One of the most unique factors that makes horse racing one of the most watched sports in the world is the fact that stars that grace the track sometime carry names that will give the viewer a laugh.
That was very much the case this year, as fans of Scottish football were left chuckling after realising that there was a runner named ‘Penalty to Rangers’ competing in Canada.
The horse left SPL fans confused surrounding where the name came from, and were left wondering whether the horse was named in honour of Rangers hero James Tavernier. Surely Celtic fans will be hoping to see the horse achieve the spotlight at the Kentucky Derby so they enjoy banter with the curious name.
Horse Form
Rangers will be hoping to fare better than the horse named in their honour, as Penalty To Rangers has struggled on the track throughout her career since making his debut in August 2022.
The runner is trained by Erick Gutierrez, and has landed just a single victory in eight starts. In fact, her only win on track was achieved before moving to her current home. That success was achieved at Hastings in June 2023 after finishing three lengths clear of Texas Legacy.
Her form since joining the Gutierrez yard has been largely underwhelming after finishing last on two of her four starts. That includes a fifth-place finish on her most recent racecourse start in October 2023 at Hastings over six furlongs when sent off as the clear favourite in the betting.
However, it’s likely that she has now attracted a new wave of fans to follow her progression on track after capturing the attention of SPL fans.
Not The First Homage To Football
Horse racing and football are two sports that are closely intertwined, as there have been no shortage of connections between the two throughout history. That has seen many horses named after footballers across the world. Among those include Haaland for trainer Gay Kelleway. The four-year-old competes on the all-weather in the UK, and has won three from eleven starts, meaning that the gelding doesn’t boast the same strike-rate as his namesake.
A horse named after a footballer that achieved major success on track during his career was The Romford Pele, named after former Arsenal star Ray Parlour. Before his death aged eleven, the horse landed some huge pots on track, winning nine of his 36 starts under rules. The biggest of those victories was achieved at Aintree, as he scored in a competitive Veterans’ Chase at the home of the Grand National.
There have been a number of other horses that share their names with famous footballers that have achieved success son track, but it remains unclear whether the naming of the equine stars were connected with the football icons. Those include former Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand, and Keane, who landed victory in the G1 Gran Premio Dardo Rocha.
Famous Footballing Owners
Such is the connection between horse racing and football that there have been no shortage of stars from the world of football investing in racing. Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney are among the playing stars have achieved success across both sports.
However, few icons in football have achieved more success in racing than Sir Alex Ferguson. The former Manchester United boss has achieved success on the flat and over the jumps, which includes a recent success in the prestigious Bahrain International Trophy with Spirit Dancer.
Ferguson also revealed at the Aintree Grand National Festival in 2022 that bagging three winners in a row at the Merseyside track was one of his best days in Liverpool. The last of those wins came with Clan Des Obeaux, who has won multiple Grade Ones over the bigger obstacles.