SPECIAL OFFER - running rail from Fornells and TecRail - from just £8.50* per metre. Available until the end of December - or until it runs out!

This is a one off opportunity to buy world renowned race rail at a very competitive price.

Reinforced Fornells running rail

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* Minimum quantity equivalent to five furlongs (1000m) offer valid until the end of December 2020

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Royal Windsor choose TecRail 

The story of an installation that ended on time despite Covid 19 

Last winter, Royal Windsor Racecourse’s Clerk of the Course, Sophie Candy, wanted to further improve both spectator and horse safety in two areas on the horse walkways.

Candy challenged TecRail to come up with a solution to keep horses and pedestrian well apart with improved safety without spoiling the thrill of being close to the horses.

This all had to be done in time for the new flat season which at this time was a few months away. The order was placed, delivery time agreed - with installation to be arranged once delivery was made from France. Everything was going to plan, then Covid-19 struck.

With racing set to resume in early June, Royal Windsor were to hold their first meeting behind closed doors and this job had to be completed.

So TecRail arranged safe accommodation for the fitters, so the installation could start just in time.

One of the most difficult tasks was inserting the permanent fixing sleeves into the driveway without damaging the tarmac driveway. Fortunately, TecRail have a very good machine driver who made very little mess and knows how to work a good line - as illustrated above.

TecRail installed a combination of the safety Weldmesh Crowd Barrier and Mid – Course race rail for the road entrance horse walk, which ensured both horse and pedestrian were kept safely apart with spectators still able to have an excellent view and feel involved.

The second installation needed  to bring racegoers  back one metre form existing mesh rail that was next to the horse walk.

For this Royal Windsor chose the TecRail Twin Arena Rail as a cost effective simple solution. On the gate entrances Royal Windsor chose TecRail easy slide slip rail again as an effective barrier that is easily opened when required.

On completion Sophie Candy commented that she was very pleased with the service and delighted with the completed job as it looked fantastic and ensured the safety of horses and racegoers.

TopSpec Trainer of the Quarter - Johnny Murtagh

By Lissa Oliver

The TopSpec Trainer of the Quarter award has been won by Johnny Murtagh. Murtagh will receive £1,000 worth of TopSpec feed, supplements and additives as well as a consultation with one of their senior nutritionists.

Johnny Murtagh had said all along that he wasn’t there for the free lunch; and on the opening day of Irish Champions Weekend, the well-named Champers Elysees ensured the drinks were on her. The three-year-old filly provided Murtagh and his team at Fox Covert Stables on the Curragh, Kildare, with a memorable first Gp1 win in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown—a remarkable improvement by Murtagh of a filly rated 86 only three months earlier.

Despite the foreshortened season, Murtagh has already surpassed previous season tallies, and Champers Elysees is his 36th winner of the season. Just to add icing to the cake, her stablemate Know It All was only narrowly denied third place, held by a head by Prix de Diane and Nassau Stakes heroine Fancy Blue. 

“I always thought she had a lot of promise,” Murtagh says of Champers Elysees, who remains unbeaten so far this year. “She ran well on her first two starts last year, so we had a go at the Tattersalls sales race where the big field was just a little too much for her; but she went back there and won two weeks later. In the Birdcatcher Nursery she just got a bit tired in the heavy ground.”

With a win and three places from her five starts at two, the interruption of COVID-19 saw a late start this year, when she collected a handicap in June on her seasonal debut. “We liked her a lot,” Murtagh reflects, “and then she won a Listed race at Galway by seven lengths, so I made the entry for the Matron Stakes. At that stage we thought of Know It All as our best filly—she’d won the Group Three Derrinstown Stud Fillies Stakes.

“Then Champers Elysees won the Group Three Fairy Bridge Stakes, and that was the key factor in convincing me to run her in the Matron Stakes—I knew she would run well. Both fillies had been going well for us at home all year, but the week before the Matron they were training really well.”

Know It All was beaten less than a length when third in the Prix Rothschild—that first Gp1 tantalisingly within reach—so the Fox Covert team had good reason to be optimistic ahead of Irish Champions Weekend, which they capped with a win in the Northfields Premier Handicap on the second day with Sonnyboyliston.

“We’ve not been doing anything different,” Murtagh says of his excellent year. “They got held up for two months at the start of the season, so they had a bit of extra training in the spring, then a bit of a break before they got going again. 

“But overall we’ve just got a better standard of horse. We’ve got them fresh and well and ready to run, and they’ve been consistent all year. I’ll be going to the sales next week, and I’ll buy a few that I like myself as I always do, and they’ve been lucky for us. The aim is always to win enough prize money for them to pay their way.

“It’s a real family affair, and my wife Orla runs the office. We’ve got a very good variety of gallops, very good staff and very good riders, which is the most important thing. There’d be no winners without them. I do enjoy sitting down at night to pick races, and this year it was easy to pick them out; they just fell right. 

“Self-belief is everything. I’m a naturally positive person, and I try to put a positive spin on everything we do. To go from champion jockey to successful trainer is hugely satisfying. I’ve worked with some of the best trainers in the world, and I’d like to think some of it has rubbed off and I’ve learned from them.”

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Nicolò Simondi - trainer profile - who became a Classic winning trainer with - Auyantepui landing the Gp2 Oaks d’Italia at San Siro

By Franco Raimondi

Thirty-one-year-old Nicolò Simondi became a Classic winning trainer on July 5th when Auyantepui, an unbeaten Night of Thunder’s filly, landed the Gp2 Oaks d’Italia at San Siro, less than six years before he saddled his first winner at his home racecourse. 

“The filly (Auyantepui) was just an unexpected bomb and she really exploded in less than 40 days, from her debut to her Classic win. She joined my yard in December and I planned, before the COVID-19, to have her ready for a debut at the start of the San Siro’s season in mid-March. The racing was shut down, and I ran her straight in a conditions race in the San Siro opening day, May 27th. She won in a canter by almost five lengths, and the rest is history. Maybe, as somebody told, she landed the worst Oaks d’Italia ever, but she did it and left my yard moving to France for the partnership OTI Racing and WE Bloodstock heading to my friend Mario Baratti. For me, it was mission accomplished, and I think that she is a much better filly than she showed in her first couple of starts in France. Don’t forget that she had three races in a short time. I trained her to win over 2200 metres (1m 1f), but she could be better at one mile and a quarter (2400 metres) or shorter”.

Several Italian young trainers have moved to France in the last years where Andrea Marcialis, a good friend of Simondi, is now fifth in the standings. The rich French prize money is very attractive. Simondi tried his luck there in 2016. “We sent six horses, with my partner Lucia Lupinacci, to Calas in the south of France. That was our first try, but we had the wrong horses. You can run for a lot of money, but when you finish last, the prize money is zero. So, we came back to San Siro with no regrets. The level of competition in France is very high, even in the provinces you can find the big stables. We decided to stay at home and find our spot in Italy”.

Auyantepui, winning the 2020 Gp2 Oaks d’Italia

Simondi got the call from leading owner Scuderia Incolinx during the summer of 2017. Diego Romeo called following the retirement of his former trainer Vittorio Caruso and needed a new face to work with him. Nicolò Simondi was the trainer and Vittorio Caruso the assistant. 

“To be honest, Vittorio Caruso was the trainer and I was his assistant while the horses of my other owners were in training with Lucia Lupinacci. Vittorio taught me everything, I had to be humble and follow him. For somebody to handle that could be tough and maybe farcical, but we enjoyed big moments together. When I count my big wins, I don’t look at the official stats. Anda Muchacho won the Gp 2 Premio Roma and Premio Vittorio di Capua trained by Vittorio Caruso, and I was just his assistant even with my name on the race card. I became the trainer in 2019, and I tried to apply all Vittorio’s lessons. In fact, my first Group win was with O’Juke in the Gp 3 St Leger Italiano, who was under Lucia’s name”, recounts Simondi.

Scuderia Incolinx is the main owner in the yard with 28 of the 52 horses under the name of Nicolò Simondi and his father Mauro, a former jump jockey. The trainer is at the head of two different teams: “The Scuderia Incolinx has its own squad, with Piero Pirisi who was a head lad before I was born. The team is very good, and I learned from Vittorio Caruso how to handle them. I have my own team for the other owners, Christian Troger, Scuderia Allegria, Elia Tanghetti, WE Bloodstock and others. Good staff at the yard is very important, and the recruitment is not easy in Italy as in the other countries because the kind of job is really full immersion, 24/7. When I was 20 years old and going out to dance, I was forced to come back at home at 2 a.m. My friends drove back home at 5.30 when I was in the saddle for the string. I am very happy with my staff; you have to respect them and be fair. The Italians are doing well abroad; at Newmarket and Chantilly, they are strong workers and dedicated”.

Simondi is based at Trenno, the training facility of Milan, just a few miles from downtown. The future of Trenno is under clouds, but Simondi is still confident. “We have a couple of useful training facilities at Milan and Pisa. For sure [it] is not the same level of Newmarket or Chantilly, but if you have the chance to find a good horse you can train him very well. For sure Trenno, the training centre in Milan, could be better. There are some worries about the future of the area and rumours about a development plan, but I think that in the COVID-19 times, the town of Milan don’t need more buildings; and a green space so close to downtown is very important for the citizens. We have to build a new image for racing”.

The Italian racing is facing tough times, even if the payment of prize money is a bit quicker than in the past and not affected by severe cuts like in other countries. Money is a matter but not the most important according to Simondi. “The level of prize money is OK, but the slow payment is a true concern. The cash flow is very important for the owners and obviously for the trainers. That's the first step, but we need to change the feeling of people about racing. For 20 years the media has reduced their interest in racing, and when our sport is in the news,  it is just doping, scandals, misconducts that get reported. We lost some generations of potential racing fans. I know about other sports, and they are not much cleaner than racing and even worse".

The hard core of owners are still going despite the tough economic downturn, but the gap between Italy and the other major countries has increased in the last decades. “We missed the boat of the Arabian investors, who are very important in Britain and France, and we have to deal just with domestic owners. Our owners are enthusiasts and never give up, but on the international market they don’t play at a level field with others; and when they have the chance to find a good horse, they are forced to sell. Scuderia Incolinx is a rare bird—the Ingegner (the Engineer) Diego Romeo wants to have fun with his horses and win good races. The small owners—when they’ve got a good one—will sell him abroad quickly because there is no domestic market. The major concern is the recruitment of new owners. I could be the son or grandson of most of the major Italian owners; I have plenty of respect for all of them and I learned a lot, not just about racing, from the owners; but we have to think about the future. The owners and the punters are the racing’s backbone”.

Simondi is a good-looking young man with an open mind and training is his life. He looks abroad to find a solution to the lack of fresh owners. “I think that the Australians are a good example. Their syndicates are the best way to get new owners involved in the game. We have three problems to solve here in Italy to follow their path. …

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Can nutrition influence EIPH? -Catherine Rudenko investigates alternative and supportive therapies as trainers seek to find other means of reducing the risk or severity of EIPH

By Catherine Rudenko

EIPH (exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage) was first identified in racehorses in the 16th century. Since this time, the focus has been on mitigating the haemorrhage. Management of EIPH largely revolves around the use of furosemide, dependent of jurisdiction, may or may not be used on the day of racing. Alternative and supportive therapies are becoming increasingly popular as trainers seek to find other means of reducing the risk or severity of EIPH.

Nutrition and plant-based approaches are part of an alternative management program. Whilst research is somewhat limited, the studies available are promising, and no doubt more work will be done as using furosemide becomes more restricted. There are several directions in which nutrition can influence risk for EIPH, including inflammatory response, blood coagulation, cell membrane structure, hypotension and reducing known lung irritants.

Exercise- induced injury may exacerbate the severity of EIPH as a result of the delayed sealing of damaged micro vessels.

The various approaches are all supportive, working on altering an element of risk associated with the condition. Some are more direct than others, focusing on the effect on red blood cells, whilst others work on some of the broader lung health issues such as reducing mucus or environmental irritants. 

None are competitive with each other, and there may be an advantage to a ‘cocktail’ approach where more than one mode of action is employed. This is a common practice with herbal-based supplements where the interactive effects between herbs are known to improve efficacy. 

Cell membrane

The red blood cell membrane—the semipermeable layer surrounding the cell—is made up of lipids and proteins. The makeup of this membrane, particularly the lipid fraction, appears to be modifiable in response to dietary fatty acids. Researchers feeding 50mls of fish oil found a significant increase in the percentage of omega-3’s in the cell membrane.

Essential fatty acids (EFA’s), omega 3 and omega 6, are important cell membrane components and determine cellular membrane fluidity. Fluidity of a cell membrane is important, particularly when pressure increases, as a cell membrane lacking in fluidity is more likely to break. A cell that can deform, effectively changing rather than breaking, has an advantage and is linked with improved exercise performance in human studies. Inclusion of fish oil in the diet increases the ability of red blood cells to deform.

Kansas State University investigated the effect of omega supplementation on 10 thoroughbreds over a five-month period. The diet was supplemented with either EPA and DHA combined, or DHA on its own. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are specific forms of omega-3 fatty acids commonly found in oily fish. When supplementing the diet with both EPA and DHA, a reduction in EIPH was seen at 83 days and again at 145 days. Feeding DHA on its own did not produce an effect.

Fish oil contains both EPA and DHA and is readily available, although the smell can be off-putting to both horse and human. There are flavoured fish oils specifically designed for use in horses that overcome the aroma challenge and have good palatability. 

Inflammatory response and oxidative stress

Airway inflammation and the management of this inflammatory process is believed to be another pathway in which EIPH can be reduced. Omega-3 fatty acids are well evidenced for their effect in regulation of inflammation, and this mode of action along with effect on cell membrane fluidity is likely part of the positive result found by Kansas State University. 

Kentucky Equine Research has investigated the effect of a specific fish oil on inflammatory response with horses in training. The study supplemented test horses with 60mls per day and found a significant effect on level of inflammation and GGT (serum gamma-glutamyl transferase). GGT is an enzyme that breaks down glutathione, an important antioxidant. As GGT rises, less glutathione is available to neutralise damaging free radicals, creating an environment for oxidative stress.

Kentucky Equine research results

A horse’s red blood cells are more susceptible to oxidative stress than humans, and maintaining a healthy antioxidant status is important for function and maintenance of cell integrity.

Rosehip

Supplements for bleeders will often contain relatively high doses of antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E to support antioxidant status in the horse and reduce risk of damage to cell membranes. Vitamin C has also been shown to benefit horses with recurrent airway obstruction and increase antibody response. Dose rates required for an effect range from 15-20g per day. If including high doses of vitamin C in the diet, it is important to note that any sudden withdrawal can have negative effects. Gradual withdrawal is needed to allow the body’s own mechanisms for vitamin C production to recognise and respond to the change in status.

Rosehips are natural potent antioxidants containing many active substances. Research into the effect of rosehips specifically on red blood cells has shown they have a high efficacy when assessing their ability to ameliorate cell damage.

Hypotensive herbs

Caucus carota – wild carrott

The essential oil of caucus carota species is a well-documented oil having a hypotensive, lowering of blood pressure effect along with antifungal properties. Its antifungal effects are noted against aspergillus species, a common cause of poor respiratory health. Allium sativum is also well known for its ability to lower blood pressure. An initial study (data unpublished) into the effects of these two plants along with herbs reported to alleviate mucus in the lungs has shown promising results in a group of horses in training. 

Prolonged blood coagulation

As prolonged blood coagulation is cited as a possible factor for EIPH, herbal products that are noted for their ability to enhance coagulation are in certain parts of the world widely used as part of managing EIPH. …

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The dominant limb - can we train a completely symmetrical horse?

By Georgie White

The dominant limb - can we train a completely symmetrical horse?

Limb dominance, handedness and laterality are all terms closely associated with the functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain and how these may influence preferred use of one side of the body; a direct example in humans would be the preferred hand he/she learns to write with or foot to kick a ball with. The racehorse is often commemorated on their speed or ability to clear a fence, but you would be surprised how relevant limb dominance is to the performance and longevity of a racehorse’s career. This preference is often evident in an individual horse’s preferred canter lead, preferred leading limb in gallop, leading and landing limb over a fence. It can be argued that the former activities can be influenced by training, but to what degree and at what point should we utilize this preference? And when should we pay attention to the risk of injury? This article is going to discuss this relevance and explain the potential implications of limb dominance.

As with many corners of equine research, the observed phenomenon first began from studying the human and has since been studied extensively in performance and leisure horses, respectively. The goal of many a ridden horse is symmetry of movement, the discipline in which they train will dictate the degree of importance of this; the dressage horse can lose palpable marks when they are not symmetrical in their movement, whilst a racehorse may not be as well versed nor will it be a direct measure of performance quality. 

Anatomical structure of a horse’s brain

The primary motor cortex is the central hub of dynamic movement, generating nerve impulses that control the execution of all movements and crossing the body’s midline to activate skeletal muscles. Every part of the body is represented and arranged somatotopically, meaning the area controlling the hoof is close to the area controlling the limb. The amount of brain matter or cortical space devoted to a body part represents the degree of control the horse has over that body part. For example, the human will have far greater cortical space devoted to intricate movements of the hands and fingers compared to the horse. In contrast the horse will have far greater cortical space reserved for movement of the ears, lips and nose to represent the vast number of social cues, foraging behaviors and body language exhibited. Although not yet proven in horses, human athletes have been shown to have increased cortical thickness in areas correlating with athletic ability or skill; this is likely to be the case in equines; for example, racehorses would likely see increases in areas devoted to limb control. 

From a lateralization perspective, the brain is divided into two hemispheres or lobes which are referred to the left and right hemispheres and divided by the corpus callosum. The corpus callosum is an essential structure composed of a thick band of nerve fibers providing communication between the two spheres. Lateralization refers to these hemispheres having distinct functional differences, each offering specialized neural functions or cognitive processes. Lateralization occurs contralaterally, meaning that a horse who is left hemisphere dominant will experience a right-sided motor preference and vice versa. 

What research is there on limb dominance? 

In horses, grazing patterns are often studied, specifically noting which limb is placed forward most often; however, research is varied with some conclusions stating that innate skeletal asymmetry is highly prevalent in the foal and can be exacerbated by environmental factors. It is recommended that a farrier and vet work closely to correct visual asymmetry in goals as early as possible. A valuable longitudinal study completed by Van Heel et al., (2010) found a relationship with uneven forefeet in foals and subsequent unevenness as a yearling and then as a three-year-old; this was then found to correlate with sidedness in trot and canter transitions. This study highlights several points of interest, firstly the distinct need to correct limb asymmetries and abnormalities from an early age and secondly the potential future inclusion of quantitative laterality data at the time of studbook admission to assist breeders and owners in selection criteria. 

Later research by Austin and Rogers (2012) stated there was no significant differences in limb dominance in a group of feral and wild Przewalski’s horses, which suggested that differences can be attributed to domestication at least to some degree. This varying body of evidence opens the discussion on the effect of domestication and relevance of cultural husbandry practices; in the western world it is common practice to complete many routine tasks from the left side of the horse, e.g., leading, tacking up and mounting. Future studies that attempt to measure this cultural influence may choose to select a large group of equines of generally the same breed and discipline to act as a control and prevent skewed results. 

Many studies have attempted to decipher the causes of variation in motor bias. This is yet to have solid evidence behind it, with several studies showing links in gender and breed initially with training likely to play a part as they embark on their ridden career. As with all equine research, it is important to take note of cause and effect; for example, it may not be the fact that the horse is of Thoroughbred breeding, but the likely type of work or environment that a Thoroughbred is placed in that has supplied the correlation. 

The gallop

A balanced change of leading limb can be the difference between winning a race and coming a close second.

As many a rider and trainer will describe, a horse will naturally have a leading limb preference and over a fence, they are generally left to continue with their preference; on the flat, generally left to the jockey’s discretion but the consensus seems to be less interference the better. Then comes the bends. In the transverse gallop, the horse will have a four-beat gait—a pattern of right hind, left hind, right fore, left fore—with the left fore essentially leading the movement and acting as the leading limb round a left hand bend. In the words of Dr. Ray Baran, the correct lead is “the easiest method to get the shortest distance between two points the quickest way”; as a result the horse is in balance. 

Clockwise or counterclockwise? 

Laterality research in the racing Thoroughbred has paid special attention to racetrack direction. …

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The benefit of using ‘yearling rollers - Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire asks if a roller is a harmless piece of equipment? -scientists discover performance inhibiting spinal pressure under rollers

Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire

Reducing pressure under the saddle, bridle and girth has been found to significantly improve performance, and now the roller has been scientifically tested.

Lost training days, treatment and medication for back problems are time consuming and costly, so optimising equine spinal health from early on is an essential consideration in improving equine health and welfare. When a young horse is started, one of its first experiences is to have tack on its back, initially a lungeing roller. The roller, a seemingly harmless piece of equipment and its effect on the horse, has previously been overlooked. However, it has now come under scientific scrutiny by the same research team that investigated the impact of pressure distribution under the saddle, bridle and girth on equine health and performance.

Their recent study used high-tech pressure mapping to examine the pressures exerted on the horse’s back during lungeing (see technology panel). Localised areas of high pressures were consistently recorded under the roller on the midline of the horse’s back directly over the spinous processes in the region of the 10th and 12th thoracic vertebrae (T10-T12, see anatomy panel).  

High pressure directly in this region, as seen under a conventional roller, is likely to cause the horse to seek a compensatory locomotor strategy and adopt a posture where the back is stiffened and hollowed, resulting in an extended spine. Previous research has shown that back function and gallop kinematics are compromised by a stiffened spine.

Studies have demonstrated that pressure-relieving modifications in a saddle result in increased stride length and hip flexion, along with a greater femur-to-vertical angle (indicating that the hindleg is being brought forward more as the horse gallops). Reducing saddle pressures leads to a marked improvement in the horse’s locomotion, allowing it to gallop more efficiently. 

A modified roller that removes pressure will allow the back to function without restriction.

The roller is positioned over the part of the back where the front half of the saddle sits; by applying these principles, modifying the roller to remove pressure would allow unhindered back function. 

The equine back is an essential component of the locomotor apparatus, transferring biomechanical forces from the hindlimb. So, a modified roller will not only result in improved locomotion and performance but will also have long-term spinal health benefits.

Strong start

In racing, where lungeing is primarily used prior to backing, what we do to and the equipment we use on the young horses in the preparatory stages are likely to have a significant impact on the development of the horse’s posture, back health and locomotion. 

If a young horse begins the training process of being lunged with a roller that exerts pressure directly on the spine at T10-T12, it will develop a strategy to compensate for the discomfort. Then, as the horse progresses to a saddle—which similarly exerts high pressure in the same area—it is inevitable that this will have an effect on the locomotor system. The horse’s athletic performance will be significantly compromised before it even gets on the track. 

Innovative pressure-relieving modifications in tack design have demonstrated improved locomotion when pressure is reduced. Identifying and replacing any equipment that has limiting effects on locomotion or development could have long-term benefits for the longevity and performance of the horse. This applies particularly to the lungeing roller as it is the first piece of tack a youngster has on its back. It is essential that the horse does not develop a locomotor strategy to compensate at this stage.

Under pressure

Pressure mapping during lungeing

Conventional roller - 35kPa pressure directly on the spine at T10

Conventional roller & side reins - pressure consistent at T10 but increases at T11 and T12 to 45kPa

New roller design, even with side reins - all pressure is removed from the spine]

In a recent study, horses were lunged on a 20-metre circle on both reins in trot and canter wearing a roller fitted with pads. In canter, peak pressures were seen each time the inside forelimb was in stance (on the ground). In trot, pressure peaks occurred each time a forelimb was in stance phase. 

Given that the horse is experiencing high pressures under the roller directly on the spine in the region of T10-T12 in every repeated motion cycle (stride), it is inevitable that a compensation strategy will develop.

When trotting and cantering with no attachments, such as side reins or training aids, peak pressures under the centre of the roller were found to be similar to those seen under the saddle with a rider on board. Studies have shown pressures over 30kPa can cause back discomfort. In this study, researchers measured pressures up to 35kPa directly on the midline of the horse’s spine, in every stride, with just a roller and pad.

With side reins attached, the location of the peak pressure was brought further towards the front edge of the roller. Essentially, the pull of the side reins caused a ridge of pressure under the front half of the roller, and the readings increased to 45kPa.

Compensation costs

Compensatory gait strategies lead to asymmetric forces which have a negative effect on limb kinematics (movement). The consideration here is that the horse is experiencing these locomotor compromises before the back has been conditioned to manage the increased forces, and before a jockey has even sat on its back. 

It remains to be shown whether the compensatory gait and asymmetric forces caused by early roller pressure manifest as lameness or loss of performance later on. There is a coexisting relationship between back problems and limb lameness, but evidence is still being gathered as to which one comes first. Researchers are investigating to what extent loss of performance and lameness issues might be traced back to these ‘training and backing’ experiences. It is therefore essential that young horses are started with correctly fitting equipment to limit any long-term effect.

Lungeing for rehab

In addition to the backing process, lungeing also occurs during other influential periods of a horse’s life, including rehabilitation after surgery. Post-operative recommendations for kissing spines can often include lunge work with training aids to induce spinal flexion and opening up of dorsal spinous processes. …

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Sales protocols across Europe this autumn - global bloodstock calendar thrown into disarray by Covid 19 - how auction houses have embraced changes to their business practices

By Alysen Miller

With the global bloodstock calendar thrown into disarray by the coronavirus pandemic, auction houses have had to embrace changes to their business practices in order to keep the show on the road.

As a European summer racing season like no other winds towards its conclusion, the eyes of the racing world turn towards the autumn yearling sales. But the view from a corona-ravaged gallery might be somewhat different from previous years. “Things have been different already,” explains Alix Choppin, Head of Marketing and Business Development for Arqana. Earlier this summer, the major houses in Europe and North America made emergency changes to their calendars to enable their summer sales to go ahead. Arqana partnered with Goffs to move their Breeze-Up Sale to Doncaster to allow then-locked-down British buyers to attend. 

Now, hot on the heels of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that any person entering the UK from France will be subject to 14 days’ quarantine, their Select Yearling Sale was brought forward to early September in order to allow buyers who make the journey to Deauville to follow with the Goffs Orby Sale, also relocated to Doncaster, then on to Newmarket for the relocated Tattersalls Ireland sale and the regular Tattersalls October Yearling Sales at Park Paddocks. 

This ‘moveable feast’ approach to auctioneering is just one way in which the major European sales houses are adapting to this strange new world. But it is not without its challenges. As the all-important yearling sales season approaches, the major houses around Europe are facing the prospect of restricted attendance and reduced volumes. “At the moment, the situation is that no American buyers are going to be able to attend unless they have a European residence or a European passport,” notes Choppin. “So that’s a big issue. The same applies to Australians and people from the Middle East. That’s obviously a big challenge.”

The decision to hold the Arqana and Goffs Breeze-Up Sales at the same time and in the same place, albeit with a reduced catalogue, proved to be a benefit for both buyers and sellers who would otherwise not have been able to make the trip. 

It was a different story for BBAG. The German auction house had to cancel its breeze-up sale in May. At time of writing, their Premier Yearling Sale had just taken place, topped by a record-equalling sister to Sea The Moon. “We were very happy that we could hold our Yearling Sale,” said BBAG’s Managing Director Klaus Eulenberger. After first demonstrating that they could hold a ‘concept’ sale that complied with Baden-Württemberg state COVID regulations, BBAG was given the go-ahead for entrance to up to 500 active buyers. “It was held in a way which was quite different to what is normal here, but at least we could have a sale; and there are no big troubles right now.” 

BBAG

With its smaller volumes (BBAG catalogues between 600-650 horses a year) and boutique catalogue, the annual yearling sale in the picturesque spa town of Baden-Baden—nestled in the foothills of Germany’s Black Forest—is as much a social event as a yearling sale. “This year our sales are not open for the public,” laments Eulenberger. “Usually we have loads of tourists, loads of visitors here. It’s a special atmosphere for them. They can’t access the sales this year.” For those agents and trainers who could not attend in person, a live stream was provided and telephone bidding accepted, although BBAG has no immediate plans to offer online bidding at any of its auctions.

Tattersalls

Tattersalls has used the opportunity presented by COVID to expedite the introduction of its new online bidding platform. “We’ve already rolled out an awful lot of new initiatives to try and make things as easy as possible for buyers in what’s proving to be a very difficult and challenging year for all concerned,” says Marketing Director Jimmy George. “We’ve been looking at developing an online sales platform for the last few years, but the outbreak of the virus accelerated that process. We now have a really good, fully functional online sales platform.” Live internet bidding was available for both the Craven and Ascot Breeze-Up Sales. Nevertheless, it’s hoped that the October Yearling Sales will be able to be conducted in a conventional manner. “So far, we’ve conducted five sales at Tattersalls paddocks since the outbreak of the virus, and every single one of them has enjoyed clearance rates of 83% or higher,” says George. However, even the mighty Tattersalls is not immune to the economic fallout of a global pandemic. “The numbers in each of those catalogues were smaller than they would be in a normal year, and that’s COVID-related,” says George. “And I don’t think anybody is under any illusions about the challenges that everybody’s facing—not just in the thoroughbred industry, but in every walk of life.”

Widely regarded as Europe’s signature yearling sale, Book 1 traditionally attracts buyers and sellers from all over the world. Jewels in this year’s catalogue include a Frankel half-brother to Prix de l’Abbaye and Nunthorpe Stakes winner Marsha, and a Kingman half-brother to 2,000 Guineas hero Galileo Gold. So what impact will ongoing travel restrictions have on the ability of clientele to snap up a future champion? “This is an ever-changing scene, so it’s extremely hard to predict. But we’ve introduced many different ways in which we can facilitate participation from buyers who are unable to attend any of our sales, to reflect the difficulties that some people are having. But equally, we’re in a better place than we were earlier in the year in terms of who can, and cannot, travel reasonably freely to the UK. The challenge is to do everything we possibly can within our power to make it easy for people to participate,” says George. While online bidding will not be available for the October Yearling Sales, Tattersalls has rolled out more extensive telephone bidding for those unable to attend the sales in person.

Arqana

By contrast, Arqana offered online bidding for its Select Yearling Sale. “We had the advantage of having an online platform before, named Arqana Online,” says Choppin. “But it was quite different. Originally, it was run under the format ‘one horse, one sale’ for rather elite horses in training or stallion shares. So this is the first year that we’re moving it to a mainstream online platform to complement live bidding.” Arqana also produced videos of all the yearlings to be auctioned so buyers can get a first glimpse. …

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Bowed tendons - different treatment options - new ultrasound technology - ultrasound tissue characterisation

By Sarah Plevin

Overstrain injuries to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries for all athletic equine disciplines but account for a significant amount of wastage in the Thoroughbred (TB) racehorse.

Treatment options for such ‘bowed tendons’ are many and varied, but all have a couple of things in common: time out of training; expense and no guarantee of success.

It makes sense then, that prevention of injury should always be the goal, and failing that, a method to optimally guide rehabilitation is needed.

Unfortunately, limitations of current imaging diagnostics have restricted their use for accurately monitoring the tendon.

A new ultrasound technology, however, called ultrasound tissue characterisation, may get us one step closer to achieving the goals of injury prevention and optimal rehabilitation.

What would the ideal tendon imaging modality allow us to do?

• Monitor the effects of exercise on the tendon

• Early detection of overstrain injuries

• Be able to stage the lesion, i.e., determine the level of degenerative change within the tendon structure

• Fine-tune therapy

• Guide rehabilitation

Why are tendon injuries so tricky?

Figure 1: Functionally normal healthy aligned tendon bundles.

• A normal healthy tendon is made from aligned organized tendon bundles. (Figure 1) Deterioration of this structure ranges on a spectrum from complete disruption (core lesion) to more minor changes, but all affect the ability of the tendon to function optimally.

• Degenerative changes within the tendon matrix are not uniform—meaning that not all overstrain injuries to the SDFT are represented by the same level of deterioration or structural change, so there is not a one-size-fits-all pathology or diagnosis, and therefore there cannot be a cure-all treatment.

• Most tendon injuries have a sneaky onset with tendon degeneration developing initially without clinical signs, so problems start without you or your horse even knowing about them. Often by the time you realize there is a problem, tendon matrix degradation has already begun.

• Staging the structural integrity of the tendon or classifying the extent of structural deterioration present is, therefore, imperative—not only for optimal therapy selection and appropriate rehabilitation guidance but also if prevention of injury is ever to be achieved.

  

Why isn’t conventional ultrasound enough?

• Unfortunately, although conventional ultrasound has historically been used to evaluate equine tendon, limitations have restricted its ability to accurately monitor tendon structure, predict injury or guide rehabilitation. 

• Clinical improvement is usually not accurately correlated with changes in imaging status using conventional ultrasound, especially in the later stages of healing with conventional ultrasound not demonstrating enough sensitivity to determine the type of tendon tissue under investigation. 

• So, while regular ultrasound can easily demonstrate the presence of a core lesion when it first appears, by about two months post injury, its capacity to provide information regarding the health of the tendon is limited. Because of its inability to interpret the integrity of the underlying tendon structure accurately, along with inconsistencies in imaging, reliance on operator skills and the inherent lack of ability of a 2D conventional ultrasound image to fully decipher a 3D tendon structure, its ability to reliably evaluate and monitor the SDFT following the initial acute period is severely restricted. 

What is ultrasound tissue characterisation?

Ultrasound tissue characterisation is a relatively new technique intended to alleviate some of the problems encountered with conventional ultrasound by improving objective tendon characterisation. It does this by providing a 3D reconstruction of the tendon and by classifying and then quantifying tendon tissue into one of four colour-coded echo types based on the integrity of the tendon structure.

It can assess in detail the structural integrity of the tendon; it can discriminate a variety of pathological states and is sensitive enough to detect the effect of changing loads on the tendon within days.

Figure 2: Color-coded ultrasound tissue characterization echo types represent the stability of echo pattern over contiguous images related to tendon matrix integrity.

What do the colors mean? (Figure 2)

Green (type 1 echoes) are normal, well-aligned and organized tendon bundles, and at least 85-90% of this echo type should be found in a healthy tendon (SDFT). Blue (type 2 echoes) are areas of wavy or swollen tendon bundles. They can represent remodeling and adapting tendon or inferior repair. Red (type 3 echoes) represents fibrillar tissue (the smaller basic unit or building block of tendon). This echo type can represent partial rupture of the tendon where they reflect breakdown of normal structure or they can represent initial healing as the tendon begins to rebuild. Black (type 4 echoes) are areas of cells or fluid and represent core lesions where no normal tendon tissue exists. 

How is ultrasound tissue characterization currently used?

The aim of ultrasound tissue characterization is not to replace conventional ultrasound but on the contrary, it is recommended to perform an evaluation with both conventional B mode ultrasound and ultrasound tissue characterization to achieve a complete picture of tendon health.

Figure 3: Ultrasound tissue characterization tracker frame with attached ultrasound probe.

Currently it is used successfully in elite human athletes such as NBA and soccer players to monitor the health of their tendons (Achilles tendon and patellar tendons) and to guide exercise regimens post injury.

In the equine field, it is used in elite sport horses as part of routine maintenance evaluations to direct exercise, to monitor tendon health and guide rehabilitation following an injury.  

How does it work?

It consists of a standard linear ultrasound probe mounted onto a motorized tracking device (Figure 3). Due to the sensitivity of this equipment, the limbs should be clipped in order to obtain good quality images.

The probe moves non-invasively and automatically down the tendon from top to bottom over a 12-cm scanning distance (see Introphoto) …

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Conformation - factors for racing ability - what might increase the chances to pick a future star on the racecourse

By Judy Wardrope

Everyone wants to be able to pick a future star on the track, ideally, one that can compete at the stakes level for several seasons. In order to increase the probability of finding such a gem, many buyers and agents look at the pedigree of a horse and the abilities displayed by its relatives, but that is not always an accurate predictor of future success. When looking at a potential racehorse, the mechanical aspects of its conformation usually override the lineage, unless of course, the conformation actually matches the pedigree.

For our purposes, we will examine three horses at the end of their three-year-old campaigns and one at the end of her fourth year. In order to provide the best educational value, these four horses were chosen because they offer a reasonable measure of success or failure on the track, have attractive pedigrees and were all offered for sale as racing prospects in a November mixed sale. The fillies were also offered as broodmare prospects.

Is it possible to tell which ones were the better racehorses and predict the best distances for those who were successful? Do their race records match their pedigrees? Let’s see.

Horse #1

Horse #1

This gelding (photographed as a three-year-old) is by Horse of the Year Mineshaft and out of a daughter of Giants Causeway, a pedigree that would suggest ability at classic distances. He brought a final bid of $275k as a yearling and $45k as a maiden racing-prospect at the end of his three-year-old year after earning $19,150. His story did not end there, however. He went back to racing, changed trainers a few times, was claimed and then won a minor stakes at a mile while adding over $77k to his total earnings. All but one of his 18 races (3-3-3) were on the dirt, and he was still in training at the time of writing.

Structurally, he has some good points, but he is not built to be a superior athlete nor a consistent racehorse. His LS gap (just in front of the high point of croup) is considerably rearward from a line drawn from the top point of one hip to the top of the other. In other words, he was not particularly strong in the transmission and would likely show inconsistency because his back would likely spasm from his best efforts.

His stifle placement, based on the visible protrusion, is just below sheath level, which is in keeping with a horse preferring distances around eight or nine furlongs. However, his femur side (from point of buttock to stifle protrusion) of the rear triangle is shorter than the ilium side (point of hip to point of buttock), which not only adds stress to the hind legs, but it changes the ellipse of the rear stride and shortens the distance preference indicated by stifle placement. Horses with a shorter femur travel with their hocks behind them do not reach as far under their torsos as horses that are even on the ilium and femur sides. While the difference is not pronounced on this horse, it is discernable and would have an effect.

He exhibits three factors for lightness of the forehand: a distinct rise to the humerus (from elbow to point of shoulder), a high base of neck and a pillar of support (as indicated by a line extended through the naturally occurring groove in the forearm) that emerges well in front of the withers. The bottom of his pillar also emerges just into the rear quarter of his hoof, which, along with his lightness of the forehand, would aid with soundness for his forequarters.

The muscling at the top of his forearm extends over the elbow, which is a good indication that he is tight in the elbow on that side. He developed that muscle in that particular fashion because he has been using it as a brake to prevent the elbow from contacting the ribcage. (Note that the tightness of the elbow can vary from side to side on any horse.)

He ran according to his build, not his pedigree, and may well continue to run in that manner. He is more likely to have hind leg and back issues than foreleg issues.

Horse #2

Horse #2

This filly (photographed as a three-year-old) is by champion sprinter Speightstown and out of a graded-stakes-placed daughter of Hard Spun that was best at about a mile. The filly raced at two and three years of age, earning $26,075 with a lifetime record of 6 starts, one win, one second and one third—all at sprinting distances on the dirt. She did not meet her reserve price at the sale when she was three.

Unlike Horse #1, her LS gap is much nearer the line from hip to hip and well within athletic limits. But, like Horse #1, she is shorter on the femur side of her rear triangle, which means that although her stifle protrusion is well below sheath level, the resultant rear stride would be restricted, and she would be at risk for injury to the hind legs, particularly from hock down.

She only has two of three factors for lightness of the forehand: the top of the pillar emerges well in front of the withers, and she has a high point of neck. Unlike the rest of the horses, she does not have much rise from elbow to point of shoulder, which equates with more horse in front of the pillar as well as a slower, lower stride on the forehand. In addition, the muscling at the top of her forearm is placed directly over her elbow… even more so than on Horse #1. She would not want to use her full range of motion of the foreleg and would apply the brake/muscle she developed in order to lift the foreleg off the ground before the body had fully rotated over it to avoid the elbow/rib collision. This often results in a choppy stride. However, it should be noted that the bottom of her pillar emerges into the rear quarter of her hoof, which is a factor for soundness of the forelegs.

Her lower point of shoulder combined with her tight elbow would not make for an efficient stride of the forehand, and her shorter femur would not make for an efficient stride of the hindquarters.

Her construction explains why she performed better as a two-year-old than she did as a three-year-old. It is likely that the more she trained and ran, the more uncomfortable she became, and that she would favor either the hindquarters or the forequarters, or alternate between them.

She did not race nearly as well as her lineage would suggest.

Horse #3

Horse #3

This filly (photographed as a three-year-old) is by champion two-year-old, Midshipman, and out of a multiple stakes-producing daughter of Unbridled’s Song. She raced at two and three years of age and became a stakes-winner (Gr3) as a three-year-old, tallying over $425k in lifetime earnings from 12 starts. Although she did win one of her two starts on turf, she was best at 8 to 8.5 furlongs on the main track. She brought a bid of $775k at the sale and was headed to life as a broodmare.

Her LS gap is just slightly rearward of a line drawn from hip to hip and is therefore well within the athletic range. Her rear triangle is of equal distance on the ilium and femur sides, plus her stifle protrusion would be just below sheath level if she were male. She has the engine of an 8- to 9-furlong horse and the transmission to utilize that engine.

Aside from all three factors for lightness of the forehand (pillar emerging well in front of the withers, good rise of the humerus from elbow to point of shoulder and a high base of neck), the bottom of her pillar emerges into the rear quarter of her hoof to aid in soundness.

Although she shows muscle development at the top of her forearm, the muscling does not extend over her elbow the way it does on the previous two horses. Her near side does not exhibit the tell-tale muscle of a horse with a tight elbow, and thus, she would be comfortable using a full range of motion of the forehand.

Proportionately, she has the shortest neck of the sample horses, which may be one of the reasons she has developed the muscle at the top of her forearm. Since horses use their necks to aid in lifting the forehand and extending the stride, she may compensate by using the muscle over her humerus to assist in those purposes.

Of the sample horses, she is the closest to matching heritage and ability. …

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Without Prejudice – how Europe's anti-doping rules leave trainers at risk - Is the integrity of the sport protected?

By Lissa Oliver

After a recent spate of positive samples occurring in German racehorses, where the trainers in question were exonerated fully of any duplicity, it is time to look at whether Europe’s anti-doping rules protect the integrity of the sport to the possible detriment of the professionals whose livelihood is dependent on an honest record.

‘Innocent until proven guilty’ is a maxim relied upon by the justice system worldwide, but it becomes less clear cut in the racing world. With a public image to maintain and improve and the omnipresent perceived threat of foul play from gambling opportunities, upholding the good repute of the sport is given higher priority by some of racing’s authorities than protecting the reputation of the professionals working within it.

We have only to look back to the high-profile case of former jockey Kieran Fallon, which in July 2006 saw him suspended by the BHA until an impending court case acquitted him in December 2007. What subsequently amounted to a 17-month suspension was justified by the panel of the former Horseracing Regulatory Authority because “the integrity of horseracing is impugned by such conduct. Our task is to balance the potentially conflicting interests of, on the one hand, the reputation and integrity of racing and, on the other hand, the right of the individual to pursue his chosen career. 

“There is a strong likelihood that during such a period racing would be severely damaged both by the possibility of further race fixing, and the perception of such; and by the adverse reaction of many members of the racing public to the concept that a jockey charged with an offence is permitted to continue to participate.” The decision was made not to grant a licence renewal until the conclusion of the trial. Fallon said at the time, “The HRA ruled me guilty without trial by banning me from racing.”

While this is an extreme example, it stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of the licencing system in the face of integrity accusations, particularly when so many recent breaches of anti-doping rules have absolved the trainer of any responsibility. Contamination and cross-contamination cases have highlighted how difficult it can be to prevent positive samples occurring; and with only disqualification to be gained from administering performance-enhancing drugs, malicious doping becomes an even greater threat when tightened anti-doping rules put licences and careers on the line.

With this in mind, a number of updates to the British Equine Anti-Doping Rules, primarily to clarify how the Responsible Person can avoid a penalty under such circumstances, came into effect from 1 September 2020 but have been described as “a mixed bag for trainers” by National Trainers Federation (NTF) Chief Executive Rupert Arnold.

The changes by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) came as a result of a comprehensive review of the Equine Anti-Doping Rules undertaken in 2018, following a number of Disciplinary Panel cases which called into question previous assumptions regarding the rules and how they should be applied—prompted largely by the case of malicious doping involving a filly trained by Hughie Morrison.  

Morrison was charged in May 2017 with breaching the rules of racing, after the filly Our Little Sister tested positive for nandrolone following a race in January of that year in which she finished last. Facing the possibility of a ban of between one and 10 years, Morrison sought police help and offered a cash reward for any information to support his innocence. 

“What on Earth could I have to gain from this?” he stated at the time. “Our Little Sister was a horse of limited ability, in a race with hardly any prize money, and there was no unusual betting on it. You're basically committing suicide by giving any horse the substance which was found in Our Little Sister. Racing is my life. My reputation is everything.”

The filly was at a racecourse with three other stable runners at the time the nandrolone was thought to have been administered and had been left unattended due to an injury to another of the runners. “As the rules stand, the onus is on me as the licence holder to establish who administered an anabolic steroid to Our Little Sister,” accepted Morrison.

The trainer escaped any ban by the BHA Disciplinary Panel in December 2017, though he was found in breach of the Rules of Racing and given a £1,000 fine. Jamie Stier, then chief regulatory officer for the BHA, explained of this conflicting decision, “The rules are clear that it is the trainer’s responsibility to prevent horses taking part in our sport with prohibited substances in their system. It is important, therefore, that the trainer in this case has accepted he was in breach of the Rules of Racing, and that the Disciplinary Panel has confirmed that as the Responsible Person, Mr Morrison is in breach of the Rules.”

The subsequent review of the Rules has led to simplifying them to understand and follow, whilst the BHA maintains they still protect those who work in, follow or bet on British racing. In conducting the review, the NTF, UK and World Anti-Doping agencies, as well as sport horse bodies such as the FEI, were consulted.

The main changes to the Rules, which were last updated in 2015 in the wake of the 2013 Mahmood Al Zarooni steroid scandal, relate to the circumstances in which the Responsible Person may be found in breach of the Rules but not be penalised when a case is heard in front of an independent Disciplinary Panel.

Cautions, rather than fines, are now available for lower level breaches, and suspended sanctions are also available for breaches. However, the Rules also demand that if a horse tests positive for a prohibited substance, in order to avoid a penalty the Responsible Person must establish the precise source of the positive finding and prove they had taken all reasonable precautions. As is clear from the Morrison case, establishing the source of a positive sample may not be possible and would certainly be an expensive and lengthy process.

Tim Naylor, director of Integrity and Regulation at the BHA, states, “We have to ensure that our Rules in relation to anti-doping are sufficiently robust, but also that as much as is possible in such a technical area everyone bound by the Rules understands what is required of them. Whilst in places the requirements upon the Responsible Person have been strengthened, there have also been changes to allow more appropriate penalties for lower- and mid-level breaches of the Rules.”

However, the NTF argues that while the BHA took on board the need to remove penalties where malicious administration could be proved, strict liability reverses the principle of innocent until proven guilty by putting the onus on the defendant to prove innocence—in this case by having to prove the precise source of the prohibited substance. 

“This is notoriously difficult to do,” Rupert Arnold points out. “Even the BHA says in its note to trainers that to place the burden of establishing the source of the positive sample on the regulator ‘would make enforcing an effective anti-doping regime impossible, due to the access and resource implications.’ The regulator has comparatively greater resources than most trainers.”

The BHA and NTF have agreed on restructured penalties, including the option of cautioning a trainer instead of imposing a financial penalty for the least culpable breaches, thereby protecting a trainer where a treatment has been correctly administered on veterinary advice, all guidelines have been adhered to and the horse has still provided a positive test. 

However, the minimum sanction of a suspended disqualification in addition to a financial penalty for the lowest-level breach for prohibited substances is a contentious issue. “If the Panel is satisfied, the trainer had no knowledge of the substance’s administration and had taken reasonable precautions, a suspended disqualification is an unwarranted stain on the trainer’s reputation,” Arnold insists. “We appealed to the BHA Board to allow the Panel discretion to impose a financial-only penalty in the right circumstances. It is very disappointing that they chose not to allow that discretion.”

France Galop also updated its Anti-Doping Rules as of 1 January 2020. A new procedure for storing samples for ten years has now been implemented so that samples can be checked retrospectively when new research becomes available. From January, horses under four years of age may not be treated with bisphosphonates. Additionally, prescription registers are now recognised and supervised by France Galop.

France Galop already boasts one of the largest anti-doping resources in European jurisdictions, with an annual budget of more than €10 million specifically allocated. Every one of the 7,300 races run each year in France are subject to at least one control. With 30,000 random checks, this represents 11,272 samples taken from the 77,757 runners annually. France also carries out the most unannounced checks during training—more than 900 per year.

Meanwhile, in August, after much pressure by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the Irish regulatory board extended its random testing to unlicensed premises. The minister at the time for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Dara Calleary TD, welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), providing IHRB officers with enhanced investigative powers with regard to the use of animal remedies. 

In Germany this summer, five horses tested positive for caffeine which was traced to contaminated feed that contained apple pomace.

Calleary explained, “This Memorandum aims to advance the already collaborative working arrangements between my Department and the IHRB to improve the oversight, investigative and enforcement powers of the horseracing industry to support animal welfare and to strengthen domestic and international confidence in its brand. Whilst extending the powers of the IHRB officers, the Memorandum does not alter the criteria or sanctioning process of the IHRB. Related prosecutions will remain at the discretion of my Department.”

IHRB officers will be trained to exercise powers and functions of authorised officers, such as seizing unauthorised or prohibited animal remedies, in relation to horses, land, premises and people across the sector. This will include thoroughbred breeders, their breeding establishments, or horses from other establishments which have not yet entered training; licenced persons and horses in their possession; and any owner. “It’s one part of an overall welfare story that is going to be a strong focus for the industry. And it’s a positive focus,” HRI Chief Executive Brian Kavanagh said.

The welfare aspect of drug testing and anti-doping has always been to the fore in Germany, but positive samples made the headlines this summer when in July five horses tested positive for caffeine, including the subsequently disqualified Deutsche Derby third, Grocer Jack. …

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Gerald Leigh Memorial Lectures 2020 - minimising risk from equine infectious disease - how it will hopefully help support education on equine infectious disease

By Celia M Marr

IN ASSOCIATION WITH:

COVID-19 has affected all corners of the thoroughbred world and has changed lives, work patterns and the social activity that underpins racing. One of its minor impacts was that this year, the Gerald Leigh Memorial Lecture series, usually coordinated by Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust at the National Horseracing Museum, Palace House, Newmarket each summer, was cancelled.

This annual lecture series is supported by the Gerald Leigh Charitable Trust in honour of Mr Leigh’s passion for the thoroughbred horse and its health and welfare. Coincidentally, the topic which had been selected for 2020 was Minimising Risk from Equine Infectious Disease. Finding that a meeting was impossible, the trustees organised for presentations to be filmed remotely, and these are now available online.

THE LECTURES SERIES INTRODUCTION BY NICK WINGFIELD DIGBY, CHAIRMAN, BEAUFORT COTTAGE TRUST

Gastrointestinal disease is a common problem in foals and youngstock with potentially serious illnesses involved. Dr Nathan Slovis, director of the McGee Center, Lexington, Kentucky, USA, explained that by six months of age, 20% of foals will have had infectious diarrhoea. Dr Slovis presents a concise and very practical account of how we can minimise risk of infection in this age group. 

The specific causes of gastrointestinal disease vary with age. Foals frequently display mild diarrhoea at around the time of the foal heat, generally a problem that will clear up uneventfully. Major infections in foals include rotavirus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium difficile. Infectious disease can be life-threatening if infection leads to shock, so every gastrointestinal case should be assessed carefully; early intervention is critical. 

Vaccines are available to help minimise risk of rotavirus but prevention relies primarily on proper hygiene and appropriate choice of disinfectants, which vary depending on the particular microorganism concerned.

PRESENTATION BY DR NATHAN SLOVIS, DIRECTOR OF THE MCGEE CENTER, LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY

Diagnosis: PCR and ELISA technologies

The speed and availability of laboratory testing have been revolutionised in recent years with the introduction of ELISA and PCR technology. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is an immunological assay commonly used to measure antibodies, antigens or proteins. An ELISA test relies on finding a molecule which is unique to a virus or bacteria and is used to find several equine pathogens, including rotavirus, Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens.  

PCR technology rapidly makes millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA sample, allowing the lab to take a very small sample of DNA and amplify it to a large enough amount to study in detail. Rapid tests are now available, which have revolutionised the diagnostic approach across a huge range of equine infections; relevant to foal diarrhoea is that this technology is used for rapid testing of faecal samples for Salmonella.

In addition to being extremely quick, both PCR and ELISA tests are very sensitive. Dr Slovis emphasised how important this is in early identification of diseases with the potential to spread rapidly in young horses.

Auditing environmental contamination

All the speakers in the webinar series spoke of the importance of robust biosecurity and common themes emerged in all four webinars regardless of the animals’ age or whether respiratory, skin or gastrointestinal infection is involved.

Dr Slovis’ clinical practice includes offering services to identify areas of environmental contamination. This involves a detailed inspection of all areas on the farm together with laboratory testing for the common pathogens. Key benefits of a facility evaluation service are to help support staff education and to highlight areas of weakness in biosecurity practices; and farmers and vets can work together to devise practical solutions to farm-specific problems. In his webinar, Dr Slovis shows some great examples of what not to do, which are drawn from his extensive experience of advising on biosecurity practices in equine facilities.

THE PRESENTATION BY PETER RAMZAN, A MEMBER OF THE RACING TEAM AT ROSSDALES LLP, NEWMARKET, UK:

Infectious challenges in young horses on training yards

Peter Ramzan, member of the Racing Team at Rossdales LLP, Newmarket discussed how to reduce risks when horses move into training. Piet is a fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and has written extensively on a range of disorders affecting horses in training. He summarised three areas relevant to this age group: lower respiratory tract disease, ringworm and the rare but sporadic disease threats such as strangles and neurological herpes.

Lower respiratory tract disease

This problem is mainly responsible for coughing and affects around 80% of two-year-olds and 25% of three-year-olds. Research in Newmarket has shown that for every 100 horses, there are around 10 cases each month, but prevalence varies between yards and seasons with a peak in early spring. Bacteria are believed to be a more common cause than viral infection, but both can cause coughing and can occur simultaneously. 

Prevention is better than cure

Exposure to disease-causing microorganisms is inevitable and cannot be prevented, but risk of clinical disease can be reduced by optimising immunity. It is helpful if exposure occurs prior to or early in training. Ramzan concluded that homebreds that have bypassed public sales and the inevitable mixing with other horses there are at greater risk of interruptions to their training when they do enter yards as two-year-olds. He went on to emphasise that it is not necessarily helpful to aggressively treat respiratory infections in pre-training—better to let infection run through yearlings and young two-year-olds, providing that they remain mildly affected as this helps them build immunity to protect them during their racing careers.

As well as discussing the biosecurity measures which apply across all age groups and disease threats, particular points that Ramzan emphasised for reducing the impact of infectious disease in training yards included the importance of avoiding the introduction of yearlings to the main yards before the end of the season and adoption of a strategic vaccination programme. Vaccines should be given to horses in a year ahead of the influx of yearlings while maintaining immunity throughout the racing season; autumn and spring boosters are most likely to achieve this.

Antimicrobial stewardship

It is increasingly clear that overuse of antimicrobials is promoting resistance to these potentially lifesaving drugs. Vets and trainers should avoid their use, except where bacterial infection is highly likely,  or ideally confirmed with laboratory testing. Ideally the lowest class of antibiotics should be used first, reserving protected classes, such as enrofloxacin and ceftiofur. Ramzan shared data from his practice over the last two decades which showed an alarming increase in resistance to oxytetracycline, which is the commonly used antimicrobial. Conversely, in the same period, oral trimethoprim sulphonamide, which is not used as much as it could be, has had a rise in sensitivity, likely because it is not used as often as it could be.

Herpes virus Type 1: a uniquely challenging foe

Professor Lutz Goehring,  head of Equine Medicine and Reproduction at Ludwig-Maximilian University, in Munich, Germany, has had a distinguished research career focussed on equine herpes type 1 (EHV1). This virus has the potential to cause both abortion storms and outbreaks of neurological disease in all age groups, including horses in training. 

PRESENTATION BY PROF. LUTZ GOEHRING IS HEAD OF EQUINE MEDICINE AND REPRODUCTION AT LUDWIG-MAXIMILIAN UNIVERSITY, IN MUNICH, GERMANY.

Are you aware of the risks of EHV? ==================================

Equine Herpes Virus is a real threat to horse health and performance. Racing yards can be particularly vulnerable to outbreaks, but there are some easy steps you can take to reduce the risks.

Dr Wendy Talbot, vet at Zoetis explains: EHV is a contagious viral infection causing respiratory disease, abortions and neurological disease. Carrier horses show no clinical signs, but the virus can be reactivated at any time and spread to other horses and this is more likely to happen during times of stress. ^1,2,3

EHV can be transmitted by direct horse-to-horse contact and by nasal or ocular discharge, which can spray or travel through the air over short distances. It can also be spread by sharing infected equipment, and via people who have been in contact with infected horses. This is why it’s crucial to have good biosecurity measures in place at yards, races, training and sales events. ⁴

Signs of the virus can be visually obvious or very subtle: horses may have a nasal discharge, weepy eyes, swollen glands and a cough and fever or a less noticeable lethargy, lack of appetite and reduced performance. ^1,5

Vaccination against EHV is important because it helps tip the balance in favour of the horse’s immune system and reduces viral shedding.

Vaccination programmes should run concurrently with rigorous hygiene and isolation protocols to help minimise the risks of EHV spreading.

It’s also important not to mix unvaccinated horses with vaccinated ones to provide the best level of protection. ^6,7

If you think any of your horses may have any symptoms of respiratory disease,isolate them immediately and contact your vet to discuss the next course of action.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION FOLLOW THIS LINK

1. Slater J (2014) Equine Herpesviruses. In: Equine Infectious Diseases. Eds., D.C. Sellon and M. Long, Saunders, St. Louis. P151-169

2. Allen GP (2002) Respiratory Infections by Equine Herpes Virus Types 1 and 4. International Veterinary Information Service.

3. Slater J. What is Equine Herpes Virus? Accessed August 2019 https://www.horsedialog.co.uk/Health/WhatisEHV.aspx

4. Allen, GP (2002) Epidemic disease caused by equine herpesvirus-1: recommendations for prevention and control. Equine Veterinary Education; 14(3):136-142.

5. Davis, E. (2018) Disorders of the respiratory system. In: Reed SM, Bayly WM, Sellon DC, eds. Equine Internal Medicine, 4th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier:313-386.

6. Lunn, DP., et al. (2009) Equine herpesvirus-1 consensus statement..J Vet Intern Med. 23(3). 450-461

7. Equine herpesviruses: a roundtable discussion Philip Ivens, David Rendle, Julia Kydd, James Crabtree, Sarah Moore, Huw Neal, Simon Knapp, Neil Bryant J Richard Newton Published Online:12 Jul 2019 https://doi.org/10.12968/ukve.2019.3.S2.1

EHV1, like its virus relatives that cause cold sores in humans, has the ability to become latent. This means that the virus can sit in an inactive form in certain nerves and lymph node tissues, only to be reactivated and start to spread amongst groups of horses. While latent, the virus is out of reach of the immune system. Latent infection with EHV1 is widespread in horse populations globally.

Reactivation of EHV1 is not a common event, but it is associated with “stressful” situations such as mixing with new horses, transport, above-normal exercise, and in mares with foaling. Understanding the mechanisms involved in reactivation, spread to other horses and subsequent uptake of the virus into tissues—such as the placenta and fetus to cause abortion and to the spinal cord to cause neurological signs and paralysis—has been the main focus of Prof Goehring’s research career.

EHV1 is easy to kill with soaps and disinfectants when it is outside the body, again highlighting the importance of good biosecurity practices in studs and training yards. The virus spreads from horse to horse when there is close contact and droplets breathed out by an infected horse are inhaled by another. Shortly after inhaling the virus, there is a short temperature spike and then a second more intense spike usually occurs 8-10 days later. Neurological signs or abortion will typically come days or weeks after this second temperature spike.

Outbreak mitigation 

Early detection and effective quarantine are the mainstays of EHV1 outbreak prevention. In the face of a potential outbreak, swift action to stop spread is critical. Movement on and off the property must cease. Horses with subtle clinical signs—slight nasal discharge, lymph node enlargement and fever—can now be tested very quickly for EHV1 using a nasal swab PCR. Horses should be tested to identify any that are shedding the virus; and any which are positive must be removed to isolation. Horses housed near these individuals should be quarantined in case they are incubating the disease. Horses in the early stages of infection may benefit from treatment to prevent neurological complications.

Distance is the key to stopping this droplet-aerosol infection; and although the distance does not need to be great, more is always better. Traditionally racehorses exercise in strings. An exercising horse which is shedding virus creates a tail of viral particles trailing behind it. In his webinar, Prof Goehring talked about the advantages of increasing distance between exercising horses and showed the benefits of exercising alongside rather than one behind the other. When there is infection around, consideration should also be given to the order horses go out to exercise, with those least likely to have infection exercising first.

Immunity, current and future vaccines

Following infection or vaccination, horses produce both antibodies and specialised cells with the ability to fight off EHV1 infection. Vaccination can be expected to reduce both the clinical signs and the shedding of virus if they are challenged. However, this immunity gradually wanes with time and with currently available herpes virus vaccines, repeat vaccination every six months is recommended

. 

It is also important to understand that there is a balance between immunity level and infectious dose such that horses which are challenged with a very high dose of virus are more likely to develop fever than those that are exposed to a low dose—this again highlights the importance of effective biosecurity practices on studs and training yards. 

Finally, although not yet available for equine herpes viruses, novel sub-unit vaccines introduced for similar herpes viruses in humans have been shown to cement latent virus into its hidden location and stop reactivation. Prof Goehring suggested this technology may be the light at the end of the tunnel for horses because this novel approach may reduce the likelihood of the outbreak initiation, which begins with reactivation of latent virus. 

PRESENTATION OF DR. RICHARD NEWTON, DIRECTOR OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DISEASE CONTROL AT THE ANIMAL HEALTH TRUST, KENTFORD, UK.

Lessons from the European flu epizootic 2019

Although current attention is on COVID-19, it is important to reflect on lessons from the equine influenza outbreak which affected many countries in Europe last year. Dr Richard Newton, epidemiologist and an authority on equine infectious disease, coordinated much of the UK’s surveillance and communication during this outbreak, working at that time at the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, Suffolk.

Equine influenza is a contagious rapidly-spreading viral respiratory disease. Common signs of infection include fever and coughing; and coughing is an important factor in spread as infected particles are released and can spread over wide distances to affect others. Unlike EHV1, there is no carrier or latent state, and the flu virus needs chains of transmission to persist in a horse population; an infected horse has to pass the virus on to another in order for the infection to perpetuate in a group. Vaccination is used to break these chains of transmission by reducing susceptibility. However, flu virus evolves continuously, constantly producing new strains; and in order to be effective, vaccine strains must keep up with this evolution and be updated periodically. 

The R number: what does it mean?

The R number, or basic reproduction number, is the number of cases on average that one case generates over the course of its infectious period. If the R number is less than one, the chain of transmission will die out, and infection will cease. Vaccination plays a major role in reducing the R number by limiting the number of susceptible animals.

Lessons from 2019

Flu occurred in several countries in Europe last year. In the UK, we saw two waves of this infection whereas other countries, notably Ireland and Holland, had different patterns. The Clade 1 strain of virus involved in the 2019 outbreak had not been seen in Europe for over a decade.

Flu mainly affects non-vaccinated horses but can occur in vaccinated animals, particularly if a new strain challenges a population. Fortunately, prompt action by the British Horseracing Authority last year minimised flu occurrence within our racing population. In January, based on information coming out of other European countries,  the BHA veterinary committee advised six monthly booster vaccinations.  

A six-day stoppage in racing and horse movements after flu was identified in a racing yard in early February. The majority of flu outbreaks occurred in unvaccinated horses, and the second spike seen in the summer of 2019, was associated with horse gatherings at shows and fairs. Nevertheless 18% of flu cases involved appropriately vaccinated animals, some of which might have been vaccinated after contracting infection, while many of the others were nearing the time when a booster was due. 

The UK’s racing populations are highlight connected, and the racing stoppage was prompted by the occurrence of flu in vaccinated animals. This break provided the necessary pause during which the scale of infection could be assessed. A huge number of racehorses were tested, and Dr Newton explained that an important conclusion from this experience was that there is a need to scale up lab testing capacity to support such a response in future, particularly if we were to be challenged by a completely novel strain of flu.

What did we do well?

Racing heeded the earliest warnings with its six-month booster recommendation, applied a lockdown and implemented test and trace and finally, on releasing lockdown, racing applied biosecurity precautions, concepts now familiar to us all in relation to COVID-19. 

Dr Newton acknowledged that these lessons were missed or ignored outside of racing, leading to a second wave in  the non-thoroughbred during the summer; and horse owners and event organisers did not adequately embrace the simple messages regarding the importance of vaccination and isolation. Many of the outbreaks which occurred last summer were associated with the introduction of new animals on a premise. The UK horse population has a low national vaccine coverage, estimated at around 40%—a statistic which puts the UK in a poor light compared to other European countries where uptake in the general horse population is much higher. 

Do we need to improve vaccines and vaccine strategy?

Vaccine strains are continuously reviewed by The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)  panel—critical work which in the UK is supported by the Horserace Betting Levy Board. Currently there is insufficient scientific evidence to recommend an equine influenza vaccine strain update, although this might not be far away. On the other hand, reducing booster vaccine intervals is clearly beneficial. Flu vaccines work by stimulating the horse to produce antibodies which decline with time. There is variation in vaccine response between individual horses with some animals less well protected than others. Dr Newton reviewed information from multiple studies and outbreaks and concluded the weight of evidence overwhelmingly supports a six-monthly booster. Increasing vaccine uptake across the national herd will involve improved education in the non-thoroughbred world but is critical to supporting herd immunity. Improved awareness will benefit all horses including thoroughbreds.

Take-home messages

All four speakers highlighted practical biosecurity measures as critical in reducing the risks of infectious disease. Vaccines are essential for both flu and EHV1. They are not infallible, and ongoing research will lead to improved vaccine technology. Most important of all is that education of people working with thoroughbreds, and across the wider equestrian world, will help support early recognition and management of disease when it occurs. This year’s Gerald Leigh Memorial Lectures will hopefully help support this education by making information on equine infectious disease available online.

CLICK HERE FOR USEFUL RESOURCES ON VETERINARY ADVICE RELEVANT TO THE THOROUGHBRED

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News from the EMHF - It is time to celebrate - The European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation is 10 years old

By Dr. Paull Khan

The European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation is 10 years old. A mere stripling when compared to its counterpart regional federations in other parts of the globe, the Asian Racing Federation (ARF, formed in 1960) and Latin America’s yet more venerable OSAF (Organizacion Sudamericana de Fomento del Sangre Pura De Carrera – established 1958). So what has been the story of our first decade?

Who better to turn to first than the ‘Father of the EMHF’, Bjorn Eklund, ex-CEO of the Swedish Jockey Club? “I think I got my thoughts about the need of European racing integration and cooperation when I visited my first International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) conferences in the late eighties. I say 'visited' and that is what it really was, from my point of view. They were grand meetings and offered a lot of hospitality but not much by way of discussion or democratic interaction. Everything seemed to have been discussed and decided in advance by the big racing nations. I asked some representatives from the minor racing countries if it was always like this. The answer was 'yes', and they were not too happy about it.

“So, together with my friend Harald Dörum from Norway, I invited some of the minor European racing nations to a meeting in Stockholm in 2000. The result of the meeting was an informal organisation called the European Racing Development Conference (ERDC). It was mostly a network organisation which met once a year. After a few years, we were able to arrange the meeting during the ‘Arc weekend’ in Paris, which increased the interest and more and more organisations took part. As chairman of ERDC I was invited twice to speak at the IFHA meeting by invitation of its chairman, Louis Romanet. And he was the first to suggest an integration into IFHA by setting up a European (and Mediterranean) organisation for both the big racing countries and the minor ones.”

Paull Khan, Behcet Homurlu, Bjorn Eklund, Dominique de Wenden, Brian Kavanagh and Zsolt Hegedus.

And so it was that representatives of 18 countries—Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Morocco, Norway, Poland,  Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey—gathered in Stockholm on June 1st 2010, and resolved to found the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation. Italy, a notable absentee, hosted the second meeting, three months later, and was included amongst the 19 founder members listed in the federation’s by-laws. Brian Kavanagh, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland and a vice-chair of the IFHA, was chosen as chairman, a position he still holds today. 

Areas of focus suggested by those attending that inaugural meeting, as revealed by its minutes, included several which have become key themes for the federation: information exchange; tutorship, including in practical aspects of racing administration; and advocacy within the European Union amongst them. Zsolt Hegedus, representing Hungary, argued that it was extremely important for the major European racing nations to visit the developing ones to assess and assist them.

Within the first couple of years, during which time the Czech Republic and Lebanon came on board, the need for a more formalised secretariat became apparent and, in 2012, I was delighted to be approached and commissioned to give one day per week of my time to become its secretary-general—an arrangement that applies to this day.

Over the past eight years, we have sought to maximise the value derived by the members and to raise the profile of the federation, both within the racing and wider equine sector and in European political circles. 

‘EMHF Chair, Brian Kavanagh and Secretary-General, Paull Khan dwarfed by the feared Pardubice fence at the 2018 Executive Council trip.’

Two formal meetings are held annually—an Executive Council meeting involving nine member countries, in addition to the General Assembly—and we have been determined to fulfil Hegedus’s wishes by holding these meetings over as wide a spread of countries as possible. In this way, our members have been able to experience the wondrous breadth of horseracing in our region. From the quirky Grand Steeplechase de Flanders at Belgium’s Waregem, to the swashbuckling ‘White Turf’ meeting on St Moritz’s frozen lake; from the urban oasis that is the racecourse in Casablanca, to the beauteous setting of Jersey’s elevated Les Landes racetrack. Small wonder that the EMHF membership is as one in recognising that the racing product and experience offered by each of its countries is unique and to be treasured and protected. 

All EMHF members pay the same membership fee (currently €1,750pa). But those with the largest racing industries contribute in kind by hosting and delivering seminars on aspects of racing administration. This educational element of the federation’s work is among its most important. Topics have included farriery, handicapping, licencing, doping control, racetrack management, marketing and many more. Memorably, in 2016, Mark Johnston delivered a Trainer Masterclass to a rapt audience who had travelled from far and wide to Bratislava to hear him discuss the intricacies of purchasing and selling bloodstock, sourcing owners, recruiting and retaining staff, media relations, planning horses’ campaigns and many other aspects of the trainer’s job and art.

How do the ‘smaller’ racing nations view these efforts? Omar Skalli is CEO of Morocco’s racing authority; SOREC and has been a vice-chair of EMHF since its inception. “Since the very beginning,” he explains, “the aim of the founders (I was one of them) was to put EMHF, unlike equivalent structures, on these three strategic axes:

- Sharing practical experiences on structural themes for racing authorities

- Active participation of all members in defining topics of common interest

- A desire to develop the entire racing ecosystem

“Morocco has fully benefited and learned from this sharing to develop its own racing ecosystem, and I am proud to see that the EMHF is faithful today to these objectives and in line with what I had hoped and expected back in 2010.”

Several developing racing nations have elected to join the EMHF in recent years, including Azerbaijan, Channel Islands, Greece, Libya, the Netherlands and Portugal. …

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Price money & the Covid impact - will prize money ever return to pre-COVID-19 levels? - Lissa Oliver looks into the various pots of prize money and the racing authorities’ recovery plans

By Lissa Oliver

We are in a period of uncertainty throughout the global business world, with the loss of many businesses and a need for government aid among others. Racing is no exception, but is the COVID crisis truly affecting European prize money levels or is it simply a new excuse?

In Ireland, 2020 began with great optimism as Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) announced a five-year strategic plan—its first in ten years—aiming to increase annual government funding to €98 million by 2024. The Irish State contribution to racing in both 2020 and 2019 stands at €67 million. HRI also hoped to have prize money increased to €90 million by the end of the five-year period and increase minimum race value to €12,500. Two weeks later, the COVID emergency erupted, and prize money for the year ahead was reduced by at least 10% and up to 50% at the highest level.

Deutscher Galopp produced a similarly upbeat reflection on 2019 as the year began, with imports well above average, negative trends reversed and prize money continuing an upward curve, with a further increase maintained for 2020. Then came COVID and Dr Michael Vesper, president of Deutscher Galopp, announced that due to having no spectators prize money would be cut by 50%, but minimum levels of €3,000 would be retained. 

This is a common picture across Europe, even when the new year had not brought with it such high expectations. The Norwegian Jockey Club announced that the association was in a difficult financial situation and prize money in the big races would be reduced. 

Prize money reduction, and fluctuation, is nothing new. At the higher end of the sport, the Group races have seen a steady decline in prize money since the turn of the century in all bar Ireland and Britain, although increases to the average prize value overall suggests simply a fairer distribution of the pot across all levels. The average Irish prize value, however, shows a recent decline and the financial focus appears to be more on quality racing. Nevertheless, the average prize money in Ireland last year only just topped 2015 levels and failed to match the heights of 2005. In Britain, 20 years have made a scant impact on average prize money, which more or less remains at 2000 levels. Are trainers also having to operate at fees unchanged for 20 years as inflation increases their costs?

Although we are far from any economic recovery and racing continues behind closed doors in many jurisdictions, racing authorities are making recovery plans and hoping to return to pre-COVID levels by year end. Other measures to lessen the personal economic hardship on industry professionals are also in place, and this will also ultimately impact overall recovery.

Deutscher Galopp asked participants to halve their fees and German betting companies to waive all fees until there was a full resumption of racing.

“This is a bridging period between the phase without races and the one with races in front of spectators. It therefore lasts as short as possible and as long as necessary,” said Jan Pommer, managing director of Deutscher Galopp.

All races have been broadcast live and free of charge on the Deutscher Galopp website and other digital platforms during this period. “We want to make the best of this situation and present our great racing to even more people. We hope to win new fans like this,” Pommer said.

Charlie Liverton

In March, France Galop stopped collecting the access fees for horses stabled in the training centres at Chantilly, Deauville and Maisons-Laffitte and regional training centres—a measure in place until at least  May 1st 2020. It also granted trainers who rent their boxes a suspension on rent payments for as long as racing remained suspended. Funds collected from fines were redirected to trainers to help relieve the financial blow of the lockdown. The fund contained €540,000, and if split evenly among all 381 eligible trainers each would receive €1,417. France Galop, however, gave trainers the opportunity to forego the aid to further assist those in need. 

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) provided emergency financial support of £22 million (€24.5m) to help racing people, businesses and communities cope with the crisis. British racing’s main charity, the Racing Foundation, holds the proceeds from the 2011 sale of the Tote, and the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) also stepped up with a substantial package of grants and loans. 

The Chief Executive of the British Racehorse Owners Association, Charlie Liverton, said at the time, “Racing’s leaders want to act as quickly as possible to protect livelihoods and address hardship. We hope this funding will go a long way to supporting the most vulnerable. We also support the Levy Board’s decision to ensure that there is enough money still available to get racing back on its feet once we resume.

“People across racing, including many owners, are currently facing significant financial challenges whilst continuing to maintain payments. They need the prospect of racing activity and prize money to support their costs and get the sport moving again. We would like to thank trainers and everyone else who have worked so hard to ease costs and care for horses in these most trying of times.” …

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Thoroughbred Tales - showcasing the good work of the unsung heroes of racing - celebrations were in order when Stormy Girl provided Rebecca Menzies with a first ever Black Type success

By Sally Anne Grassick

The Thoroughbred Tales family continues to grow on social media with each new guest host and, as any family would be, we were delighted to see one of our own have the biggest success of their career shortly after hosting the account. Stormy Girl provided Rebecca Menzies with a first ever Black Type success when she won a Listed raced over six furlongs at Pontefract last month. 

Rebecca’s “Thoroughbred Tale” started when she joined Ferdy Murphy’s team during a gap year that ended up turning into a training career. When Murphy relocated to France, she struck out on her own with a yard of just eight horses in York. In 2016 she relocated to Howe Hill Stables in County Durham, formerly the home of John Wade, where she trains a dual purpose string of 65 horses, which keeps her and her team busy all year long. 

“We started out as a jump yard, but I soon realised that we couldn’t afford to keep a full yard rented if we only had a few horses running during the summer,” explains Rebecca. “We are located close to the A1 and have five racecourses within an hour or so of the yard, so it also made sense commercially to give it a try. We were lucky that a lot of our jump owners supported us by sending a few flat horses when I took out my dual licence. I could see it being a 50/50 split between flat and jumps horses in the future. We had a couple of two-year-old winners last year and that definitely gave us the confidence to pursue that route. The Listed success of Stormy Girl was a huge moment for us all; we have been celebrating ever since! I was confident she was going to run well the time before in a Listed race at York, but she was disappointing and scoped badly afterwards. I never lost faith in her ability though as I have always known that she is the best horse I have had anything to do with to this point. It was nice to have that view confirmed last time. She works on her own at home as I currently don’t have another horse good enough to work with her, and she is ridden out by Nathan Moscrop. I hope there is more to come from her and we have a few options at Newmarket, Newbury or even over in France later in the year. Her owners, Mike and Eileen Newbould of Stonegrave Thoroughbreds, have been really supportive so it is nice to be able to repay that faith with a Black Type filly.”

Every young trainer knows they need big winners to catch the eye of potential new owners, and never more so than in a year as full of uncertainties as this one. “I have had some interest from people who would like to send me flat horses, and it is good to advertise the fact that with the right material at hand, we can train horses to a good level in that sphere. These are difficult times for everyone, not just in racing, so it is important to try and promote yourself and our sport to a wider audience. That was one of the reasons I was keen on supporting Thoroughbred Tales by guest hosting the account for a week. I had been following the project for a while and found it very interesting seeing how other yards and studs operate. I learnt a lot from the week I hosted and enjoyed answering followers’ questions. It has not been easy for owners this year, but the various social media platforms have helped people feel closer to the action. Many of my owners take their horses home on a rest so they are very close to them. It makes it hard when they can’t give them a pat after they’ve won a race so we try to make an extra effort to reward them for all their continued support. There are difficult times on the horizon and every trainer will need to have their owners behind them to get through it.”

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Why a lack of fibre can compromise horse health and performance

Why a lack of fibre can compromise horse health and performance

Gastric ulcers can affect any horse or pony regardless of age, breed, sex and discipline. In fact, it has been estimated that up to 90% of racehorses have ulcers. Clare Barfoot RNutr, Marketing and Research and Development Director at SPILLERSTM explains why……

The problem with stomach acid

The horse has evolved to eat for up to 18 hours a day, with 65% of the gut devoted to digesting fibre. The horse’s stomach produces acid continuously, but they can only produce acid-neutralising saliva when they chew. This means horses on a restricted fibre diet such as racehorses that limited access to forage are more susceptible to gastric ulcers. Feeding meals high in cereals can also increase the risk of gastric ulcers due to excess fermentation in the stomach. Exercise itself may increase gastric acid production and it also increases pressure in the abdomen, which can result in gastric acid ‘splashing’ onto the upper region of the stomach. 

The benefits of forage

The key to reducing the risk of ulcers is to provide as much of the diet as possible as forage (no less than 15g/kg bodyweight dry weight per day) this means 9kg of hay for the average racehorse, whilst restricting starch intake to less than 2g/kg bodyweight per day (1g/kg bodyweight per meal). Feeding plenty of forage and/or chopped fibre forms a protective mat on top of the stomach contents, thus helping to prevent ‘gastric splashing’. It also helps to add chopped fibre to help extend eating time and increase saliva production. Alfalfa is particularly useful as the high protein and calcium content may help to buffer stomach acid. 

How SPILLERSTM Ulca Fibre can help

SPILLERS Ulca Fibre contains short-chopped alfalfa to extend eating and chewing time, encouraging saliva production and increasing the horse’s ability to buffer damaging stomach acid. The high oil content gives slow release energy for optimum condition and a full range of vitamins and minerals includes vitamin E for immune support and muscle health. High-quality protein includes lysine to support muscle development and performance. SPILLERS Ulca Fibre can be fed on its own or in addition to a suitable low starch compound feed such as SPILLERS Ulca Power Cubes.

SPILLERS Ulca Fibre was used alongside SPILLERS HDF Power Cubes in a recent scientific study that was the first to prove that diet can have a beneficial effect on gastric health. Horses that were clinically treated for grade three and four ulcers were split into two groups; one group had their diet changed at the start of omeprazole treatment, while the other remained on the pre-treatment diet. 

The dietary change group maintained their improved ulcer score post treatment, whereas overall the horses in the group remaining on the pre-treatment diet regressed back to their pre-treatment ulcer scores, proving the value of dietary management in reducing the risk of ulcers.

SPILLERSTM Ulca Power Cubes

SPILLERS has also launched SPILLERS Ulca Power Cubes, a high energy, low starch cube for racing and performance horses prone to gastric ulcers. Based on SPILLERS HDF Power Cubes which are a favourite in the racing industry, SPILLERS Ulca Power Cubes are just 12% starch and have added functional ingredients to support gastric health. They are ideal to feed alongside a chopped fibre containing alfalfa to help extend eating time and buffer stomach acid. 

Both products carry the BETA EGUS Approval Mark demonstrating they have been independently assessed as suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers.

* Luthersson N,  Bolger C,  Fores P ,  Barfoot C,  Nelson S,   Parkin TDH  & Harris P (2019) Effect of changing diet on gastric ulceration in exercising horses and ponies following cessation of omeprazole treatment   JEVS 83 article 102742

To find out more about our feeds and how we can help to support your racing yard, please visit our website www.spillers-feeds.com or call/email one of our dedicated Thoroughbred Specialists.

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Why the fibre you feed matters

It’s not only what’s in a feed that’s important, where it comes from matters too. 

A great source of calcium

Alfalfa is an effective buffer to acidity in the gut due to its abundance in calcium and studies have shown it buffers acidity more effectively than grass-based forages. Just half a scoop of pure alfalfa chopped fibre in each feed will help counteract the acidity produced by feeding cereals.

A study has shown that omeprazole can negatively impact calcium absorption – this has already been shown in humans. Whether this is contributing to an increased risk of bone fractures is yet to be confirmed but it is certainly worth providing additional calcium in the ration as a risk reduction strategy. The calcium in alfalfa is highly bioavailable and so easier for the horse to absorb. Just 1 scoop of Dengie Alfa-A Original provides a 500kgs exercising horse with 1/5th of their daily calcium requirement*. 

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole have also been shown to significantly impact the bacterial populations in the digestive tract of humans making them more prone to digestive upsets and infections. This hasn’t been explored in the horse to date but if the same effect is seen it reiterates the importance of doing everything else possible to promote good gut health. 

Consistently Clean

When the difference between winning and losing is marginal, doing everything you can to maximise respiratory health and function makes sense. Precision drying is a way of conserving forages that ensures they are as clean as possible and helps to lock-in nutrients as well. Every bag of Dengie fibre is dried by us and we can trace each one back to the field it was grown in. 

Many people don’t realise that some so-called performance feeds contain straw. At Dengie we believe straw is a useful ingredient but not for the performance horse! It’s simply a case of using the right fibre for the right horse. Our feeds are regularly tested for mould with levels routinely below 100 CFUs and often below 10CFUS. To put that in context, sun-dried forages such as hay and straw often contain 1000CFUS or more. 

Tempting the fussy racehorse

Findings from our Senior Nutritionist’s PhD research suggests that hospitalised Thoroughbreds are more likely to go off their feed than other breeds even when gastric ulcers have been ruled out. Interestingly, previous studies have also found that Thoroughbreds experience a higher rate of post-anaesthetic gastrointestinal complications such as colic, reduced faecal output and colitis compared to non-Thoroughbred horses. Dengie Performance Fibre has been developed to try to tempt even the fussiest horse and has proven to be particularly successful. 

*Based on NRC guidance for a 500kgs horse in exercise and a calcium level of 1.5% in alfalfa

For further information please visit www.dengie.com or call +44 (0)1621 841188

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Takashi Kodama - The Curragh based trainer is taking a global perspective - how the racing business has been affected during the Coronavirus shutdown

By Lissa Oliver

The respected Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, often speaks about the dangers of a single story. A single story, or viewpoint, leads to misconceptions and many lost opportunities, preventing us from seeing the many and varied stories within a place, or a person—the multifaceted bigger picture. Ireland’s Curragh-based trainer Takashi Kodama can never be accused of such an error. His is a life of multiple stories; and perhaps this has gifted him with the ability to identify and value the multiple stories of the international thoroughbred industry.

As we talk, Kodama has five fillies waiting to be shipped from South America, to the USA and Ireland. The border had been closed due to the pandemic but was to have reopened in mid-May, so Kodama had everything organised for their export, only to receive last-minute news that the border closure had been extended. He had to spend the day urgently contacting local agents and rightly admits, “It has been my biggest nightmare with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Kodama is no ordinary trainer. Yes, he has his own yard in Kildare and a small string of six horses in training. He faces the same struggles as any small trainer. Yes, he has known major success as a trainer, Pop Rock winning at the prestigious Galway Festival and Elusive Time landing the 2017 Irish Cambridgeshire, a premier handicap, during Irish Champions Weekend at his home track. That saw Kodama honoured with the Special Achievement Award at the 2017 Curragh Racing Awards. 

But unlike many trainers, Kodama has embraced the idea of diversifying and, as a result, has his finger on the pulse of every racing nation as he searches for good value and winners, even if that means sending the horses in his care to other trainers. Even more than a trainer, he is a racing manager.

This brings additional work and issues, as the South American borders testify. “Afternoon here in Ireland is business hours in South America and the USA,” he points out, “and I have six horses in my yard who demand my attention in the morning.”

His passion for horses started a long time ago. “I first started working with horses a few days after my graduation from high school. I went to Hidaka, the main breeding area of Japan, to a pre-training and stud farm. It was supposed to be temporary, but in the typical way of these things I stayed five years!”

Breeding and pre-training are very much interlinked in Japan, so the young Kodama received a good foundation. “I worked at a facility where they did everything. I learnt to ride there, at the age of 18, and my interest went down the training side of the industry. A lot of things seem to happen by chance throughout life, and I met some people who suggested I should go to America. I worked at Santa Anita in California for three years, and then I came over to Ireland, in 1997.

“I got a trainer’s licence in 2002,” he says of his first start in Ireland, “but after three years I realised it was too difficult for a small stable to make a living in Ireland, so I gave up. It is still very difficult for small trainers to survive here.”

Acutely observant of cultures, politics and economies, Kodama is not a man to shy away from obstacles and, crucially, he makes a point of understanding the causes and implications to help him overcome barriers. He had gained from the experience, but it was time to explore different opportunities. “I sent my wife and two daughters to Japan, and I got jobs as a Japanese representative for Goffs and Connolly’s Red Mills. I worked with them for five years, and this brought me fresh opportunities to meet more people day by day.”

During that time Kodama began working for Japanese trainers and owners to assist their international operation. “I attended all the international sales and was familiar with Goffs and Tattersalls, Arqana, Keeneland, Gold Coast, Magic Millions, even Argentinian sales.” His training background also served him well. “I was also able to assist with their international runners in Dubai, Hong Kong, etc. and provided support to get the top international jockeys to ride in Japan, such as Mick Kinane, Ryan Moore, Fran Berry and Craig Williams. From these experiences I got to know more great international racing professionals and was travelling around the world for sales, racing and visiting stud farms.” 

Those five years, Kodama says, were the biggest factor in shaping his life. Four times a year throughout that period, he bought a round-the-world ticket. “I started in Ireland, flew to the USA— visiting Kentucky, California and Florida—then on to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, to Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, then back to Europe, to Germany, France, Italy and the UK, and then home to Ireland. I travelled with an economy ticket all the time, but my airline status was Emerald Member!

“I met so many nice, experienced horsemen all around the world: breeders, trainers, sales people, vets, jockeys, farriers. I found that every part of the horse industry in every country in the world has a different history, culture and the way they trust in the knowledge gained from generations going back more than 100 years.

“I have learned so many things and gained an understanding of the fact that there are so many different ways, different schools of thought, different tools, cultures and history everywhere around the world, but we are all the same in our love and passion being passed down through every generation. That is what is holding the horse industry together, beside the financial supports.”

Crucially, Kodama has also acquired a great understanding and depth of knowledge of the financial systems of racing around the world. “I examine the cost of breeding, cost of training, average horse values, market valuations, prize money, etc., and then I find the balance of all costs and prize money and sales money; and from those calculations I can calculate the cost of performance of the horse in each country.”

He also has an in-depth knowledge of the racing programmes for each region of the world, which he values. “I realised how important it was to have a knowledge and sense of judgement of the ability level of international horses and of the racing and breeding level in each country. I can compare the ability of horses in various countries and know their value, for buying and selling, in order to try to find the best value performance horses for my owners.”

Kodama cites European horses as definitely the most expensive in the world. “For the same money, you might buy only a maiden winner in Ireland but could get a Listed winner in some other European country or the USA; and you might be able to get a Group winner in South America. The important thing is to compare these horses’ abilities.” He laughs, a typically cheerful man who belies the pressure he is so often under. “Horses bought with the same budget, if you let them run in the same race together, who will win—the Irish maiden winner or the South American Gp1 winner? That is a difficult question to answer and may be impossible to find, but it is also a very important aspect of my job.”

It’s easy to think of him as a walking encyclopaedia, but he does have a lot of help. “I would not be able to do what I’m doing now without the help of the great horse people around the world I have been fortunate to meet. International jockeys who ride worldwide give me their opinion of each country’s racing and the quality of horses, and that also helps my knowledge.”

Communication is key and is one of the talkative Kodama’s chief talents.

“At one time, text and other mobile communications were not as popular as now. Although it might be much easier to communicate with people around the world right now, actually I feel that many, many of the people I have met directly face to face and have shared a drink with, eaten with, or just sat and had a chat or discussion with—or even sometimes arguing and fighting with them! ...but it’s those personal meetings that are my fortune in life and will be for a long time to come.”

Of course, as much as he relishes learning from others, his true passion is working with horses, and the lure of a return to training was never far from his heart. “In 2010, by chance, I was given the opportunity to train the Japanese Group winner Pop Rock, together with a few other Japanese horses in Ireland. So I renewed my licence and re-opened my yard once more.”

Pop Rock may have broken a few hearts when a narrow second in the Melbourne Cup to his compatriot Delta Blues, but he realised a dream once in the care of Kodama. “Legend Mick Kinane had retired a few years before I renewed my licence, but he very kindly helped me to try and get my first winner as a trainer. I had been with Mick as a translator in Hong Kong and Japan, and every night when we had a nightcap at the hotel bar he told me so much great things about racing and horses. He started riding out Pop Rock for me—at the beginning once a week—but getting closer to the race, he was finally riding out most of the week. We got Fran Berry as Pop Rock’s jockey for his first time out in Europe, at the Galway Festival.” The rest, as they say, is history. “Pop Rock won as my first winner at Galway and as my dream come true!”

Sadly, Pop Rock was injured during running next time out in the Gp1 Irish St Leger and retired after the race. But as Kodama reflects, “My time with Pop Rock and with Mick and Fran gave me another super experience as a trainer. After this great time I was so pleased to be able to support Fran for his first season riding in Japan. And when Pop Rock retired, a friend who I had met during those five years of travel found a great place for him as a stallion.

“I cannot say my training career has been good,” he admits, “but I’ve still got Elusive Time, who won three times for me, including the Irish Cambridgeshire at the Curragh on Champions Weekend, which was my biggest success as a trainer. Elusive Time was also my first winner at the Curragh, when Joseph O’Brien rode. Now Joseph trains two colts by Galileo for my owners, and also a South American Group winner is going to him with the aim of running her in the Dubai winter carnival.”

Elusive Time with Kodama, Ross Coakley and The Elusive Time syndicate after winning The Tote Irish Cambridgeshire.

Kodama has some very good Japanese owners he met during his time with Goffs, and they have provided him with the opportunity to turn his small stable into an international racing operation. “As a trainer, I have had a runner at Royal Ascot, at the Arc meeting; and I have stayed in Dubai for the winter carnival with five horses, even though I was a really small trainer with not much experience and only 8-10 horses in my yard.

“I got horses for these international races from South America, Scandinavia, Italy—everywhere—with help from people I met while travelling. I also had help from every racing authority, through having met on my travels. I really wished I could step up onto the international racing stage as a trainer for these great Japanese owners who had given me fantastic opportunities, but unfortunately I realised I was not good enough as a trainer. I just felt so sad and sad and sad... because I could not give back anything good to these great owners who supported me so much.

“And I kept thinking, thinking, thinking… How can I give something good to these owners? What can I do for them? …

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Starch v fibre intake. Balancing different carbohydrate sources against changing requirements of fitness, injury and recovery

By Catherine Rudenko

Carbohydrates are by far the largest component of any horse’s diet, typically two thirds by weight, yet we often focus more on other nutrients, such as protein—which in comparison forms only a small portion of the total diet at around 8-13%. Carbohydrates, specifically the balance between differing carbohydrate sources, influences three key areas relating to performance.

The choice of carbohydrate influences the type of energy available, providing varying proportions of ‘fast release’ or ‘slow release’ energy. The type of carbohydrate chosen also impacts behaviour, increasing or decreasing risk of excitability and certain stereotypical behaviours. Last, but by no means least, the choice of carbohydrate and the way in which it is fed impacts digestive health and the ability of the digestive system to convert food to ‘fuel’ for the body.

Getting the balance right between the different types of carbohydrates is important for getting the right results when having to adjust the intensity of training, when resting a horse and when working back up through the stages of fitness. 

What are carbohydrates? 

There are different ways of classifying or grouping carbohydrates, depending on whether you take things from the plant’s point of view or that of the digestive anatomy of the horse. Working with the horse in mind, carbohydrates are best classified by the section of the digestive system that they are processed in—either the small intestine or large intestine. The site of digestion determines the type of energy provided, often referred to as fast releasing for the small intestine and ‘slow releasing’ for the large intestine. The group of carbohydrates, known as hydrolysable carbohydrates, are the group behind the description of fast releasing, whilst the group known as fermentable carbohydrates are those forming the ‘slow releasing’ category. Within the fermentable group, there are three sub groups of rapid, medium and slow. 

What are carbohydrates made of? 

There are many types of carbohydrates in the horse’s diet, ranging from simple sugars to more complex structures. They are defined by their degree of polymerisation, which refers to the way in which sugar units are joined together. How a carbohydrate is formed and the type of link present are important as they determine if digestion is possible in the small intestine or whether fermentation in the large intestine is required. This influences the type of energy available. 

For horses in training, the type of carbohydrate of particular interest is the polysaccharide group which includes starch, cellulose, hemicellulose and fructans amongst others. Starch is found in significant quantities in hard feeds, whilst cellulose and hemicellulose, amongst other fermentable carbohydrates are abundant in forages. Pasture is a source of fructans, which can change rapidly depending on growing conditions and daylight hours. 

Structure

Single sugars, also called simple sugars, comprise one unit only. They are categorised as monosaccharides—the most commonly known being glucose. For horses in training this is a highly valuable sugar as it is the main ‘fuel’ for muscles. Glucose forms the basis of many of the more complex structures of interest to horses in training.

When two sugars join together, they are known as a disaccharide—the best known being lactose which is found in mare’s milk. Oligosaccharides refer to more complex structures where more units are joined together—a common example being fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) which many horses in training are specifically fed as a prebiotic to support digestive function. 

Type of Carbohydrate

Polysaccharides, our group of particular interest, are significantly more complex chains that are branched and are not so easily digested as the simple sugars. The branched nature of polysaccharides, such as starch and cellulose, are the result of links between chains of sugars. The type of link present determines whether or not it will be possible for the horse to digest this form of carbohydrate in the small intestine or not.

Starch

Starch is the primary carbohydrate of interest in our hard feeds. It is a hydrolysable carbohydrate, which can be digested in the small intestine, releasing glucose into the bloodstream. For horses in training this is the most important fast release energy source. Starch is found in all plants, with the highest quantities seen in cereals such as oats, barley and maize.

Composition of cereals commonly used in racing feeds

Starch is made up of two types of sugar chains: amylose and amylopectin, which are formed from glucose units. Amylose itself is easily digested, however amylopectin has a different type of bond connecting each branch, which the enzymes of the small intestine cannot break down. Feed processing, which changes the structure of starch and breaks apart the previously indigestible bonds, is therefore a key factor in ensuring that when starch is fed that the maximum amount of glucose is derived. 

Amylose and Amylopectin 

Feed processing comes in many forms, from simply crushing or rolling the grain to cooking techniques including micronizing, steam flaking, pelleting or extruding. The amount of processing required for what is deemed efficient digestion differs by grain type. Oats have a natural advantage within the cereal group as they can be fed whole, although processing can still improve digestion. Barley, wheat and maize cannot be fed whole or simply rolled. They require cooking to ensure that starch becomes available, and the impact of cooking processes is much greater for these grains. 

The availability of starch is assessed through the amount of glucose released into the blood after feeding. The study below shows the effect of steam cooking maize (corn) compared to two processes that simply change the physical appearance, cracking or grinding. Steam-flaked maize is more available as shown by the greater glucose response. 

Starch is a fast release energy source, being digested in the small intestine, and the term can easily be misunderstood. It does not mean that the horse will suddenly run at top speed nor appear to be fuelled by ‘rocket fuel’. The word ‘fast’ relates to the relatively short time it takes for digestion to occur and glucose to be available. …

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On the bridle - scientific research uncovers performance advantages of different types of bridles - reducing bridle pressure

By Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire

Using a modified bridle design has a significant impact on whole horse locomotion–front and hindlimb–not just the head. 

Recent scientific advances have seen an increase in performance-based research, particularly in the sport horse world where a podium finish can depend on the smallest of margins. The findings from the sport horse research can be translated to the racing thoroughbred where the shortest distance can put you first past the post. All items of training tack and equipment have found themselves under scientific scrutiny, with some unexpected results which could have significant effects on racehorse performance. 

Perhaps one of the most surprising discoveries was the effect that bridle fit and design has on the locomotor apparatus of the horse (biomechanics). The bridle is a neglected item of tack which has, until now, received little scientific attention.

Ahead of the game

As well as improving locomotion these findings could have a significant benefit when it comes to resolving common issues affecting race performance, such as oral lesions in the commissures (corners) of the lips, tongue lolling and hanging, as well as steering or control issues.  

A sensor mat was used under many different bridles and nosebands to measure and record pressure on the horse’s head in motion.]

Research indicates that these behaviours are likely to occur as a result of the horse seeking relief from bridle pressure and instability. Tongue ties or Australian nosebands are two examples of gadgets traditionally used to remedy these issues, but they have their own welfare and pressure-inducing concerns. A more effective solution would be to remove the primary cause of discomfort which leads to the negative or undesirable behaviour by using a modified pressure-relieving bridle design.

Pressure head

Research using a calibrated pressure sensor mat, which was positioned beneath all parts of the bridle, revealed interesting findings and disproved some long-held assumptions. 

It had long been thought that horses experience bridle pressure directly on their poll. In contrast, the research team found no significant areas of pressure over the poll. Instead, areas of high peak pressure were located at the base of the ears in the region where the browband attaches to the headpiece. Anatomically this corresponds to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The TMJ is an essential part of the physiological apparatus, associated with the swallow reflex and the hyoid apparatus (see anatomy panel). The location of pressure (base of the ear and TMJ) was consistent in all commonly-used headpieces and occurred at the same moment in the stride, regardless of the make or design. 

Important locomotor muscles are all linked to the mouth and tongue via the hyoid.

The research team also used gait analysis where markers are placed on the horse’s anatomical locations (joints), allowing locomotion to be measured. …

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Coronavirus shutdown - the effects on training regimes, racing staff wellbeing and how the racing industry adapts to change

By Alysen Miller

“Business as Usual”: How the Racing Community Learned to Thrive in a Pandemic, and What We Can Teach the Rest of the World

As the coronavirus blazed its pestilential path across the world, altering virtually every aspect of life as we know it, in a quiet corner of northern France it was business as usual. Every morning, accompanied by the sound of birdsong from the surrounding Chantilly Forest and unperturbed by the cacophony of confusion emanating from the corridors of power, 50 kilometres away in Paris, Nicolas Clément put his string through their paces on the gallops of Les Aigles and Les Lions. “The truth is we had to keep the horses ticking over,” he explains. “We did a bit less, obviously, when there was no visibility [about when racing would resume]. I had more time in the afternoon to look at my horses and stuff. But I didn’t change much, to be honest. Because your routine is your work.”

Nicolas Clément

It’s an attitude that is replicated from Newmarket to Norway. In fact, wherever racehorses are trained, European trainers have stoically gone about their business, even as the magnitude of the moment seemed to take on ever-more alarming new contours. Even as London’s Excel Centre was being converted into a field hospital and graves were being dug in trenches in New York City, racehorses still had to be exercised.

Doncaster’s COVID-19 screening process.

It’s a sentiment that is echoed, in virtually identical terms, by Oslo-based Are Hyldmo. “The daily routine hasn’t really changed that much at all,” he says. “Of course, we have had to be a bit more strict about who comes to the stables. I will allow owners to come but not in big groups. We have policies about washing your hands. We’ve used more hand soap in the last few weeks,” he deadpans, with typical Scandinavian understatement.

“I’m not one of the worriers,” chirps fellow Scandinavian Jessica Long from her yard in Malmö. “It’s not just going to go away, so we’ve got to cope with it. The world can’t stop.” The Nordic neighbours couldn’t be more different in terms of their respective responses to the virus: Norway has been praised for its swift and decisive COVID-19 response, announcing a nationwide lockdown on 12th of March that saw the closure of schools and businesses and a ban on sporting events. Sweden, meanwhile, is something of an outlier in its apparently more casual approach to managing the outbreak. Yet the experiences of the two trainers are remarkably similar. “For us it’s been pretty much business as usual,” confirms Long, repeating the trainers’ mantra.

Dr Antonis Kousoulis

All this is not to downplay the seriousness of the pandemic which, at time of writing, has infected nearly 5 million people and resulted in 324,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation. For many, the pathogen itself is only the tip of the iceberg. Millions of adults have reported feeling panicked, afraid and unprepared as a result of the pandemic, according to research from the Mental Health Foundation, a UK-based charity; while almost a quarter of adults living under lockdown have experienced loneliness. “The impact… on mental health can be very hard to manage,” warns Dr Antonis Kousoulis, director at the Mental Health Foundation, in the report. “We fear that we may be living with the mental health impacts of the coronavirus situation for many years to come.”

Yet the racing community has singularly maintained its sense of stoicism—even humour—even in our darkest hours. Now, as the first virulent wave breaks and rolls back and countries across the continent begin to take their first tentative steps out of lockdown, it is worth examining how, as a cohort, the racing community was able to survive and even thrive during one of the most extraordinary periods of human history, and what lessons we might be able to impart to the rest of the world.

“Racing people are incredibly resilient, that’s for sure,” says psychologist Michael Caulfield. “They’ve coped and adapted with extraordinary resilience, and they’ve done it their way. And everyone has found their own rhythm.”

One of the UK’s leading performance psychologists, Caulfield, works with a number of prominent football, cricket and rugby teams, as well as providing support to individual athletes and coaches. Even compared to other sportspeople, he says, the racing world has seemed to weather the storm far better than most. (In a previous life, Caulfield worked as a stable lad and, later, as chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association; so he knows whereof he speaks.) The reason for this resilience, he suggests, is that racing people are inherently a species of risk-takers: “The racing world has always lived with risk. And I think with this situation now, we’re having to teach the world to learn to live with risk again because risk is a part of everyday life. With horses, it’s a part of every hour of your life; financially, in terms of the risk of injury, in terms of the uncertainty. So racing people are better equipped to deal with it than most.” Caulfield acknowledges that some of the restrictions imposed by lockdown, such as not being able to go to the pub with your mates, have perhaps been easier on people who didn’t have a social life to begin with: “How many people from equestrianism do you meet during the week for a night out? You don’t.” …

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