Legend has it that the Derby Stakes, first staged at Epsom in 1780, was named on the toss of a coin between the 12^th Earl of Derby and Sir Charles Bunbury following a party to celebrate the first running of the Oaks Stakes in 1779 (a race named after “Lambert’s Oaks” estate in Carshalton).

Some race titles stick better than others and frequently the best names arise through happy accident – like the Morebattle Hurdle, named after a local town here in the Borders. But that doesn’t stop us from trying quite hard to come up with race “handles” that will be both memorable and meaningful.

Take, for example, the BetWright Beeswing Mares Hurdle, staged at Kelso on Saturday – in which our selection is the Irish trained World Of Fortunes. Being a Listed Race for mares, we chose to name the race after an exquisite equine heroine, the best mare ever to lay hoof to the Berrymoss turf…

No – not BetWright (that’s Kelso’s newest bookmaker sponsor, more about which can be found online at BetWright.com) – Beeswing was a crowd-pulling favourite wherever she travelled between 1835 and 1842, winning 51 of her 57 completed starts, including at Kelso, and finishing second on a further 5 occasions; a mare so famous that she has pubs, houses and small villages named after her – not to mention an important horserace.

And then there’s the Go North Series Races, spread across the programmes at Musselburgh, Kelso and Carlisle this weekend, for which we chose to honour famous northern trained horses from yesteryear – names that tickle the bones of a fifty-something year old racecourse manager, such as: Sea Pigeon, Night Nurse, Brindisi Breeze, Forgive ‘n Forget, Cab On Target, One Man, Monets Garden, and Red Rum.

However, the most valuable race on Kelso’s programme this weekend is not named after a horse, nor a place, nor even a historical figure.

The Herring Queen is a ceremonial title bestowed each year upon a young female resident from the coastal town of Eyemouth – less than 30 miles north-east of the racecourse. Crowned to officiate over the annual “Fisherman’s Picnic”, an event that was initiated to celebrate the end of the First World War, the Herring Queen was originally selected for her scholastic ability and has latterly been chosen by a panel of local townsfolk.

Like the Eyemouth dignitary, the winner of Saturday’s £100,000 BetWright Herring Queen Mares Novice Handicap Hurdle will be a youthful female figure that holds the title for one year only.

Unlike the Eyemouth version, claiming the title will be no picnic – with a maximum field of sixteen runners due to face the starter, and eight hurdles to negotiate, the winner will have to be some athlete. And while her name will be writ in the formbook forever, only time will tell whether she will herself become part of the Kelso tradition, and be rewarded with a race title of her own.