Some involved in the game take it very seriously, looking to give their nag the sort of clever title that will bring a smile to the face of those spotting it in the form guide. Others seem to give their horse a title so obvious and boring that the only conclusion you can draw is that it doesn't much matter to them. A horse is just a horse. A sigh is just a sigh. The Australian registrars are fairly vigilant, but occasionally some like Richard Cranium, Hoof Hearted got through, before someone smelt a rat. Wear The Fox Hat also caught the authorities napping

Most names are inspired by the names of the horse's sire (his father) and dam (his mother), and all manner of connotations and associations the mind can muster. The best names manage to cryptically marry both.

How brilliant is this? A mare by Final Card, out of Splendid Walk, is called Saville's Anguish in memory of Jane Saville, the Australian athlete who was disqualified after two previous warning cards in the walking event just before she entered the stadium during the Sydney Olympic Games. Her grief was broadcast internationally.

Or Camilla's Beau- he's a gelding by Casual Lies out of Royal Infatuation, and is probably unlikely to carry the Prince of Wales' easy-earned cash.

A mare from the sire Rainstorm was called Roygbiv- yes all the colours of a rainbow in order- R (Red) O (Orange) Y (Yellow) G (Green) B (Blue) I (Indigo) and V (Violet).

Another brilliantly named colt was called Bowled Lillee- it was from the sire Courtmarsh. Yes that's right- Courtmarsh Bowled Lillee (That certainly brings back memories).

A quick look through the form guide reveals a stack of rippers running around at the moment. I like None For The Road, by Noalcoholic out of Road To Gold. Another Noalcoholic colt was called Tsipura (read it backwards).

Makybe Diva sounds like she was named after an interesting pedigree, but was in fact named by using the first two letters of the girls who work in the owner's office: Marie, Kylie, Belinda, Diane, and Vanessa.

Of course, there is always the temptation to succumb to the risqué. There was once a horse called You, which was by Awake out of Quick Score. A colt by Woodman out of Secretaire was called On The Desk, a name which could only have been improved by the addition of a question mark.

A couple of Geldings aptly named were Stun On (backwards) while the grey called Baggy Blues was never destined to become a sire.

Another with a run-together name is Maythehorsebewithu, a terrific play on the Star Wars credo. It comes in on the 18-letter limit stipulated in the Naming Procedures. Maythehorsebefast and Mybigfatgreekhorse are also memorable.

A popular horse of some years back was Waikikamukau, a term used in New Zealand to describe a place way away from the city. Like we'd say Back'a'Bourke, or Timbuctoo, in Australia.

Very recently a race was run with two horses competing one was called Nobody, the other called Nothing, to the amusement of the race caller at one stage during the race he called the field something like this- "Rounding the home turn, 400 metres to go and Nobody is leading and Nothing is running last!

Lots of names tell a story, there are variations of this one doing the rounds. A while ago there was a horse called Dapingsaregone. Apparently one of the Brisbane-based owners had been playing golf, threw his Ping golf clubs in the boot of his car, and headed for a lengthy session at the 19th. Unwisely, he set off for his home in the country, out at Moggill he had to cross the river. Somehow he failed to notice that the ferry wasn't operating and drove his car into the river. He scrambled out and watched as the vehicle sank. The next day when the car was retrieved he opened the boot to find that, bizarrely, his Ping golf clubs were gone. Hence the name of the horse, It's probably an urban myth.

We would love your feedback on the naming of horses. We will update this story in our next newsletter using your naming suggestions or stories.