US JOCKEY CLUB RENAMES RACEHORSE OVER HITLER REFERENCE

The Jockey Club has renamed a racehorse called Austrian Painter as Merrylegs, after upholding a complaint that the original name referred to Adolf Hitler. The horse, owned and bred by Scott Herbertson, won its debut race on Monday at Horseshoe Indianapolis Racecourse. Hitler was born in Austria and worked as an artist in Vienna before the First World War, later becoming head of the Nazi Party in Germany. Online, the phrase is also used to refer to Hitler without naming him directly, as a way of avoiding content moderation filters, according to reports. Herbertson said on social media that the name instead referred to the Austrian artist Gustav Klimt.

The Jockey Club said its Registry received a formal complaint this week and ruled the name ineligible under Rule 6.F.9.d, which bars names likely to be offensive based on factors including colour, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, religion, politics or sexual orientation. It also ordered a rename for the horse's full sister, previously registered as New Order. Herbertson said New Order was named after his favourite band, writing on social media: "New order is my favoured band you lune." The Jockey Club noted that New Order can also refer to Nazi Germany's plan for an occupied Europe. Both horses have now been unnamed by the Registry, with Austrian Painter reassigned as Merrylegs.

The Jockey Club said: "We take these matters seriously and appreciate that they were brought to our attention." It said the review began as soon as the complaint was received. The organisation has ordered horse renamings before, including a horse named Noose that became Scabbard in 2019. No new name has yet been announced for Herbertson's filly, formerly registered as New Order.