What's in a horse's name? Quite a lot in my opinion

THE syndicate horse Lazy Griff came second in the Derby to Lambourn after finishing only a length-and-a-half behind him in the Chester Vase, and though they could meet again in the Irish Derby later this month I will be very surprised if he should ever turn the form around.

- By JIM BEAVIS

That's because good horses have good names, or at least pleasant or sensible ones. Not jokey or mildly derogatory ones. Griff is the abbreviated surname of one of the main owners in the syndicate (a Mr Griffiths), but why that should be preceded by the downbeat word Lazy puzzles me.

The horse is obviously very useful but an owner's desire to squeeze a comical name or a long phrase into the maximum 18 characters does not usually bode well. I well remember being at Stratford when an eight-runner race had Fandabidozi, The Geordie Ginge, Go On Ya Goodthing, A Tickatickatiming and Bollywollywotsit in the field. A line could be put through all of these with some confidence. The nicest name among the remaining trio, Dream Jet, stood out. It won.