly playfully named Wunderbra.
Hence, the name Bouncy Bouncy for Wunderbra’s daughter. She was trained by Michael Bell throughout her career, winning four races, including three times for Hayley Turner.
Celibate
In a career spanning nearly ten years, Celibate took on the likes of top two-miler chasers Edredon Bleu, Flagship Uberalles and Call Equiname.
His finest hour came when landing the Grade 1 BMW Chase at Punchestown in 1999.
He was, aptly, trained by one of the great characters of racing, Charlie Mann, as he had one of the cleverest names.
The combination of his dad Shy Groom and his mum Dance Alone led to Celibate.
Geespot
When the Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Pursuit Of Love retired to stud it threw up no end of clever naming opportunities.
One of the most amusing, was Geespot. His two wins both came in lowly Flat sellers for trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis, but his name lives long in the memory.
Being by Pursuit Of Love from the dam My Discovery, we’re sure you can work it out!
Bachelors Pad
Another son of the stallion Pursuit Of Love, his original owner gave him a name with a rather clever double meaning.
Bachelors Pad was from the mare Note Book. During his long career he couldn’t quite make it into the ‘hundred club’ having won nine times from 99 races either side of the millennium.
Warning
Long before Frankel, Warning was one of the best horses to carry the famous colours of Khalid Abdulla to big-race victory.
In the late 1980s he landed the Sussex Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Queen Anne Stakes.
His name was as clever as his impressive race record. He was by the stallion Known Fact and his dam was called Slightly Dangerous. A Warning sign, indeed.
We Will Rock You
Whoever named We Will Rock You was clearly a Queen fan.
He’s named after one of the legendary group’s most popular hits, but that’s no coincidence.
His sire, Great Pretender, shared his name with the song recorded by Freddie Mercury and his dam, I Want It All, was another Queen track.
Sadly, the horse We Will Rock You has failed to top the charts. He was pulled up in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle last month on the most recent of four uninspiring races.
Wait For The Will
Paul Mellon, owner-breeder of 1971 Derby hero Mill Reef, was one of America’s richest men and a hugely-generous philanthropist supporting a range of causes.
Wait For The Will had two starts in his black-and-gold colours just months before his owner’s death in 1999.
His name must have amused his family. He was by the stallion Seeking The Gold from the mare You’d Be Surprised.
It, perhaps, wasn’t a shock then when Mellon’s philanthropy continued after his death.
Polygamy
The winner of the 1974 Oaks had a rather clever name.
He was owned and bred by Louis Freedman, who later won the Derby with Reference Point.
Polygamy was by the stallion Reform from the mare Seventh Bride.
Despite her name, she sadly died before giving birth to any living foals.
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