Category: Horses

The Ladbrokes Champion Chase, formerly the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase, is, as the name suggests, a Grade 1 steeplechase run over three miles at Down Royal Racecourse, near Lisburn, Northern Ireland in late October or early November. The race is a latter-day addition to the Irish National Hunt calendar, having been inaugurated, over a furlong further, in 1999, before being shortened to the current distance a year later.

After the first three, top-class renewals, won by Florida Pearl, Looks Like Trouble and Foxchapel King, the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Championship Chase, as was, was awarded Grade 1 status. Indeed, the Ladbrokes Champion Chase, as the race has been known since the 2019 renewal, now has the distinction of being the first Grade 1 event of the Irish National Hunt season.

Despite its relatively short history, the :Ladbrokes Champion Chase is firmly established as an early-season target for top-class staying chasers trained on both sides of the Irish Sea. Of 24 renewals, so far, six have gone the way of British-trained horses, all bar one of which were trained by Paul Nicholls. The 14-time British Champion National Hunt Trainer was responsible for Taranis (2007), Kauto Star (2008, 2010), Kauto Stone (2012) and, most recently, Frodon (2021). The first four of that quintet were ridden by Ruby Walsh and Frodon by Bryony Frost. Alongside Co. Meath-based Gordon Elliott, Nicholls is jointly the most successful trainer in the history of the race.

Naming a racehorse sounds easy, right? Just pick a cool name, and you’re done. Well, not exactly. There are a bunch of rules to make sure no two racehorses share the same racing name. It’s not just the birth name, like Secretariat’s “Big Red,” but the official name used in horse racing.

Curious about how it all works? Let’s dive into the intriguing process of naming a racehorse and the regulations involved.

Let’s Discuss Age

Okay, so you’re probably thinking, “What in the world does age have to do with naming a horse?” But the answer is quite a lot. In the world of racehorses, every horse has its birthday celebrated on January 1. It doesn’t matter if it was actually born in April or October—come January 1, they officially age by one year. This might sound a bit odd, but it’s actually a clever way to keep horses grouped by age for competitive races and other events.

Right after a foal is born, there’s a ticking clock for registration. Within a year, each horse has to be registered with the Jockey Club. And let me tell you, it’s no walk in the park. The registration process includes having the foal’s DNA typed to confirm its lineage. Plus, both of its parents must also be registered and have DNA or blood type. But hold on—there’s more. The horse can’t be born through artificial insemination or embryo transfer. Is your head spinning yet?

Once the registration is all said and done, you would think that naming would be a breeze. But nope, by February of their two-year-old year, these equine stars must have their official racing name. This is where things get really tangled and complex—a bit like unraveling a ball of yarn!

Meeting Name Guidelines

When it comes to naming a racehorse, it’s a real adventure through a maze of guidelines and creativity. Picture this: you’re the owner of a brand new, sprightly foal, and you’ve got the exciting task of naming it. You don’t just pick one name and hope for the best; you submit up to six options to the Jockey Club. Then, they choose which name gets the nod. But what if you buy a horse and dislike its racing name? No worries. With some cash from the Jockey Club, you can pay for a name change.

Before you get carried away, remember names can only be up to 18 characters long, including spaces and punctuation. And there are rules! No “filly” or “colt” endings, no numbers unless spelled out and above thirty, and definitely no sneaky initials. Forget about naming your horse after a celebrity—unless you’ve got written permission. All Hall of Fame or Eclipse Award winners are out and don’t even think about anything suggestive or potentially offensive. Oh, and simply sounding like another name can get you booted from the list!

Despite the mountain of rules, some owners get cheeky with creative spellings to skirt around them. But if all your names get the red pen or you’re stumped like a deer in headlights, the Jockey Club will step in and name your horse for you. Once a name is selected, your horse proudly wears its official name tattooed under its upper lip, like a badge of honor, linked forever to its registration. That’s right—it’s more than a name; it’s an identity!

Now That You Know About Horse Naming, What’s the Next Horserace You’ll Watch?

So, with the 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships coming up, you’ve got the perfect chance to see these creatively named equine stars in action. Secure your spot with Breeders’ Cup Experiences Official Ticket Packages for unparalleled track views and VIP treatment. Watch as these masterfully named champions burst from the gates, and maybe you’ll discover your own favorite future champion!

And if you’re a real enthusiast, you may want to start analyzing the Breeders Cup odds 2024 right away. Who knows, you may even uncover the next record-breaking racehorse and have a hand in naming it!

For the uninitiated, Constitution Hill is a now seven-year-old gelding owned by entrepreneur Michael Buckley and trained by his long-time ally Nicky Henderson at Seven Barrows in Lambourn, near Hungerford, Berkshire. Having been narrowly beaten in his sole point-to-point outing at Tipperary in April 2021, the son of Blue Bresil made a winning debut under Rules in a novices’ hurdle at Sandown Park the following December and has yet to be serious challenged in seven subsequent starts, all at Grade 1 level. Indeed, Constitution Hill is already the joint-sixth highest-rated hurdler of the Timeform era, just 5lb inferior to Night Nurse, according to the respected ratings provider.

In 2022/23, Constitution Hill won the so-called Triple Crown of Hurdling – that is, the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle, the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park and the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham – with consummate ease, by an aggregrate of 38 lengths. He rounded off that campaign by making all to win the Aintree Hurdle, unchallenged, and on his reappearance at Kempton on Boxing Day, 257 days later, made short work of the opposition in the Christmas Hurdle for the second year running.

Everything looked set fair for a successful defence of his Champion Hurdle crown at the Cheltenham Festival, but Constitution Hill was laid low with a respiratory infection and suspect colic, which caused him to miss the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.However, Henderson recently confirmed that his stable star had undergone wind surgery ahead of his proposed return to action in the aforementioned Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on November 30, 2024 and that “everything is 100 per cent”. Conseqently the subject of a “large” betting shop bet, according to the “Racing Post”, has shortened slightly to top-priced 7/4 favourite for the 2025 Champion Hurdle.

The world and his wife have an opinion.

The world and her husband do too.

Our pet budgie, Jimmy, sadly now deceased had lots to say. He used to sit in his cage each night, eyes closed, chatting to himself or anyone who cared to listen to his words. True, he may have been mimicking the words he heard. The TV sat just a few feet away so it’s no surprise he liked to recount his favourite adverts. ‘We take more care of you…’ He used to whistle ‘We’re off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. We once recorded Jimmy’s conversation on an old cassette recorder and he was chatting away for an hour or so. He mentioned our pet dog, Zak, and referenced: ‘He bit me, don’t deny it!’

I loved little Jimmy.

He had more character in his little winged body than a giant of a man.

I enjoyed listening to his words.

To me, he was quite opinionated.

At times brash.

Horse racing opinions are a similar story. I guess they can range from the fool with an opinion to the font of all wisdom (whoever that may be). You can have a worse opinion than a fool and that is someone who intentionally tells you something hoping to put you off a winner or stitch you up with the supposed good thing they picked out with a pin.

Having a strong opinion myself, I don’t like listening to other’s opinions about two-year-old horse racing because, whether right or wrong, I feel I know more than most. That can be a double-edged sword. However, I would rather die by drinking my own poison. Also, I enjoy the elixir of life. Each to their own. I once heard of a man who lived in Alaska who in fear of suffering hypothermia would drink a thimble full of anti-freeze each Sunday morning after saying a prayer.

All went well until one day he died.

However, should we be afraid of other’s opinions? Even if we are convinced we know more should we still listen to the word’s of an anorak?

Clearly, it’s a good idea to vet the people who may have an opinion. You need to raise the bar to a certain level. Although perhaps that ‘crazy fool’ who picks horses by their name or the colour of the racing silks may say something inspirational.

I often talk to my brother about horse racing. And my opinions have been met with mixed feelings. Good news. I put him off backing a loser. Bad news. I put him off betting on a 33/1 winner. Not good at all. That’s the problem with having an opinion. It can be the best and worst idea. It’s enough to make you keep your opinions to yourself.

This matter needs some thought if not explanation. Because what is the best answer to the question? Should we state our opinion or never say a word? I will limit this to never saying a word about horse racing else it will be too much for anyone to consider. I’m not sure it’s possible to have a conversation without having an opinion.

I must admit I’ve felt bad when I told someone my opinion and it resulted in them missing a winner. It doesn’t go down well. In fact, if you don’t know someone well it’s probably best not to have an opinion about the horse they have picked to win. It can only lead to disappointment.

It’s one of those things.

Even the most informed opinion can be wrong. It happens however difficult to appreciate. I said to my brother: ‘I either give you my opinion or never say another word on the subject matter.’

It makes no sense not to state an opinion as saying nothing really isn’t an option (keep quiet with strangers though). Anyone who knows their subject should be right more than they are wrong. So long term their opinion should have some worth. It should be a positive rather than a negative. Short term this may seem a disastrous idea. However, the option of listening to an opinion and declining it should be acknowledged by both parties. Yes, it sounds like the opening statement of a lawsuit. You may need to state terms and conditions which brings concern to any opinion given.

Never be afraid of giving an opinion or listening to them. Whether right or wrong they are simply part of a bigger picture.

Don’t blame me if your horses losses or you missed a winner because you were listening to my every word.

However, I do agree that sometimes we have to whistle our own tune.

Just like Jimmy did when whistling: ‘We’re off the to see the Wizard the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.’