A New Zealand-bred gelding is set to become horse racing’s equivalent of Boaty McBoatface after its Australian owners saddled it with the name Horsey McHorseface.
The two-year-old is yet to debut on the track, but is certain to become a cult favorite after Racing NSW accepted the unusual moniker.
It is a play on Boaty McBoatface, the joke name that the public backed when British authorities asked for suggestions on what to call their new, ￡200 million (US$290 million) polar research ship.
The racehorse is trained by Bjorn Baker at Sydney’s Warwick Farm race track and reportedly cost NZ$65,000 (US$45,000).
Baker’s assistant Maddison Berkeley told punters.com.au that part-owner Joe Rossetti came up with the name.
“I am not too sure exactly how he came up with it, but I thought it was hilarious and proposed it to Bjorn,” Berkeley told the Australian Web site yesterday.
“We had a bit of a laugh about it and Bjorn agreed that we could try the name, even though we weren’t sure that it would be approved,” Berkeley said.
Track authorities usually weed out any obscene or risque suggestions for names, but there is a long history of mischievous names designed to give fast-talking racing commentators a hard time.
Former Liverpool soccer players Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman owned a thoroughbred called Some Horse, then bought a second and named it Another Horse, according to the BBC.
The Web site greatbritishracing.com lists a variety of names, including Star Wars-themed Maythehorsebewithu, Passing Wind, Hoof Hearted and the piratical AARRRRRR.
Britain’s Natural Environment Research Council has yet to announce the name of its new ship, which will not set sail until 2019.
However, Boaty McBoatface still leads its non-binding online poll.
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