European Trainer - Issue 47 - October to December 2014

www.trainermagazine.comEuropean ISSUE 47 – OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2014 £5.95

THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FOR THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE THOROUGHBRED

GUILLERMO ARIZKORRETASpain’s leading trainer in profile

CARDIACRHYTHMNew technologybrings newinsights

TREATINGequinerespiratorydisease

RACECOURSESTo water or

not to water?

GILESANDERSON

HAMPIONSHIP season is upon us! Flat racing is takingcentre stage with its key autumn races but I still feel thatthe wider European scene is missing a trick in bringingcohesion between countries. Yes, there have beenwelcome changes made to the European Pattern, but theEuropean Pattern Committee can only do so much. To

me, there is a sense that courses like to guard their own territorywithout looking at what could be done to maximise internationalopportunity.

When the British made the move to create Champions Day at Ascotin 2011, I remember hearing from people in France that the enhancedfixture at Ascot would undermine the Arc weekend. Far from it; threeyears on, I think that both fixtures are enhanced and yet there is stillmore that we can be doing across Europe to better inter-promote eachday.

Take a look at football or rugby, sports that get behind differentEuropean leagues and championships. In racing we’re not yet hittingthe pulse of where we could be, within racing itself or the world thatwatches racing.

Let’s start with Irish Champions Weekend in early September, wherea simply mouthwatering card was put together at Leopardstown on theSaturday. In some elements of the industry the traditional positioningof the Ladbrokes St Leger, which took place on the same day on theother side of the Irish Sea, was called into question. The fixture list is,as we all know, gradually condensing key races to the weekend andperhaps this is simply another example of the big race fixture headachespilling across country boundaries, with course executives worryinghow the new fixtures will affect their traditional appeal.

This particular weekend should be a weekend of opportunity. Thetiming of the Irish card on the Saturday is cleverly crafted and followson from the action on Town Moor. But what could really make this daywork even better are two key players – Attheraces, who hold the TVbroadcasting rights to Doncaster as well as Irish courses; andLadbrokes, who have significant interests in the Irish Republic andacross the United Kingdom. With the welcome news that Ladbrokeshave agreed to continue sponsoring the oldest classic for another twoyears, perhaps they could be the ones to develop something like aSuper Saturday bet for their customers to produce the potential of a bigpayout.

n OUR very vigilant readers will have noticed that we gradually shiftedour publication schedule this year. This issue will last through until theend of December, after which we will publish the first of our four issuesfor 2015.

We’ve recently made further enhancements to our website –www.trainermagazine.com – where you can now search for subjectswe’ve already covered or read back issues online.Wherever your racing takes you between now and the end of the year,good luck! n

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 01

CEurope needs cohesion

02 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

Chairman’s message

CRIQUETTEHEAD

I hope that you have all had a successfulsummer of racing. We have enjoyedsome top-class action over the past

months and I would like to congratulatethe trainers of winners at all levels.

“On behalf of the ETF, I pledge oursupport for drug-free racing inAmerica. It would be a great step forward if these new regulationscould finally be adopted”

In a similar vein of promoting racing’s image, I wasdelighted to be invited to a dinner in London recently,organised by the Magic Millions Racing Women Association.Former World Champion event rider Zara Phillips is patronof this operation, which aims to raise the profile of womenin racing, and the dinner was attended by a range of ladiesfrom all spheres of the racing and equestrian world. Inaddition to Zara Phillips, guests included Katie Page-Harveyof Magic Millions, successful Australian showjumperEdwina Tops-Alexander and Rachel Hood, who is a familiarname to all involved in racing. This initiative representsanother way in which we can help to make equine activitymore accessible to newcomers and it was an honour for meto participate in this inaugural London dinner.

We will hold our annual ETF committee meeting in Parison the Friday before the Arc and on this occasion willdiscuss the usual topics of regulations from Brussells,harmonisation of racing’s rules and new member countriesfor our Federation. n

WELCOME the movement of American trainers whoare lobbying for the elimination of race-daymedication in the USA. This subject has beendiscussed for many years and it is most satisfactory tosee that so many leading American professionals arenow lending their support to the proposal to phase

out race-day medication, starting with two-year-olds fromnext year and for all horses from 2016.

On behalf of the ETF, I pledge our support for drug-freeracing in America. It would be a great step forward for horsewelfare and, above all, for the wellbeing of the Americanbreeding industry as a whole if these new regulations couldfinally be adopted.

Drugs were in the news in Europe this summer with thepositive tests for morphine in the UK. I was pleased to notethe reaction of the British authorities, who recognised thatthe trainers concerned were implicated through no fault oftheir own and that, accordingly, they received no sanctions.

In France all eyes have been on the World EquestrianGames, held in Normandy at the end of summer. I have nothad time to follow the events as closely as I would haveliked but I have the utmost respect for these riders.Whatever our discipline, we are all horsemen and women.There are plenty of similarities between equestrian sportsand racing and I am sure that we could all learn somethingfrom each other, while widening our appeal to newaudiences.

I


12Reigning in Spain

Leading Spanish trainer, Guillermo Arizkorreta, by Emma Berry

20Morning exercise effects on muscle

Dr Barbara A. Murphy discusses her research on a

horse’s muscle physiology

26Cardiac rhythm

Celia Marr on new technology that brings new insights

32Prohibited natural substances

Dr Catherine Dunnett looks at the recent spate of post-race

positives for morphine

38Streptococcus

Celia Marr on important research funded by the Horseracing

Betting Levy Board on the respiratory disease

42Tongue-ties

Thomas O’Keeffe on the use, efficacy and welfare debate

of tongue-tying

48Trainer on the up

Harry Fry about his hopes for the future

50Shunted heels

Quarter cracks can be avoided with proactive management

of heels, by Scott Morrison, DVM.

56Watering courses

Does summer watering affect going during the winter?

by Lissa Oliver

62Book review

The Racehorse: a veterinary manual

Issue 47

CONTENTS

6Contributors

8European Trainers’ Federation

10TRM Trainer of the Quarter

66Product Focus

68Stakes Schedules

72David Crosse

12 26 32 42 50

Emma Berry is the Bloodstock Editor ofThoroughbred Owner & Breeder andEuropean correspondent for Inside Racingin Australia. She is married to trainer JohnBerry and lives in Newmarket with toomany horses, dogs and cats.

David Crosse is a professional NationalHunt jockey. He moved to England fromIreland when he was 16 starting his careeras an amateur for Charlie Mann inLambourn. Champion Amateur jockey in2001/02, he rode a Cheltenham Festivalwinner for Nicky Henderson. He then took

out a Conditional licence, riding out his claim with 75 winners in2004. David now rides out for Colin Tizzard, Tom Symonds andNigel Twiston-Davies and has ridden more than 170 winners. Hewrites a blog for Love The Races website.

Dr Catherine Dunnett BSc, PhD,R.Nutr. is an independent nutritionistregistered with the British Nutrition Society.She has a background in equine research,in the field of nutrition and exercisephysiology, with many years spent at TheAnimal Health Trust in Newmarket. Prior to

setting up her own consultancy business, she worked in theequine feed industry on product development and technicalmarketing.

Professor Celia Marr is an equineclinician at Rossdales, Newmarket. She is aRCVS and European Specialist in EquineMedicine and Honorary Professor at theGlasgow University Veterinary School. Shepreviously worked at veterinary schools inGlasgow, Pennsylvania, Cambridge and

London and in racehorse practice in Lambourn. She isChairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board’s ThoroughbredResearch & Consultation Group and Editor-in-Chief of EquineVeterinary Journal.

Scott Morrison graduated from theEastern School of Farriery, Virginia in 1990and graduated Virginia-Maryland RegionalCollege of Veterinary Medicine in 1999.After an internship at Rood and Riddle in1999, he then started the podiatry centerat the hospital. The podiatry center

currently employs 5 podiatry veterinarians and 5 farriers. Scottcurrently provides podiatry services and consultations in theUSA and often travels internationally. He has written manypapers, articles and book chapters on equine podiatry and stillfinds time to play polo and work with green horses.

Dr Barbara Murphy has held the positionof Lecturer and Head of Equine Science atUniversity College Dublin in Ireland sincecompleting a PhD in Veterinary Science atthe Gluck Equine Research Centre at theUniversity of Kentucky in 2007. Her researchinterests are in equine reproduction and

performance and she is Chairman and Founder of Equilume Ltd,which developed the innovative Equilume Light Mask as a resultof her research on light manipulation in breeding stock.

Thomas O’Keeffe is a graduate ofUniversity College Dublin, working inOcala, Florida. He worked for Rossdalesand Partners in Newmarket, UK as amember of their ambulatory racingveterinary team and in their hospitalfacility. He was also an associate with

Scone Equine Hospital, Australia, as resident veterinarysurgeon for Darley’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland and worked inLexington, Kentucky with Dr Ruel Cowles, DVM.

Lissa Oliver lives in Co Kildare, Irelandand is a regular contributor to The IrishField and the Australian magazine,Racetrack. Lissa is also the author ofseveral collections of short stories and twonovels.

Dr. JoAnn Slack is an AssistantProfessor of Large Animal Cardiology andUltrasound at the University ofPennsylvania. She received her DVM fromthe University of Wisconsin, completed a2 year fellowship in equine cardiology andultrasonography and is board certified in

Large Animal Internal Medicine. Research includes equinecardiac arrhythmias and their effects on performance, cardiacbiomarkers in the horse and echocardiography in the criticalcare setting. Current research includes electrocardiographicfindings during racing, cardiac arrhythmias during the crosscountry phase of eventing and cardiac abnormalities duringendotoxemia.

Josh Slater took a position at theUniversity of Cambridge where hecompleted a PhD in equine infectiousdiseases. Now Professor of Equine ClinicalStudies at the Royal Veterinary College,London he continues to research equineinfectious diseases, in particular strangles

and EHV. A former president of the British Equine VeterinaryAssociation and the European College of Equine InternalMedicine Josh is senior vice president of the Federation ofEuropean Equine Veterinary Associations. He was NationalTechnical Official responsible for biosecurity at the London2012 Equestrian Olympic Games.

Andrew Waller moved to thepharmaceutical industry after DPhil studiesto develop anti-infective agents for thetreatment of antibiotic resistant disease.Appointed Head of Bacteriology at theAnimal Health Trust in 2003, he hasexploited the emerging genome

information towards the development of new vaccines anddiagnostic tests for the prevention of equine Strangles andinfection with Streptococcus zooepidemicus. He contributes tothe HBLB’s code of practice for the control of Strangles andthe Strategy to Eradicate and Prevent Strangles (STEPS) bythe British Horse Society.

Publisher & Editorial Director

Giles Anderson

Editorial Consultant

Frances Karon

Circulation/Editorial Executive

Louise Crampton

Design/Production

Neil Randon

Advertising Sales

Giles Anderson, Harriet Scott

Photo Credits: Emma Berry,

Horsephotos.com, Shutterstock,

Celia M Marr, Lewis Smith/Rossdales,

Getty Images, Fiona Crawford

Photography, Caroline Norris,

Scott E. Morrison, York Racecourse,

Leopardstown Racecourse,

Saint-Cloud Racecourse,

Trillium Place Stables

Cover PhotographEmma Berry

Trainer Magazine is published by Anderson & Co Publishing Ltd.

This magazine is distributed for free to allETF members. Editorial views expressed arenot necessarily those of the ETF. Additionalcopies can be purchased for £5.95 (ex P+P).No part of this publication may be reproduced in any format without the priorwritten permission of the publisher.

Printed in the European Union

For all editorial and advertising enquiriesplease contact Anderson & Co Publishing LtdTel: +44 (0)1380 816777 Fax: +44 (0)1380 816778email: [email protected] www.trainermagazine.com

Issue 47

CONTRIBUTORS


Vice Chairmanship:Max Hennau

FEDERATION BELGE DESENTRAINEURS

Rue des Carrieres 355032 - Les Isnes

BELGIUMTel: Fax: +32 (0)81 56 68 46Email: [email protected]

GERMANYErika Mäder Jentgesallee 1947799 Krefeld

Tel: +49 (0)2151 594911Fax: +49 (0)2151 590542

Mobile: +49 (0)173 8952675Email: [email protected]

CZECH REPUBLICJosef Vana

CZECH JOCKEYS AND TRAINERSASSOCIATION

Starochuchelska 192/16159 00 Praha 5 - Velka Chuchle

Contact: Roman VitekMobile: +42 (0)606727027Email: [email protected]

SLOVAKIAJano Cagan

SLOVENSKA ASOCIACIADOSTIHOVYCH TRENEROV

MDZ 48942 01 SURANY

Slovakia Tel: +42 19 03 165 609

Email: [email protected]

EUROPEAN TRAINERS’ FEDERATION

Chairmanship:Criquette Head-Maarek

Association des Entraineurs de Galop18 bis Avenue du Général Leclerc

60501 ChantillyFRANCE

Tel: + 33 (0)3 44 57 25 39Fax: + 33(0)3 44 57 58 85


AIMS and OBJECTIVES of the ETF:a) To represent the interests of all member trainers’ associations in Europe.

b) To liaise with political and administrative bodies on behalf of European trainers.c) To exchange information between members for the benefit of European trainers.

d) To provide a network of contacts to assist each member to develop its policy and services to member trainers.

ETF REPRESENTATIVES

Vice Chairmanship:Christian von der Recke

Hovener Hof53919 Weilerswist

GermanyTel: +49 (0 22 54) 84 53 14Email: [email protected]

Treasureship:Jim Kavanagh

IRISH RACEHORSE TRAINERSASSOCIATION

Curragh House-Dublin RoadKildare-Co.Kildare

IRELANDTel: +353 (0) 45 522981Fax: + 353 (0) 45 522982

Mobile: + 353(0)87 2588770Email: [email protected]

www.irta.ie

SPAINMauricio Delcher Sanchez

AZAFRAN, 5- 3ºMMAJADAHONDA28022 Madrid

Spain Tel: +34 (0)666 53 51 52


UNITED KINGDOMRupert Arnold

NATIONAL TRAINERS’ FEDERATION9 High Street - Lambourn - Hungerford

BerkshireRG17 8XN

Tel: +44 (0)1488 71719Fax: +44 (0)1488 73005www.racehorsetrainers.org

ITALYOvidio PessiU.N.A.G.

Via Montale, 920151 [email protected]

[email protected]. +39 02 48205006

mobile: +39 348 31 33 828

NORWAYSven-Erik Lilja Eventyrveien 8,1482 Nittedal

NorwayTel: +47 (0) 67 07 14 12

Mobile: +47 (0) 91 12 88 96Email: [email protected]

SWEDENFredrik Reuterskiöld

Swedish Trainers Association SouthNotarp 3228S-243 92 Hoor

Tel: +46 (0)413 55 00 65Fax: +46 (0)413 55 04 95

Mobile: +46 (0)70 731 26 39

Swedish Trainers Association NorthKarlaplan 10

115 20 Stockholm SwedenMail: [email protected]

Tel: +46 (0)8 662 46 79Mobile: +46 (0)708 756 756

www.trainersfederation.eu


EFT REPS issue 47_Jerkins feature.qxd 23/09/2014 18:44 Page 1

EFT REPS issue 47_Jerkins feature.qxd 23/09/2014 18:44 Page 2

David Simcock landed a memorable Grade 1 double in Canada with Sheikhzayedroad and Trade Storm (right) at Woodbine. Trade Storm won

the feature Ricoh Woodbine Mile and Sheikhzayedroad the Northern Dancer Handicap

The TRM Trainer of the Quarter award has been won byDavid Simcock. Simcock and his team will receive a

selection of products from the internationally-acclaimedrange of TRM supplements worth €2,000, as well as a

bottle of select Irish whiskey.WORDS: HARRIET SCOTT PHOTOS: TRILLIUM PLACE STABLES


TRM Trainer of the Quarter

DAVIDSIMCOCK

EPTEMBER September hastruly been a golden month forNewmarket trainer DavidSimcock and his TrilliumPlace team, after achieving anillustrious Grade 1 double at

Woodbine with Sheikhzayedroad and TradeStorm. A fourth win this year under Martin Lane,

Sheikhzayedroad made a successful NorthAmerican debut in the Northern Dancer TurfStakes, followed later that day by Trade Stormcollecting his sixth win in thirty four starts inthe Woodbine Mile. The well travelled bay nowlooks forward to a possible visit to Santa Anitathe first week of November, before headingback to Dubai next year, where the plan will beto repeat his Group 2 Zabeel Mile victory.In the ten years since David and his wife

Jennie set up on their own with a handful ofhorses, things have gone from strength-to-strength for the duo. Their first runner, CutAnd Dried, won the day the two got engagedon February 14th 2004, a portentous sign.Now with a string of over 100, Simcock

began his career as pupil assistant to Ian

Following the retirement of Dream Ahead inautumn 2011, the stable made its presence feltin North America when I’m A Dreamer wonthe Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at ArlingtonPark.David and his team enjoyed another fine

season in 2013, notching up 89 winners – theirbest tally yet – in Britain alone. Moment InTime provided the year’s domestic highpoint,winning the Group 3 Pinnacle Stakes atHaydock, later sold for 350,000gns at theTattersalls December Sale, but the new TrilliumPlace flag bearer was Trade Storm, who nettednearly £100,000 when taking the Group 2Zabeel Mile at Meydan. With both Trade Stormand Moment In Time subsequently beingplaced in Grade 1 events in Canada, Simcock’sability to campaign his horses successfully allover the globe increased.This season, high profile domestic victories

have continued with stand out horses like thethree-year-old filly Madame Chiang who wonthe Musidora Stakes this May and Breton Rock,who after wins at Haydock and Newbury, looksset to head to contest key European conteststhis autumn. n


SBalding, moving to Lambourn for an enjoyablestint in the employment of legend Major DickHern. His learning curve then took in a spellwith William Muir at Linkslade culminating inassistant trainer to Luca Cumani atNewmarket.Early success came with Classic Encounter,

Listed winner Desert Phantom andHandicapper of the Year 2009, Darley Sun,with fillies Spirit of Dubai and Ahla Wasahlboth winning Listed races in the sameSeptember weekend at Ascot. The tough butconsistent Bushman became their first Groupwinner, when taking the Diomed Stakes atEpsom.The arrival of Trillium Place at racing’s top

table was signalled by the brilliant DreamAhead in 2010-11. Winner that season of boththe Group 1 Prix Morny and the Group 1Middle Park Stakes, the speedster colt endedhis ‘classic’ year as champion sprinter inEurope with a thrilling victory in the DarleyJuly Cup and an impressive conquest of starmare Goldikova in the Prix de la Foret – bothperformances were as good as any seen by aEuropean sprinter in recent times.


PROFILE

In eight years with a licence,Guillermo Arizkorreta has

been Spain’s championtrainer three times and hashis sights set on a prime

international target.WORDS AND PHOTOS: EMMA BERRY

UST minutes from the centre of Madridsits Hipodromo de La Zarzuela, the busiestracecourse in Spain in every sense of theword, including being a base for 33trainers and around 80 per cent of the

country’s racehorses.The track lay closed and abandoned for a

decade from 1996 and its reopening eight yearsago brought with it the return from England ofa young Spaniard who was set to take thedomestic training ranks by storm. Now 39,Guillermo Arizkorreta has been championtrainer in Spain for the last three seasons. Withsix Classic victories to his name – includingboth the Spanish Derby and Oaks in 2013 –and 65 horses in his care, he is at the head of thecountry’s largest racing stable. Not that you’dknow it if you met him.

Modest and self-effacing, Arizkorreta, despitehis youth, is very much an old-school trainer.He doesn’t have a website and isn’t tempted bythe self-promotional opportunities of Twitter orFacebook, although he may soon have to give into the urgings of his wife Mila on this subject.

Within the tight-knit Spanish racingcommunity, the former champion amateur riderwas already widely known before he set up histraining business at the end of 2006 and hisalmost instant success in that sphere hasprovided its own advertisement.

“I’ve been lucky,” he says, typically quick todeflect praise at the speed of his ascent. “Peopleknew me from when I was riding – I won theamateur championship two or three times as arider so they knew my name. The people herealso knew I had experience working fordifferent trainers in England and Ireland and Iwas lucky to get owners quickly, then the resultscame.”

A native of San Sebastian in the BasqueCountry, Arizkorreta was educated at a Frenchschool in northern Spain and added English tohis list of languages by spending summersriding out in Newmarket for Henry Cecil andDavid Cosgrove, and for Con Collins in Ireland.A short stint with his French-based compatriotCarlos Laffon-Parias also formed part of hisracing education which was honed during fiveyears as pupil assistant and then assistant toLuca Cumani.

“My family is not involved in horses or racing

J


GUILLERMO ARIZKORRETA

GUILLERMOARIZKORRETAReigning in Spain


stayed here with horses but generally racing washit quite hard as Spain suffered in therecession,” he admits.

That struggle is reflected in the fact thatcurrently only 440 of the 750 boxes available atLa Zarzuela’s well-equipped training centre arein use. For Arizkorreta, who has two youngsons, Iker and Alex, the proximity of the trackto his home, and training at the racecoursewhere much of the country’s racing programmetakes place, is ideal.

PROFILE

at all,” he explains. “I learnt to ride at the localPony Club in San Sebastian with LoritzMendizabal and the man who ran it ownedracehorses so we used to beg him to take usracing with him. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

Riding at the track at San Sebastian led to astint on the Fegentri series for amateur riders,but unlike his old friend Mendizabal,Arizkorreta ruled out a professional career inthe saddle and set his sights on training.

“I wanted to train at some stage and I hadcontacts here so it seemed the right thing to do,”he says. “If the racecourse here in Madrid hadstayed closed maybe I would have tried to setup in France or England but then it would havebeen harder to find clients.”

Most trainers will testify as to the difficulty offinding and retaining owners. For Arizkorreta,the reopening of La Zarzuela initially broughtwith it a surge of enthusiasm from theMadrilenians which resulted in a boost insupport for his fledgling venture. Within a year,however, the global financial crisis had struck.

“I’ve been lucky that most of my owners have

Spanish Derby winner Rilke at

Arizkorreta’s Madrid yard

“Eight months of the year the racing in Spainis just in Madrid so I can be here a lot with myfamily and not on the road so much like trainersin England,” he says. “But training here doesn’tstop me going abroad with runners. Around athird of my runners are in France and we senthorses to Dubai two years in a row – one ofthem won twice and was the first Spanishwinner at the carnival – it was a greatexperience.”

Though there may be little travellinginvolved for his domestic runners, the summerracing in Madrid sets quite a punishingschedule for trainers, jockeys and stable staff,starting as it does at 10.15pm, albeit only oncea week. The regular Thursday night meetingdraws to a close at around 1am and Arizkorretais back up and at his yard by 6am to oversee hisfour lots.

As with most modern racing stables, there’san international mix of riders, the locals mixingwith workers from France, Venezuela and theCzech Republic. Arizkorreta’s calm demeanourseems to rub off on his staff and horses who go

“Around a third of myrunners are in France andwe sent horses to Dubaitwo years in a row – oneof them won twice andwas the first Spanish winner at the carnival”

A little night racing



Spanish Oaks

winner Navarra

The second lot prepare to leave the yard

PROFILE

about their work amiably and with theminimum of fuss.

First lot is conducted in the dark, under thefloodlights of La Zarzuela’s synthetic trainingtrack. After a gentle warm-up canter, the horsesfile in to the track’s infield where they circleunder the trainer’s intent gaze as he decides onsmaller groups to head back out to the fibresandfor a sharper piece of work. By the time the next15 horses and riders are making their way outto exercise, the sun is rising behind the Madridcityscape, offering an enchantinglycosmopolitan backdrop to the scene of lithethoroughbreds in action.

The third lot consists almost entirely of


The second string

(above) go out to

the track

Antonio and

Guillermo watch

the morning’s

exercise



Having lost a decade of racing in Madrid,the team at La Zarzuela racecourse isworking hard to rebuild the connectionwith local racegoers and to increase thenumber of trainers and horses based at thetraining centre.

Director of Racing Gerardo Torres says:“We have good horses here and our racesare competitive – we have horses who areable to compete at Group and Listed levelin France.

“Next season we will be improving ourprize-money again in the spring and theautumn and I’d like to encourage moretrainers to come here – either to train fromhere or for overseas trainers to run theirhorses here.”

In consecutive weekends in April thetrack stages the Gran Premio Valderas andGran Premio Cimera – Spain’s 1,000 and2,000 Guineas equivalents – followed bythe Gran Premio Beamonte-Prosegue(Oaks) and Gran Premio Villapadierna(Derby) in May and early June.

Of La Zarzuela’s 47 race days throughoutthe year, the ‘Noches del Hipodromo’,staged every Thursday night on thesynthetic track under floodlights from theend of June to early September, haveproved particularly popular. With alaidback party atmosphere, the eveningfixtures, helped massively by Madrid’swarm climate, draw a large crowd for theracing, which starts at 10.15pm, followedby music and dancing into the early hours.

Along with the Classics, La Zarzuela’sexpansive turf track also hosts the country’srichest race, the Gran Premio del Madrid,the equivalent of Ascot’s King George,

La ZarZueLa revitaLised

which carries Listed status and €120,000 inprize-money. The race was won this year bythe Duke of Alburquerque’s homebredHigh Chaparral filly, Frine, who is also aGroup 3 winner in France.

La Zarzuela’s horse population fluctuatesduring the summer months as a number of

Madrid-based horses are stabledtemporarily at San Sebastian, four hoursnorth of the capital, while some travelsouth to race on the beach at Sanlucar. SanSebastian, with its picturesque seasideracecourse is, understandably, billed as ‘theSpanish Deauville’.

The grandstands at

La Zarzuela

The parade ring under the trees

juveniles and, very much like his former bossCumani, Arizkorreta is in no hurry with theyoungbloods assembled in front of him. Theyrepresent a mix of European stallions, includingLe Havre, Sea The Stars, Sir Percy, Big Bad Boband Spain’s popular sire Caradak, whose sonNoozhoh Canarias has promoted his worth to awider audience in the UK.

He explains: “I’ve learned something usefulfrom every trainer I’ve worked with. The one Ispent the most time with and have probablytaken the most from is Luca but it is completelydifferent training in Newmarket to training onthe track here in Spain, though the generalaspect is the same. Luca gives time to horsesand is very patient, which is the importantthing. That’s what I try to do.

“In Spain the two-year-old programme is notvery strong and I don’t like to push two-year-

olds too hard anyway, it’s just my way. Generallypeople here would like to try to win the Derbyor the Oaks or the good mile-and-a-half races,so there’s not much point in buying veryprecocious horses.”

Last season’s Classic victors, Derby winnerRilke and Oaks winner Navarra, remain withinthe string and the trainer exhibits a weak spot asthe latter walks by. “I just love her, she floats,”he says wistfully of the robust filly, yet anotherby the prolific Aga Khan-bred Caradak.

The only equine member of the team todemonstrate any sign of mischief is the veteranLe Feu Du Ciel, one of the trainer’s very firstyearling purchases, who, at eight, is the elderstatesman of the string. His penchant forwhipping round and dropping his rider on theground means he is exercised alone but withfive consecutive Grand Prix de Pomapdour

Arizkorreta’s two-year-olds going through their paces

victories to his name, plus a third-place finish inthis year’s race, his consistency allows him to beforgiven the odd foible.

“There’s big pride when our runners goabroad, especially as they are trained here inMadrid,” says Arizkorreta. “Here we do a goodjob and we like to run in England or France orDubai. We were all very excited for EnriqueLeon and for Spain when Noozhoh Canariasran in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket thisyear.”

With Noozhoh Canarias now trained inFrance by Carlos Laffon-Parias, the hunt is onfor the next big Spanish star. If Arizkorreta isable to fulfil his ultimate racing goal, he will behoping that that horse turns up in his stable inthe near future.

“If I could win one race anywhere it would bethe Epsom Derby,” admits the trainer.

“I was lucky to ride a couple of times there inthe Amateur Derby – I think sixth was my bestperformance – but it was such an amazing trackto ride and obviously you always think of what[Federico] Tesio said about the race. It’s true, it’sstill so influential and it’s a unique course – youneed a horse that stays and quickens and is verywell balanced with a good temperament.”

Despite confessing to “worrying all the time –about horses, about injuries”, the Spaniard, inhis understated way, still manages to exude anair of quiet self-confidence. It’s an inner balancewhich clearly has drawn owners to his stable,and he has repaid their faith in him with hisdiligence and intuitive horsemanship.

He has already laid down a notable markerfor his country on the international stage inDubai. Don’t bet against Guillermo Arizkorretabecoming the first Spanish name to appear nextto a horse in the Derby line-up at Epsom – thistime as trainer rather than jockey, and verymuch as a professional. n


PROFILE

Effects of morningexercise on muscle response


TRAINING


MORNING EXERCISE


LL animals possess aninternal body clock thatensures functions such as muscle metabolism,digestion and tissueregeneration and repair

peak at the most suitable time of day to ensuresurvival in the wild. This important system, called the

circadian system, uses the continuous 24-hour transitions from night to day togenerate rhythms in physiology andbehaviour that allow a horse to stay inharmony with its environment. Each organ inthe horse’s body undergoes rhythmical 24-hour changes that respond to theenvironmental cues provided by the changinglight-dark cycle, food availability and exercise.How we time feeding, and in particular,exercise, has important implications for

A

Timing is everything. Nowhere is this more relevant than when preparing an elite equineathlete for a race. Thoroughbred trainers are critically aware of the importance of

fine-tuning the feeding and exercise regimes of their charges in the months, weeks anddays before a big event. Timing is also critical for the smooth functioning of a horse’s

musculo-skeletal system for optimal performance. Understanding how the horse’s musclephysiology works in synchrony with its environment and reacts to the exercise regimesthat we subject it to in our daily management has been the focus of much research at

University College Dublin by Dr. Barbara Murphy and her team. WORDS: DR BaRBaRa a. MuRphy phOTOS hORSEphOTOS.COM

equine performance and will be exploredhere.Domestication has changed many aspects

of a horse’s daily life. To understand theimpact human intervention has had on thehorse’s body clock we must first consider theirnatural behaviour. As migrating herd animalsbound by tight social bonds, horses evolvedto spend up to 18 hours a day grazing as agroup constantly on the move, coveringanywhere from 40-100 km in a day. Now consider the lifestyle of today’s

thoroughbreds in training – stabled for up to23 hours a day, isolated from a herd, fedconcentrated feed at set intervals and oftenonly exercised once per day at the same timeeach day. Each of these factors is accompaniedby impacts on a horse’s health andperformance. Gastric ulcers, respiratorydisorders and stereotypic behaviours are some

of the common challenges faced by trainersand are often a direct consequence of anintensive indoor management regime – anecessary evil in the business of training eliteathletes.So what impact does a regimental early

morning training time have on a horse’sperformance? To answer this, a recentlypublished study from University CollegeDublin evaluated the effect of routinemorning exercise on muscle response inthoroughbreds. For the study, researcherschose six healthy four year old thoroughbredmares that had not been on exerciseprogrammes previously. In the preceding yearthe mares had lived a sedentary life as a herdin a large pasture. The study horses wereweighed weekly and only received a minimalgrain enticement to encourage them to comein from the paddock each morning. They

TRAINING


were returned to their paddock followingexercise each day and remained outside atnight.At the initiation of the study, mid-gluteal

muscle biopsies were collected from eachhorse at four-hour intervals over a 24-hourperiod. Researchers analyzed the samples formuscle genes that had previously been seen toundergo circadian (24 hour) oscillation inother species, or that were shown to have high importance for muscle metabolism in performance horses. The horses were then put on an eight-week exercise regimen,which involved a 30-60 minute workoutconducted on an automated 20m diameterexerciser at 10.30 am each day, six days perweek. In this way, all six horses could be exercised

simultaneously in order to mimic a string ofhorses heading to the gallops at the same timeeach morning. The intensity of exercisegradually increased each week, with speedsup to 12km/h eventually maintained for up to30 minutes. At the end of the study periodresearchers again took biopsies from eachhorse every four hours over a 24-hour period.Horses were not exercised on the day thatsamples were collected. Gene expressionpatterns in these samples were then comparedto the patterns identified at the beginning ofthe study.The data showed that prior to beginning

the exercise programme, muscle genes were

expressed constantly at a low level across the24-hour period. This fits with ourunderstanding of horses maintained in anatural setting, grazing for most of the nightand day while constantly moving. At the endof the exercise programme however, a distinctpattern could be detected in muscle geneexpression for specific genes. The shifts in thepattern of the genes matched their functions,so that genes involved in regeneration andrepair were turned on at night and geneswhose protein products help protect muscleagainst stress were turned on just prior to the10.30 am exercise. This is an anticipatory effect regulated by

the horse’s body clock and synchronised byexercise in order to provide optimalperformance at the anticipated time of highestactivity. Bear in mind that this shift in musclegene expression occurred in response to a

medium intensity daily workout consistingonly of walk and trot. A far greater responsewould be expected when horses are in intensetraining consisting of high-intensity fast workin preparation for racing and where the horsesspend the remainder of the day confined withminimal activity in their stables.After the first week of exercise all the horses

lost weight. This was followed by six weeks ofgradual weight gain. The initial weight losswas associated with a loss of body fat whilethereafter an increase in muscle massoccurred as the horses adapted to exercise andbecame fitter. Every stable hand is aware of the

anticipatory response to feeding time in abarn of horses by the sounds of nickering andhooves scraping in impatience. This is aresponse to the circadian rhythm of enzymerelease from the digestive tract in anticipationof food breakdown when feeding times arerestricted to certain specific hours of the day.While we cannot hear the horses’ musclesgearing up for exercise in the early morninghours, the same thing is happening and nowwe have molecular evidence. One of the genes that was found to be

turned on in a rhythmic pattern inanticipation of exercise was UncouplingProtein 3 (UPC3). UCP3 acts as anantioxidant defence mechanism to protectagainst damaging reactive oxygen species thatare generated during exercise in skeletal

“At the end of the exercise programme adistinct pattern could be detected in musclegene expression for specific genes”

MORNING EXERCISE

TRAINING

within a stable for all but one hour of the day- that hour then becomes the time cue foroptimal muscle performance. The saying goes that “all knowledge is

worth having” and while it is very unlikelythat many of us can shift training times fromthe early morning hours to the afternoon inorder to facilitate optimum muscleperformance on the track, trainers can stillmake use of this information to benefit theirtraining regimes. Alternating training timesfor horses between the first and last string hasthe potential to buffer against a peak in geneexpression so that the benefits are spread overa longer time period. Additionally, theincorporation of an afternoon hack or ‘pick ofgrass’ is accepted by many as beneficial to thehorse’s mental well-being, but now could alsohelp with preventing an early peak in musclemetabolism.Ideally, fast work should be scheduled at

the time of day closest to actual race time aspossible. This means that to ensure horseshave the best opportunity to performoptimally and reduce the risk of musculo-skeletal breakdowns, training times need to beshifted to later in the day so that they coincidewith racetimes. At least we may now know thereason why some horses shine at home on thegallops, but fail to perform to their potentialon race day. n


the day to exercise. So the question that mustbe asked is what is the consequence of askingan athlete to undergo strenuous exercise at atime outside of the daily training time?Furthermore, if muscle performance is sub-optimal outside the daily exercise time, is thistrue also of the cardio-respiratory system?These questions remain to be answered andare worthy of further studies.What is clear, however, is that the shorter

and faster the work, the more important it isthat it is carried out at a time that matches thecompetition time. Longer training periods,such as those associated with endurancework, will have a less important peak time foroptimal performance. Training time is of highest relevance for

horses who are restricted to minimal activity

muscle. Because exercise-induced oxidativestress is linked with a reduction in muscleperformance and muscle damage, theimplications are that in order to reduce therisk of musculo-skeletal injury, strenuousexercise should be scheduled at the same timeas the horses daily training regime. Of course,most race times do not coincide with when weroutinely train horses.Two genes with important roles in the

growth and development of new musclefibres, a process termed myogenesis andhypertrophy respectively, and whose patternschanged dramatically in response to theexercise regime were Myogenic Differentiation1 (MYOD1) and Myogenic Factor 6 (MYF6).Both of these genes showed a shift in the timeof day of highest activation towards theevening hours, suggesting that muscleregeneration and repair functions occur in theevening in response to a morning trainingregime.The take home message from this study is

that the time of day of exercise influences the24-hour activities within muscle tissue in thehorse. Muscle proteins responsible forprotecting fibres from damage are presentprimarily at the time of day that coincideswith when exercise is expected, whereas themuscle building and repair functions areprimarily carried out at the opposite time of

“The shorter and fasterthe work, the moreimportant it is that it iscarried out at a time that matches the competition time”

CARDIACRHYTHMNew technology

brings new insights

VETERINARY

When a horse runs badly, lameness or respiratory diseasetend to immediately spring to mind, and indeed these are the

most common causes, in that order. The heart comes inthird, albeit quite a way behind these other body systems. Ifsudden death occurs in an equine athlete, a heart problem is

usually the first thing that’s suspected. A new study,published in The Equine Veterinary Journal, provides

significant insights on the cardiac rhythm abnormalities thatcan develop during and after racing in standardbreds.WORDS: JOAnn SlAck, neW BOltOn centRe, UniveRSity Of PennSylvAniA,

PROfeSSOR celiA M MARR, eDitOR, eqUine veteRinARy JOURnAl, neWMARket,

SUffOlk, Uk PHOtOS: SHUtteRStOck, PROfeSSOR celiA M MARR


The conventional way to perform an ECG

involves clips on the skin attached with

leads to a rather bulky unit. Although,

smaller onboard ECGs have been available

for some time, many vets only had access

to this sort of unit. In future, more will use

the hand-held clip-less devices that are

more practical for horses

HE horse’s heart is anastounding organ,capable of pumpingaround 1 litre of bloodwith every heart beat, andwith the ability to

accelerate from a resting heart rate of around30 – 40 beats per minute, to around 230 bpmat maximal exercise. This allows the horse topump over 250 litres of blood every minuteand in doing so, it supplies the oxygen it

T


CARDIAC RHYTHM

needs to fuel its muscles when galloping. ElvisPresley sang “Rhythm is something you eitherhave or don't have, but when you have it, youhave it all over”. But when it comes to theequine heart, was he right?

The equine ECGThe heart is a pump that is powered byspontaneous electrical activity. The electricalactivity is what determines the heart’s rhythm,making it either regular or irregular, slow orfast. The main tool that is used to documentcardiac rhythm is the electrocardiograph – orECG. The ECG is essentially a roadmapshowing how the electrical activity which co-ordinates cardiac contraction spreads from itsstarting point in the pacemaker through thechambers of the heart. If the rhythm is disrupted, the ECG

pinpoints exactly where within the heartchambers the disruption originates. Untilfairly recently, routine recording an ECGrequired attaching electrodes to the horse’sskin, which in turn were attached to therecording unit by leads or wires. Although it has been possible to record

ECGs during exercise for several decades,using ECG units with integral digitalrecorders or those could transmit to a distantmonitor by radio, inevitably, this sort ofrecording equipment limited availability.ECGs have been recorded in standardbredsduring race conditions in a study performedby Dr Physick-Sheard in Canada and somesurprising results emerged. It was found that over 18% of these horses

had irregularities of the cardiac rhythm,particularly as the heart slowed immediately

after intense exercise. Rhythm irregularity wasmore common in horses which broke stride orsuffered interference raising the possibilitythat these are linked to stressfulcircumstances.For human athletes, screening programs

have been developed in an effort to identifypre-existing cardiovascular abnormalities thathave the potential to cause sudden death.These programs have been developed basedon prevalence and risk factor data for variouscardiac arrhythmias. In the horse, guidelines for screening

for arrhythmias prior to racing are essentiallynon-existent and the likely effects of various cardiac arrhythmias on athleticperformance or risk of sudden death is largely based on expert opinion rather thanevidence.

Equine Veterinary Journal. The study wassupported by Pennsylvania HarnessHorsemen’s Association at Pocono Downs andChester Downs and the MeadowsStandardbred Owners Association.Dr JoAnn Slack, co-ordinator of the

research team, recorded ECGs using clip-less,hand-held devices before and after racing. The study was performed over a 12 weekperiod and involved Standardbred horsesentered to race at a five eighth-mile race trackwhere all races are 1 mile long. All horsesentered to race on data collection days wereenrolled in the study. Pre-race ECGs wereobtained prior to horses warming up and post-race ECGs were obtained as soon as the horsereturned to the paddock area following therace. The ECGs were obtained simply by placing

the recorder over the heart just behind thetriceps muscle, usually on the left side butsometimes, if the horse was unco-operative,the right. The total study populationcomprised 1,816 horses; 453 trotters and1,363 pacers. Some horses raced several timesduring the study and in total Dr Slack’s teamrecorded 4335 pre-race ECGs and 4322 post-race ECGs – quite a considerable effort,particularly as Dr Slack analysed every onepersonally.

Premature depolarisationsThe study showed a wide range of rhythmabnormalities both before and after racing. Bycomparing several ECGs from the sub-groupof horses that ran and were recorded severaltimes, it was clear that these events did notoccur consistently. Of most interest were therhythm disturbances that are currentlyconsidered to be clinically important. Thesimplest form of rhythm disturbance ispremature beats, or more correctly,depolarisations. These can originate in the ventricles, the

main pumping chambers, or within the atria,two chambers that sit at the top of the heart and contribute to its filling. Individualventricular depolarisations were common,found post-race in one in every 361 race starts. Individual depolarisations are fairly unlikely

to affect the horse because they have minimalimpact on the overall rhythm and cardiacoutput. Arrhythmias that disrupt the heartrhythm for several seconds or minutes are ofmore concern. Two main forms of thiscategory were found in the PennsylvaniaStandardbred Study: atrial fibrillation,occurring in 1 in 720 racestarts andventricular tachycardia occurring in 1 in 2161racestarts.

Atrial FibrillationWith atrial fibrillation, the co-ordinatedelectrical activity within the atria (fillingchambers) is completely lost. In its place,random wavelets of depolarisation spread


VETERINARY

Using a hand-held clip-less device, an ECG can be recorded simply by placing the device

over the heart on the chest wall

The ECG maps the timing of cardiac events, this horse has a ventricular premature depolari-

sation which can be identified because the interval between it and the other complexes is

shorter and they have a slightly different shape

New ECG technologyVets on the racetracks have rarely carriedtraditional bulky ECG equipment. As a result,when a cardiac arrhythmia was suspectedbased on listening to the heart after racing, itwas rarely possibly to document this ordetermine the exact nature. The usualoutcome being that the horse returned homewith an unsatisfactory explanation of why itmight have run badly and uncertainty aboutwhat the future might bring. But, with recent

technological advances, this situation looks setto change quite rapidly. It is now possible to attach a device to a

mobile phone which can very effectivelyrecord an ECG without the need for leads,clips or electrodes.

The Pennyslvania Standardbred studyResearchers based at the New Bolton Centre,University of Pennsylvania have recentlypublished the results of a large-scale study in

With atrial fibrillation, the intervals between each complex are different, giving a chaotic heart

rhythm. In this example, which is from a horse that is resting, you can also see that there are

continuous small deflections between the main complexes. These continuous deflection

reflect the random electrical activity in the atria whereas the large complexes indicate activity

in the ventricles, keeping the heart pumping albeit less efficiently

VETERINARY

atrial fibrillation if only a stethoscope is usedand not an ECG. Having a handheld ECGavailable at the track can potentially facilitatea life-saving intervention.

Risk factorsDr Slack examined various risk factors thatmight possibly be linked to cardiacarrhythmias. Increasing age was a significantrisk factor for post-race arrhythmia and forsupraventricular premature depolarisations.Furosemide (Lasix) was administered in 2,588out of 4,335 race starts (60%). However, therewas no association between post-racearrhythmia and furosemide administration.Similarly, sex, gait and ambient temperaturedid not appear to have any link.

What can a trainer take from this study?Don’t forget that the heart can be a cause forpoor performance. Horses that perform poorlyshould have their heart listened to with astethoscope, ideally in that early post-raceperiod. Any irregularities in the heart rhythmor heart rates higher than expected (even if therhythm is regular) should prompt an ECGevaluation.

What might the future bring?We are still a long way behind human sportsmedicine where screening for hidden cardiacrisk is widespread. But this study has provideda large and very useful database on which tobuild. There is a need to document theprevalence and risk factors for cardiacarrhythmias in other forms of racing. ThePennsylvania team has shown how this can be done using simple and accessibletechnology. n


This ECG was recorded immediately after racing from a horse that ran badly and shows rapid atrial fibrillation, with a very irregular heart

rhythm. At fast heart rates like this, an ECG is needed to characterise the precise nature of the arrhythmia

around the atria continuously, causing themto wobble rather than contract. The ventriclescontinue to pump, but because they are nolonger filled efficiently, the overall cardiacoutput is reduced. This results in poordelivery of blood and oxygen to exercisingmuscles and therefore poor performance. Atrial fibrillation has often been

recognised in racehorses finishing badly, but this is the first study to systematicallydocument its prevalence in such a large group of horses where every horse in the racewas examined. Five of the six horses that had atrial fibrillation were amongst the groupof 254 horses that did not finish, weredistanced or finished greater than five secondsbehind the winner, giving a prevalence of2.0%. But, one horse with atrial fibrillationpaced the best mile of his career and placedsecond in the race, likely developing thearrhythmia at the end of or immediately afterthe race.

Ventricular tachycardiaTwo horses had ventricular tachycardiaidentified after racing, one of which requiredemergency treatment. Both horses had normalheart rhythms prior to racing. Neither of thesetwo individuals showed any signs of poorperformance and most likely developed thearrhythmias at the end of the race orimmediately afterwards. One horse hadnormal post-race behaviour and one horsewas mildly agitated and slow to cool down.Ventricular tachycardia is a highly concerningarrhythmia because it can lead to suddendeath. It is also very easy to mistake this

arrhythmia for just a fast heart rate or even

This horse has ventricular tachycardia - a highly concerning arrhythmia because it can lead to sudden death. Fortunately in this individual,

it self-corrected with rest

The ECG is a roadmap of how electricalimpulses travel through the heart. Theatria are the filling chambers. The normalheart beat starts in the SA node, it passesacross the right (RA) and left (LA) atria,to the AV node. There is a short delaythen the impulse travels down into thepumping chambers, the right (RV) andleft (LV) ventricles, through a network ofspecialised fibres. A beat originating inthe sinus (the SA node), has a specificpattern of a p formed of a double peak,followed by the qrs and t complex. AnSVPD is an abnormal impulse that startsin the atria and the p wave has a differentshape. A VPD is an abnormal impulsethat starts in the ventricles and the qrs-thave a different shape. If the abnormalimpulses are starting at several sites, theqrs will have several shapes. If there aremultiple abnormal impulses insuccession, this is called tachycardia.

ECG – WHAT IT DOES


NUTRITION

Opium poppies are grown in the

UK for morphine-based pharma-

ceuticals for the health service


PROHIBITED NATURAL SUBSTANCES

PROHIBITEDNATURAL

SUBSTANCESThe risks andresponsibilities


HE feed industry in the UK takesthis risk extremely seriously andover the years has developedstrategies designed to mitigate therisks both from home producedand imported ingredients. In

general, the feed industry has a very good graspof the areas of risk associated with traditionalfeed ingredients such as cereals, cereal bi-products, oilseeds, pulses and forages. Thisknowledge is firmly based on historicalexperience of sporadic contamination eventsthrough the supply chain. However, the picturewith respect to supplements that use herbs,spices or other plant based ingredients is morecomplex, as we will discover.A post-race positive can occur due to a feed

or supplement issue resulting from inadvertentcontamination with an ingredient that containsa prohibited substance, such as theobrominefrom cocoa, or hyoscine from the crop weedDatura sp. This type of contamination canoccur either during growth and harvest, orduring shipping or transport. Another scenariois that a purposely added ingredient maynaturally contain a substance deemed to be

T

The recent spate of post-race positives for morphine andthe conclusion of the high-profile FEI cases against twoprominent eventers for reserpine highlight the inherent

risks associated with horse feed and supplements. As feedand particularly supplement production becomes more of aglobal operation, with ingredients often being sourced fromfar flung continents, the risk of inadvertent contamination

with prohibited substances becomes greater. WORDS: CatheRine Dunnett BSC, PhD, R.nutR PhOtOS ShutteRStOCK

prohibited under the Rules of Racing, e.g.capsaicin in Capsicum sp (red chilli pepper) orvalerenic acid (a natural sedative) in Valeriansp. With respect to the recent episode of

morphine contamination of feed, trainers maynot be aware that morphine-containingpoppies (Opium poppies, Papaversomniferum) have been grown for a number ofyears in the UK under a specific licence issuedto allow the harvest of raw materials for themanufacture of morphine basedpharmaceuticals for the health service. Opium poppies, which are very distinctive,

are grown in discrete locations in the countryand their growth, harvest and processing iscarefully managed by a single company. It isworth pointing out that the commonlyencountered red field poppies do not present asignificant risk at all as they contain onlyextremely low levels of morphine, if any at all.Opium poppies are grown as a commercial

break crop. The farmers are responsible solelyfor the preparation of the land; all other aspectsof morphine production from poppiesincluding the seed drilling, agronomy, harvest

and processing is under the strictcontrol of the licence holder.Interestingly, it is the poppy seedhead that liberates the majority of themorphine and the poppy seeds arelargely commercially redundant due tothe very low level of morphine theycontain. The poppy seeds and even somefragments of spent seed heads can find theirway into the food chain. You may be familiarwith the use of poppy seeds in the bakeryindustry, on those well recognised poppy seedrolls. The issue of morphine entering the human

food chain has been investigated recently bythe European Food Standards Agency (EFSA);although currently it is not listed as anundesirable substance and as such there are nominimum legal limits for morphine in humanfood. Whilst to the human food industry theresidual level of morphine in this spentmaterial may be physiologically irrelevant, itremains problematic in horseracing wherethere is no ‘official’ threshold for morphine inpost-race urine samples. In the UK the BHA may take a pragmatic

view of post-race positives that can becategorically shown to be due to feedcontamination, but it is still unfortunate for theconnections of the horse to lose the race andassociated prize money. However, one canconcede that a line has to be drawn in the sandand the horse will have raced with the ‘drug’ inits system, but no doubt there will be manydiscussions regarding the physiologicalsignificance of the often low levels detected.Morphine is a significant analgesic andtherefore must be regulated in a way thatprevents its potential for abuse.Part of the solution for both the racing and

feed and supplement industry is to ensure thatour partners, in terms of farmers, harvest

*Source of data – International Federation of Horseracing Authoroties (IFHA) recent annual prohibited substance reports

NO. Of pOst-race pOsitives fOr herbal- Or plaNt-based prOhibited substaNces

NUTRITION


contractors, ingredient processors,hauliers and storage suppliers andracing staff understand the importanceof NATURALLY OCCURRINGPROHIBITED SUBSTANCES andalso the significance of what may beconsidered to be minute levels ofcontamination. This is an ongoingeducation process and one that thefeed industry as a whole has takenvery seriously and this forms acrucial part of the quality controlprocesses involved in feed

production. A long term well-established relationship between a feed

company and their suppliers is important toensure that each part of the supply chainunderstands where the risks lie. NOPS accredited feed or supplements can

only be produced in NOPS accreditedmanufacturing facilities and there are also rulesthat dictate from whom they can purchaseingredients. In addition, a company mustalways agree to adhere to all of the schemerules. All BETA NOPS members must also takepart in an early warning system that alertsBETA of any concerns surrounding ingredientsor finished product arising from NOPSanalysis. In addition, there are also strict ruleson marketing claims that can be made and a‘prohibited substance’ guarantee is notpermissible, as it not possible to deliver. AllNOPS accredited companies are auditedannually, the audit process concentrating onthe robustness of risk assessment and the QCsystems in place including analysis thatmitigate these risks.Whilst trainers can without doubt expect a

company marketing a feed or supplement intoracing to take all reasonable precautions tominimise contamination risks on their behalf,trainers themselves also have a responsibility tounderstand those risks and to play their part inthe risk management process. Newly licensedtrainers are offered information on prohibitedsubstances during the obligatory trainers’

courses and in Britain the NTF have organisedseminars on the subject which have beenpreviously well attended. Rupert Arnold of the NTF commented “Atrainer or member of his or her staff should

make it their business to understandnot only the rules on prohibited

substances, but also the risksfrom feed ands u p p l e m e n t s ” .Certainly trainersshould firstly becompletely awareof what they arefeeding and whatthe mainingredients are in

those products,whether a feed or a

supplement. It is a legal requirement forcompanies to provide this information on theirpackaging or label. When choosing products, trainers would be

advised to enquire about the quality systemsthat the manufacturer of the product has inplace to reduce the risk of contamination withprohibited substances. This is likely to combinea risk assessment, raw material traceability andtesting of ingredients and finished products. Beaware that many companies do notmanufacture the product themselves and mayuse contract manufacturers, but they shouldstill have a similarly robust system oftraceability and quality control. Equally somesmall companies may have very rudimentarysmall scale in-house production, but their duediligence should be equally interrogated. The BETA-NOPS quality assurance mark,

which has been endorsed by both the BHA andNTF is fast becoming the industry standard forcompanies selling into racing, or othercompetitive sports under FEI rules and morethan 40 companies have now signed up to this(www.beta-uk.org/pages/riders/feed-nops). TheNOPS quality code includes a bolt-onappendix to a widely used existing UKassurance scheme for either feed (UniversalFeed Assurance Scheme, UFAS) or ingredients& straights (Feed Material Assurance Scheme,FEMAS). Both UFAS and FEMAS weredeveloped to increase safety within the human

food chain and cover all aspects of source andsupply of raw materials and manufacturing offeed and additives for animals. Within theEquine industry, the BETA NOPS code wasdeveloped by the BETA feed committee, whichincludes industry representatives, to helpsafeguard both the interests of consumers, butalso of its feed members against the risk ofNOPS contamination of feed and supplementproducts.Companies are audited annually to ensure

their compliance to the ‘rules’, which allowscontinued use of the BETA-NOPS insignia (seelogo below), which can be found on packaging.The code requires companies to show duediligence in their risk assessment and qualityprocedures which are designed to drive downthe risk of contamination with naturallyoccurring prohibited substances. Inevitablythis will incorporate a certain amount of feed orraw material testing for prohibited substances,the level of which is driven by the perceivedrisk and so may vary between companies. For the most part, the testing protocol that is

carried out indicates the absence of a discreterange of prohibited substances includingcaffeine, theobromine, theophylline, hyoscine,hordenine, atropine and morphine (see tableoverleaf). This list of tested contaminants wasoriginally established by as a result of historicalepisodes of feed contamination impacting onracing. However, for supplements that containherbs, spices, or plant extracts the potentialcontamination issues can be different. This is because many plants contain

pharmacologically active compounds, thesupply chain is often complex and theircountry of origin may have a less stringentquality systems in place. For example, the tableon page 34 shows some recent post-racepositives for substances found in herbs, spicesor other plant based ingredients. Trainers needto evaluate this increased risk for these types ofingredient, taking it into consideration whenmaking product choices.Claire Williams, Chief Executive of BETA,

says that “display of the BETA-NOPS logo on afeed or supplement should give trainers a levelof confidence that care has been taken tomitigate the risk of contamination with NOPS

“A trainer or member ofstaff should make it theirbusiness to understandnot only the rules onprohibited substances,but also the risks fromfeed and supplements”

Rupert Arnold, NTF

PROHIBITED NATURAL SUBSTANCES

NUTRITION

positive is possible and subsequent regulatoryprocess will last. A representative sample offeed (500g) and a supplement (100g) stored ina sealed plastic bag labelled with the productname, batch code and purchase date shouldsuffice. In the event of a problem the recordkeeping and retained samples kept by trainersprovides evidence that the particular productshave been fed. In addition, seeking anindependent view of the prohibited substancerisk from experts in this area is also worthwhilebefore a new product is used. In addition, where a trainer uses a product

manufactured outside of the UK, historic casessuggest that deeper questioning of the marketeris advisable. Some additives that are allowablein feed production in other countries such asthe US and Australia may be regarded aprohibited substances under the rules of racingin Europe. NOPS accredited feeds can only bemade on single species manufacturing lines,whereas this may not be the case for importedproducts. The BETA-NOPS system has brought

appreciable benefit to the racing industry,however, the recent issues with morphine showthat it is not infallible and no doubt lessons willbe learned, which will serve to improve thesystems in place still further. Equally however,trainers should also accept that they have a partto play and need to be informed of the risksand make appropriate decisions on feeding andfeed management accordingly. n


contaminant source

Caffeine Coffee, biscuit meal

Theobromine Cocoa

Morphine Poppies e.g. P Somniferum

Atropine Crop weed e.g. Atropa sp

Hyoscine Crop weed e.g. Datura sp

Hordenine Sprouting grains

cOMMON cONtaMiNaNts that fOrM

part Of beta NOps aNalysis prOtOcOls

representative that cites the tacit approval of aproduct by the BHA, or even the Jockey Club,or FEI, are misleading their customers, as theseorganisations never give such approvals orendorsements and the Jockey Club ceasedbeing racing’s regulator in 2006, handing thatresponsibility to the HRA. Jenny Hall MRCVSChief Veterinary Officer at the BHA confirmedthat “whilst the BHA may at times offerinformal guidance or advice on the use of somefeed or supplement products, this in no wayshould be considered as approval”.Trainers would be well advised to introduce

their own measures to add to thoseimplemented by feed and supplementcompanies. In much the same way thatveterinary records are kept, it would be goodpractice to maintain a list of feedstuffs usedregularly for individual horses, as a record ofnote should a problem arise. In addition, keeping delivery notes, invoices

and recording batch codes and delivery datesprovides further evidence for route ofcontamination. Most reputable manufacturerswill maintain retained samples that could be re-examined if a problem arose, but again this is aquestion to be asked of any supplier. When reputation and livelihood can be at

stake, one should not automatically assumethat this is the case. Training yards should alsoretain their own samples of feeds andsupplements for about two months, theduration over which a subsequent post-race

but cannot offer an absolute guarantee”. “Theremay be companies outside of the NOPSscheme who have equally good systems inplace, but this increases the burden on a trainerto ensure that a product meets theirrequirements and expectations”. The decision makers in racing yards should

beware of companies who offer a guaranteethat a product is free from prohibitedsubstances, as this is a foolhardy statement andimpossible to guarantee. Equally, a company or

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Streptococcuszooepidemicus

The bug that can place bets

VETERINARY

The Horserace Betting Levy Board(HBLB) has invested over £7million to protect racing andensure horse welfare by diseasesurveillance and research onprevention of equine infectionsover the last decade. Infection withbacteria is one of the importantcauses. One bug in particular thatcan be found in many cases isStreptococcus zooepidemicus. Weknow that horses can developimmunity to this species ofbacteria. However, we also knowthat this bacteria can be found inhorses that are healthy withoutnecessarily causing any harm. Thereasons for this inconsistency arebeing investigated thanks to newresearch funded by the HBLB.

ESPIRATORY diseaseaffects a large proportionof young horses aroundthe world, reducingperformance withsignificant disruption to

training and racing schedules. Inflammatoryairway disease affects young horses inparticular and it generally causes mucus in thetrachea. Some estimates suggest that in BritishFlat racing yards, for every 100 horses, eachmonth there will be nine cases.

Coughing and nasal discharge can lastaround eight weeks and some animals areaffected again and again. All of which leads to significant cost to the racing industry. As a result, this problem has been a long-standing focus of attention for the HorseraceBetting Levy Board’s (HBLB) veterinary researchefforts.


Bacterial genetic codeOne reason why bacteria from the samespecies might affect horses differently is thatthere are different strains within a bacterialspecies. This is rather like different breeds ofhorses – a Falabella pony is the same speciesas a thoroughbred – but it looks and acts verydifferently. All living things, from human tosingle-cell algae in the ocean, have a geneticcode written in DNA. Understanding thisgenetic code can reveal how organisms liveand function.

An HBLB-funded collaborative teamworking in Dr Andrew Waller’s lab at theAnimal Health Trust and Professor Josh Slater’slab at the Royal Veterinary College have set outto unlock the genetic make-up of differentstrains of Streptococcus zooepidemicus in order tounderstand better if some strains of thisbacteria cause disease while others arerelatively harmless. The researchers also lookedat how different strains of Streptococcusinteract with the horses’ immune system. Theulitmate goal of this research is to gain theknowledge which will lead to new vaccines.

WORDS: PROFESSOR CELIA M MARR/AnDREW S. WALLER, AnIMAL HEALtH tRuSt/JOSH SLAtER, ROyAL VEtERInARy COLLEgE

MAIn PHOtO: SHuttERStOCK

Left: S. zooeopidemicus colonies grown

on a blood agar culture plate

Below: The build up of mucus in the

trachea (below) of infected horses found

on endoscopy, which is typical of

inflammatory airway disease. (Photos

courtesy of Dr. Richard Newton, Animal

Health Trust)

R


STREPS

inactivate the horse’s immune response. Otherproteins enable the bacteria to stick to theinternal surfaces of the horse in order toestablish the infection, almost like an iceclimber clinging to the surface of a glacierwith the crampons on his boots. If he looseshis crampons, he is in big trouble.

Thus, these surface proteins play key rolesfor the bacteria, but they are also a vunerablepoint and can be targeted by the horse’simmune response to disable the bacteria.Therefore, balancing the array of surfaceproteins displayed with the particularrequirements of the bacteria at any given timeis critical if the bacteria are to successfullyestablish an infection and transmit to a newsusceptible animal.

The bacteria places its betsThe Waller and Slater team noticed that a shortstring of DNA could flip around such that 80%of bacteria in the population contained thisregion in one direction, whilst the remaining20% contained the DNA in the reverseorientation. Through funding from the HBLB,the scientists were able to show that this regionof DNA acts as a switch, controlling the cellsurface proteins. This switch enables thepopulation to hedge its bets as to which preciseproteins be beneficial or not depending on theparticular environment in which the bacteriafinds itself. So the bacteria can immediatelyexploit a change in environment, such as entryinto a susceptible young animal or theavoidance of an immune response in a lesssusceptible horse.

What might the future bring?This HBLB funded work has providedimportant fundamental understanding of acellular mechanism which allows Streptococcuszooepidemicus to exploit its environment. Thenext step will be to establish whether other S.zooepidemicus proteins are regulated in thisway and whether any of these proteins can beused in new vaccines to reduce the impact ofinflammatory airway disease on the healthand performance of racehorses. n


VETERINARY

A global research effortThe researchers started by developing atechnique to produce a unique ‘geneticfingerprint’ with which to identify eachdifferent strain of the Streptococcus. Theythen tested samples from sick horses aroundthe world and so far 318 different types of S.zooepidemicus have been identified with twoparticular strains being responsible foroutbreaks of respiratory disease.

Insight from an ancient threat:StranglesThe researchers had some clues about whatthey might find in the samples from horseswith Streptococcus zooepidemicus infectionbecause they already had extensive experience

Nasal discharge in a horse following

infection with S. zooepidemicus. (Photo

courtesy of Sigríður Björnsdóttir, Icelandic

Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST))

Submandibular lymph node abscess

caused by S. equi, the causative

agent of Strangles, that is actually a type

of S. zooepidemicus. (Photo courtesy of

Nick Parkinson, University of Maryland,

USA)

Electron microscopy images of the surface of tracheal explants grown in the laboratory

before and after infection with Streptococcus zooepidemicus. In the healthy tissue, the

surface of the cells are covered with cilia, which are tiny hair-like structures which

continuously sweep mucus, bacteria and dust particles from the airway. In the tissue

infected, the cilia have been destroyed allowing mucus build up. (Photos courtesy of

Professor Josh Slater, Royal Veterinary College)

in similar research in Strangles. Strangles isone of the oldest known, feared and mostfrequently reported infectious diseases ofhorses throughout the world. Typical signs ofStrangles include abscessation of the lymphnodes in the head and neck, with swelling tosuch an extent that some horses are literallysuffocated. It is caused by a relative ofStreptococcus zooepidemicus, known asStreptotococcus equi. With Strangles, it is veryclear that some recovered horses becomecarriers. Carriers show no outward signs andthis hidden infection enables the bacteria tobe spread around undetected.

Silent carriers lead to infection inyoungstersIn the same way as Strangles, a horse that has recovered from Streptococcus zooepidemicatusmight no longer be outwardly affected itself butit may still carry the bug. For example, theparticular strain responsible for the outbreak ofrespiratory disease in Sweden was found in ahealthy horse eight months after the horse madea full clinical recovery.

This persistence of S. zooepidemicus inthoroughbred racehorses that have recoveredfrom respiratory disease allows transmission tosusceptible animals and can occur when, forexample, older recovered horses are mixedwith the next year’s intake of young horses. It islikely that immunity to one strain ofStreptococcus does not fully protect a horsefrom all the other strains, so young horses canoften succumb to a succession of respiratoryinfections as they gradually build up immunityto mix of Streptococcus zooepidemicus strainsthat persist in that particular yard.

Bacterial balancing actsIn order to be able persist in recovered horsesStreptococcus zooepidemicus must be able tosurvive despite the fact it is being attacked bythe horse’s immune response, and at the sametime, the bug must be ready to infect asusceptible animal should the opportunityarise. S. zooepidemicus strains have proteins ontheir surface and some of these proteins


TONGUE-TIES Their place in racing in 2014

RACING

HAT horse is making anoise” is an expressionwhen heard around anexercising horse thatsends shivers up thespine of anyone

connected to the individual concerned. Tongue-ties (strips of material passed

through the horse's mouth over the tongue andtied under the jaw) have been used forgenerations on racehorses worldwide. Therider has utilized a tongue-tie as a method tokeep a horse from putting its tongue over thebit and thus avoiding loss of control.Additionally, when tongue-ties are used in anattempt to prevent dorsal displacement of thesoft palate (DDSP), anecdotal reports as well assome clinical research have indicated thisprocedure is effective on some horses andineffective on others. Tongue ties or “attache-langues” in the

lexicon of Longchamp and Deauville are usedin training establishments in North Americaand Europe on a daily basis and this articleaims to explore this common practice.

Welfare ConcernsApplying a tongue-tie involves pulling thetongue as forward as possible and tying it closeto its base around the lower jaw with a nylonstrap with the tongue then pulled out to theside of the horse’s mouth. This practice oftongue-tying, however, has led to significantwelfare debates, and in some countries thepractice is illegal during the winter monthsbecause of the risk of frostbite to the tongue. In


Switzerland, tongue tying is illegal all yeararound. It must be stated that the practice oftongue tying does not appear to cause the horsestress or pain and stimulates little reaction fromthe horse while their tongue is beingmanipulated. Obviously common sense mustapply and tongue ties must not be fitted intimes of inclement weather but this decisionshould be left in the hands of the horse’shandlers and in my opinion does not warrantfurther regulation.

The Edinburgh StudyRecords were obtained from the Racing Postonline database for case horses, which weredefined as those that had raced while wearing atongue-tie, and control horses, those that hadnever raced while wearing a tongue-tie. Thecase horses had to meet the following criteria:have at least five race starts before wearing atongue tie in a race; had not raced during the18 months prior to August 1, 2008 so as toensure that their training and racing careers

The use and efficacy of tongue ties has spawned much debate and in 2009 veterinarians at the University of Edinburgh led by Safia Barakzai conducted extensive research, which

was published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, to evaluate the use of tongue ties on racing performance in thoroughbred racehorses. A second study published in the

same publication in 2013 from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada aimed toassess whether tongue-ties contribute to upper airway stability and therefore allow

horses to breathe easier. WORDS: THOMAS O’KEEFFE PHOTOS LEWiS SMiTH/ROSSDALES, SHUTTERSTOCK, GETTY iMAGES

T were finished; and had not raced beforeJanuary 1, 1999 because the use of tongue tieswas not recorded before that date. Each casehorse was matched by gender and age with oneor two unexposed horses if such matches couldbe found. The lifetime record for each controlhorse was examined to ensure that it had neverraced with a tongue-tie and had started in atleast five races before the date when itsmatched exposed horse raced with a tongue-tie.Performances of all the study horses were

analysed in three groups. Group 1 was madeup of all case horses that wore a tongue-tie atleast once, plus their matched controls. Group2 was made up only of case horses that ranwith a tongue-tie in place for three or moreconsecutive races after the first race in which atongue-tie was used, plus their matchedcontrols. Group 3 was made up only of casehorses that ran with a tongue-tie in place forfive or more consecutive races after the firstrace in which a tongue-tie was used, plus theirmatched controls. The researchers gathered data on the total

number of lifetime starts before and after thedate of the first race where a tongue tie wasused as well as total race earnings for the fivestarts before and five starts after a tongue tiewas introduced. Data collected included age,number of starts prior to the first race using atongue-tie, number of starts within 12 monthsafter beginning to use a tongue-tie, and lifetimestarts after beginning to use a tongue-tie.Case horses tended to have fewer race starts

than control horses before the first race using a

“

“Tongue-tying has led tosignificant welfaredebates, and in somecountries the practice isillegal during the wintermonths because of the riskof frostbite to the tongue”


TONGUE-TIES

their next five races after the date when atongue tie was used.

What does this tell us about the use oftongue-ties in racing thoroughbreds?Though previous research has showninconclusive results regarding the efficacy oftongue-ties, this study seemed to indicate anadvantage when certain groups of horses worethe device. The authors state, "The data hereappear to show that tongue tie use has abeneficial effect on racing performance inselected horses that are perceived by theirtrainer to be afflicted with DDSP or which arerun with a tongue tie in place to improvejockey control, and that this beneficial effecton racing performance is particularly markedfor horses that run in at least three or fiveconsecutive races wearing a tongue tie."No attempt was made in this study to

distinguish between horses with suspected orconfirmed DDSP and horses that had a trainingor control problem.The authors commented that while use of a

tongue-tie appeared to enhance performance insome horses, the results of the study should notbe seen as a promotion of tongue-tie use fornormal horses as a performance enhancing aid.

Nasal strips and tongue ties in the USDuring California Chrome’s bid for TripleCrown immortality during the spring of 2014his trainer Art Sherman contacted the NYRA


RACING

tongue-tie. After the date when a tongue-tiewas first used, horses in each set had about thesame number of starts. However, case horses ingroups 2 and 3 had significantly more startsthan control horses in the 12 months followingthe first race using a tongue-tie.For group 1, case horses were 1.85 times

more likely than control horses to haveimproved earnings in their next three racesafter the date when a tongue-tie was first used.

For group 2, case horses were 3.6 times morelikely than matched control horses to haveimproved earnings in their next three racesafter the date when a tongue tie was first used. For group 3, case horses were 4.24 times

more likely than matched control horses tohave improved earnings in their next threeraces after the date when a tongue-tie was used,and 5.05 times more likely than matchedcontrol horses to have improved earnings in

A dynamic scope being

used on the gallops in

front of the Rowley Mile

TONGUE-TIES


Stewards in the build up to the Belmont Stakesrequesting permission to use nasal strips on thehorse whilst competing in the race. In aStewards house rule, nasal strips had previouslyfallen under the broad catch-all of a nonapproved device and was thus banned from usein New York, in sharp contrast to the policy inCalifornia where nasal strips can be and areused commonly within the rules of racing. As the debate intensified, eminent North

American veterinarian Dr. Scott Palmer wasquoted “I recommend that the stewards at State-based thoroughbred racetracks discontinuetheir ban on equine nasal strips. Equine nasalstrips do not enhance equine performance nordo they pose a risk to equine health or safetyand as such do not need to be regulated. “While there is research to indicate that

equine nasal strips decrease airway resistancein horses and may decrease the amount ofbleeding associated with EIPH to some degree,I am unfamiliar with any research indicatingthat equine nasal strips enable a horse to runfaster with nasal strips than without them. “In other words, there is no evidence they

have a performance enhancing effect. Equinenasal strips do not pose a welfare or safety riskto the horse. They are applied to the top of thenose and anyone can see their use prior to arace. If improperly applied, equine nasal stripscannot interfere with performance. In myopinion equine nasal strips fall into the samecategory as tongue-ties.” The stewards

considered Dr. Palmer’s advice and thusdetermined to allow the unregulated use of thenasal strips.It is clear that for ease of regulation that

tongue ties and nasal strips were groupedtogether, however, they are very differentdevices and have no direct relationship withone another. Barakzai’s study showed thattongue-ties could have a performanceenhancing effect on the racehorse, most likelyin undiagnosed cases of palatial instabilitywhereas the effect on performance of nasalstrips is not scientifically proven to date.

The Canadian Study Dr. Chalmers, Professor of Radiology at theUniversity of Guelph, and her colleaguesinvestigated 12 standardbred racehorses with

and without tongue ties at rest. The teamapplied the tongue ties using a standardindustry procedure, and then acquiredultrasound images of five different regions of theupper respiratory tract, including the positionsof several bones and cartilages responsible forsupporting the upper airway, attaching thewindpipe to the back of the throat, and joiningthe tongue to the skull. They measured these structures' positions

and their relationship to each other using anultrasound technique that Chalmers developedin earlier work. The study showed that whenthe horses' tongues were tied, the upperrespiratory structures' positions were morecompatible with upper airway stability andprevious research by Chalmers and otherssuggests that the structural positions achievedby tongue-tying allow the horse to breathebetter.

Better diagnostics, better results? The key to improving the performance of ourracehorses regardless of what device is used isan accurate diagnosis of the horse’s respiratoryfunction. A study published in 2011 by Swisssurgeon Stefan Witte concluded that diagnosisof upper respiratory conditions based onowner-reported noise and performance historymay result in an incomplete diagnosis. This fact and the development of a

technology which is non invasive, safe for bothrider and horse, and highly informative, has led

“Equine nasal strips donot pose a welfare or safety risk to the horse.They are applied to the top of the nose and anyonecan see their use prior to a race”

Dr. Scott Palmer

RACING


“The work done by veterinary scientists hasvalidated the long-heldview that the applicationof a tongue-tie canimprove racing performance”

to the rapid increase in the amount of horsesundergoing overground dynamic endoscopicexamination as part of a complete evaluation ofa horse’s upper respiratory tract. The dynamicoverground endoscope involves a tiny camerathat is inserted into the horse’s throat via hisnose and the accompanying mechanism, whichfits inside the horse’s bridle and saddle pad andtransmits readings to a remote tablet. Theequipment is lightweight, relatively unobtrusiveand allows the use of the horse’s own tackmaking it quick and easy to fit to the patient. Overground endoscopy is a highly useful

tool as the relationship between the standardendoscopic examination of the horse at restand how the horse’s larynx performs at exerciseholds many variables. Many horses will showsome laryngeal abnormalities on an endoscopicexamination at rest but during exercise willhave normal function and other conditions ofthe equine larynx only become apparent whenthe horse is fatigued and there is a change inexercise intensity, factors that can only becreated while the horse is being examinedwhile exercising. In March 2013, the Equine Veterinary Journal

published the results of a study conducted bythe University of Glasgow in collaboration witha large thoroughbred training centre in the UKcomparing the results of resting and dynamicendoscopy on a group of yearlings. Resting(pre- and post exercise) and exercising

endoscopy was performed on 57 thoroughbredyearlings at a single training yard. Theirconclusions were that there were significantvariations in the results of endoscopy at restand during exercise, which shows in anevidence based evaluation that restingendoscopy may not be sufficient to predict theoccurrence of pathology during exercise. Respiratory conditions that may be

accurately diagnosed by dynamic endoscopyinclude dorsal displacement of the soft palate,laryngeal hemiplegia, aryepiglottal foldimpingement and a plethora of otherconditions, which may produce similarrespiratory noises and are therefore typicallydifficult to differentiate by a traditionalendoscopic examination. Performing exercisingoverground endoscopy examination in horses

must also be viewed as a more cost effectiveoption in comparison to treating a horseincorrectly without an accurate diagnosis. DrBrett Woodie, of Rood and Riddle EquineHospital in Kentucky and a world recognizedexpert in respiratory surgery, was recentlyquoted at the Annual American SurgeryConvention stating that “more diagnoses aremissed by not looking than not knowing” andthankfully with the development of over-ground endoscopy and its ease of use there isno longer reason for this to be the case.

ConclusionThe work done by veterinary scientists inEurope and North America has validated thelong held view of horsemen that theapplication of a tongue-tie can improve racingperformance in some cases. However, as withall medical conditions which are performancelimiting and impact upon the health of theracehorse, an accurate diagnosis is crucial inensuring our athletes are performing at theiroptimal level. Thankfully with the development of a safe,

non-invasive method of examining a horse’swind, while it performs the discipline overwhich it will compete, trainers and veterinarianscan allow our racehorses to fulfill their athleticpotential by using the latest technology andresearch to practice evidence based medicine inappropriately selected cases.n


Henryville on the

way to victory at

Newton Abbot

FTER four yearsworking as assistant tochampion NationalHunt trainer PaulNicholls, Harry Frytook the plunge andset up his own

operation with the backing of his mentorand landlord Richard Barber in 2012.

Harry was lucky that his career was kickstarted by the success of hurdler Rock OnRuby who Harry had been closely involvedwith during his time assisting at the Ditcheat Academy.

When Harry started his training career, he was Britain’s youngest jumpstrainer. By the end of his first season with a license, he proved that he hada big future in the sport with 20 winners and a strike rate of 28%. Topping


Who has been your greatest influence as a trainer?Richard Barber and Paul Nicholls. Both Richard and Paul have taught methat fit horses win races; also never over complicate things the simpleapproach is usually the best way.

What has been the most useful and advantageous piece ofadvice given to you with regards to training?Keep things simple!

a

Trainer on the up

Harry Frythis in his second year with 34 winners and another excellent strike rate of29%.

Equine Products UK are delighted to have a top young trainer like HarryFry as a client. Harry has got to use the full Equine Products UK range overthe past couple of seasons and the results speak for themselves.

MAIN PHOTO: FIONA CrAwFOrd PHOTOgrAPHy


What advice would you give to atrainer starting out on their own?Have a very good team behind you, it’simpossible to do it all by yourself. It is a verytough game and when things don’t always goto plan you need a good support networkbehind you.

If you could spend the day withany other trainer, who would it be?Aidan O’Brien, he is a true professional. Iespecially admire how he and his team dealwith the press.

What piece of training equipmentcould you not live without?The horse walker is a vital piece of equipment for warming up and down.I do not know how trainers coped without them in the past.

What is the main quality in a horse you look for whenbuying?Size and scope. We like to buy big scopey horses. It does require patiencefrom the owners but a lot of our horses progress from the point-to-pointfield, we believe this to be an ideal nursery school for these futurechasers.

Looking at genetic traits and temperament, who is your

most reliable stallion at themoment?Oscar has been very lucky for us. We would fillthe yard up with them if we could. They maynot always be the most beautiful but they aretough and genuine and will always try for you.

What is your favourite racecourse?Newbury, as it is big galloping track thatseems to suit our horses.

What is your proudest trainingachievement?Unofficially winning the champion hurdlewith Rock On Ruby…

Does technology feature in your training regime?Apart from the BBC weather, no!

What do you do to go that extra mile with regards toyour horses’ wellbeing?I treat each one as and individual, it is vital to know the likes and dislikesof each and every one. What suits one horse doesn’t necessarily suitanother. Ciara, my fiancée and assistant trainer, is always on the yard andfeeds every day so she is always on top of any issue that may arise. It is alsovery important to keep bugs and viruses out of the yard, as soon as oneshows any sign of illness they are isolated immediately. n



SHUNTEDHEELS

Avoiding cracks with proactive management

SHUNTED HEELS

Functionally adapted for speed and efficient use of energy, thethoroughbred foot is thin-walled and light compared to other breeds.This adaptation for speed renders the hoof more susceptible to hoofcapsule distortions, or shape changes that interfere with the normal

function of the foot, which are: support, traction, shock dissipation, andproprioception. Examples of hoof capsule distortions are under run

heels, collapsed heels, contracted heels, flares, cracks, and shunted heels. WORDS: ScOtt E. MORRiSOn DVM phOtOS: cAROLinE nORRiS, ScOtt E. MORRiSOn DVM

ISTORTIONS are a result ofeither overloading a healthystructure, causing it tocollapse or bend, or can bethe result of under loadinga structure, such as the case

of a contracted heel on a clubfoot. In these cases the heel is under loaded and

the toe is overloaded, causing the heel tocontract and the toe to flare or dish. Distortionscan also result from disease processes, such aslaminitis, where the hoof wall in the toe regionis separated and flares or dishes.

Fungal infections or white line disease canalso cause weakening of the hoof andsubsequent distortion. In the case of thethoroughbred racehorse, we have a healthystructure that is put under repetitive high loads.The combination of a lighter hoof with thinnerhoof wall and sole depth combined withrigorous speed training makes thethoroughbred hoof susceptible to distortion.

The heel region of the hoof is softer and morepliable than the toe and is designed to dissipateshock. It houses such structures as the collateralcartilages, digital cushion and an abundantvascular system, all designed to absorb shock.The toe is more rigid, designed to penetrate the

D ground to establish traction. Since the heel issofter, more pliable and hits the ground first,hoof distortions typically present here first.

Speed training puts high force on the heels,which lowers the hoof angle over time. As theangle gets lower, more force is placed on theheel creating a vicious cycle that can be difficultto manage while the horse is in full work. Heeldistortions can predispose the racehorse tomany problems, such as chronic bruising,heel/quarter cracks, pedal bone wing fracturesand osteitis.

Many heel problems tend to be recurring.This is because the primary problem has notbeen effectively corrected. Having knowledge ofthe etiology of a foot problem will helpformulate a successful treatment plan to healthe condition, prevent recurrence and improvethe longevity and wellbeing of the horse.

One problem that is common all over theworld is the recurring quarter crack. Quartercracks rarely occur out of the blue. Almostalways they are preceded by a hoof capsuledistortion known as the shunted heel, alsocalled a sheared or displaced heel (Figure 1).

Shunted heels occur as one side of the heel isloaded more heavily than the other, causing it todisplace upward. As the heel bulb and hoof wall

Figure 1

in the heel and quarter regions get pushed up,the wall reaches its limitation on elasticity andas the heel expands during loading, the wall willcrack at the hairline, creating a bleeding, painfulquarter crack. As long as the heel is allowed tostay in the shunted position the foot is at highrisk of cracking again. Sheared heels are

down and other regions of the foot maintainnormal growth, the hoof becomes out ofbalance or low on the medial side. This in turncauses more inward rotation of the digit. Previous studies show that if you lower the

medial hoof or raise the lateral aspect of thehoof the digit rotates inward. This sets up acycle of overload imbalance and more overload.Since we cannot change the conformation of thelimb, we must address the balance and medialwall overload. But first, let’s take a closer look athow the hoof accommodates load:The hoof capsule is made up of hoof wall,

frog and sole. All of these structures in a healthyfoot are designed to receive some portion of theload. Another mechanism to receive large loadsand dissipate shock is the extensive blood flowto the foot. As the horse is galloping and the foot is

swinging through the air, the vessels of the footare fully perfused with blood. Then as the foothits the ground, loaded, blood is pushed out ofthe foot and not allowed to return until the footis unloaded again. This is largely due to one-way valves in the veins, compressed soft tissueand clamping off the arteries – basicallyfunctioning as a hydraulic shock absorber andtissue support system. This fluid held in closed spaces helps support

the foot on impact and then is moved out of thefoot to dissipate shock. Additionally, as the footimpacts the ground, the footing (turf, dirt,synthetic) packs into the sole creating sole/archsupport. Racehorses at speed can accommodatetremendous loads with the aid of all thesemechanisms.In my opinion, hoof capsule distortions

occur to a large extent when the horse isstanding around or on stall rest. It is during this


VETERINARY

believed to be the result of a conformationalfault that causes overloading of one region ofthe foot, typically the medial (inside) heel of afront foot but can be seen on hind limbs andlaterally as well. The conformation that has historically been

recognised to predispose the shunted medialheels is outward rotation of the front limbs.Most horses with outward rotation don't moveefficiently and they typically interfere as well. Isee many severe sheared heels in racehorses.However, I see very few with this severeoutward rotation conformation. Most racehorses I see with sheared heels

seem to have fairly good conformation. When Ievaluate them at the walk they seem to trackwell, without any significant conformationalproblems. This led me to study these horses alittle closer. Are shunted heels the result of footimbalance from the manner in which they aretrimmed? Are shunted heels the result ofconformation? Since 2010, we examined 72 sheared heels

and recorded the conformation of each horsewith photographs. We also took radiographs ofthe feet from the front and side to evaluate footbalance. Of the 72 sheared heels on front feet,70 were medial and two were lateral. Both caseswith lateral sheared heels were fetlock varus. Of the 70 medial sheared heels, 60 had a

combination of carpal valgus and inwardrotation of the distal limb, eight had the classicoutward rotation of the limb, one had fetlockvalgus and one had normal conformation (i.e.no major conformation fault).Using the radiographs, we investigated the

relationship of medial to lateral imbalance andsheared heels. We measured the verticaldistance from the medial and lateral wings of

Figure 2 Figure 3

the pedal bone to the ground surface onstandard horizontal front views of front feet.We were able to detect a significant differencebetween the normal and sheared heel cases. Thesheared heel feet were out of balance medial tolateral, with the medial heel being lower.(Morrison, Beasley and Morell, unpublished data) The most common conformation that

predisposes to a sheared heel is the carpalvalgus and inward rotation of the digit. Thisconformation is very common in well-bred

thoroughbreds and has interesting effects on thefoot (Figure 2 and Figure 3). The rotation usuallyoccurs as a result of a spiral deformity of themetacarpus (cannon) or pastern bones. As thedigit rotates inward, it places the medial heelbulb directly below the boney column orvertical line of force. The medial heel bulb therefore receives more

force, causing it to collapse inward and beshunted upward. As the medial wall isoverloaded, the vessels are compressed, slowinghoof wall and sole growth on the medial regionsof the foot. As medial hoof growth is slowed

“Sheared heels arebelieved to be the resultof a conformational faultthat causes overloadingof one region of the foot,typically the medial heelof a front foot”


VETERINARY

time that the foot is largely dependent on theperimeter hoof wall and its composition forsupport. The feet are generally cleaned out and the horse is put into a stall with straw or shavings with very little arch/sole support.Yes, most trainers pack the feet with poultice ormud to draw out inflammation and heat butthese products don’t provide adequate solesupport.

They spend over 20 hours a day standing onthe shod foot, which suspends the sole and frogoff the ground, loading the perimeter wall.

The hoof then slowly and gradually distortsand the sole arch flattens. Even though the footcan accommodate large sudden impacts duringexercise, it is less able to accommodate longperiods of low-intensity abnormal loading.

Management of the shunted heel:There are several effective foot managementstrategies to manage this problem. The firstelement is the trim. The hoof needs to betrimmed for balance or even sole depth beneath

differently in these types of shoes. Another wayto tackle the problem is the use of temporaryorthotics. Orthotics are sole/arch supportscustom made for each horse. The orthotic isworn only while the horse is in the stall andremoved for training. Orthotics can bebandaged to the hoof with vet wrap or elasticadhesive tape. Orthotics provide arch support20+ hours a day when support is most needed.Most feet improve with correct trimming,heartbars/stabilizer plates, or orthotics (Figure 6and Figure 7).

Shunted heel cases should be trimmed andreshod every three weeks. As the hoof growsunevenly it becomes most out of balancetowards the end of the shoeing cycle, puttingthe foot at the most risk of injury. In fact, mostquarter cracks occur towards the end of theshoeing cycle.

With diligent management and specialattention to the etiology and cause of shearedheels, many quarter cracks can be preventedand sheared heels improved or resolved. n


the pedal bone. As discussed earlier, theshunted heel case is typically lower on theshunted heel side. Therefore these feet need tobe trimmed lower on the side opposite theshunted heel. The goal is to trim the foot so thatthe solar surface is perpendicular to the pastern.Often a “T” square can be used to help establishthe proper trim.

The second component of effective treatmentis support (Figure 4 and Figure 5). This can beprovided in several ways. A heart-bar orstabiliser plate is a very effective way to providefrog support and to redistribute weight off of thehoof capsule in the heel region. Heart-bars andstabiliser plates can be used for training andthen switched to normal race plates a few daysbefore racing. This is an effective way torehabilitate a shunted heel and still be able tocompete with normal shoes.

Many trainers do not like bar shoes such asheart-bars and stabiliser plates because it canadd weight, decrease traction and affect theoverall movement; some horses will travel

Figure 4 Figure 5

Figure 6 Figure 7


TO WATER...OR NOT TOWATER?


RACING


WATERING COURSES


RITISH-BASED trainers HughieMorrison and Mark Johnston andjockey Richard Hughes have eachadded their voice to the in-printdebate about whether racecoursesshould water turf to obtain

artificially good ground, in opposition, butultimately it comes down to the RacecourseManager, the Clerk of the Course and their teamof groundsmen. Their concern is not for aparticular horse but for the quality of their trackand the safety of horses and jockeys.Nor is it a matter of personal choice. The

Racecourses Organisation of Britain (RCA)requires that to ensure consistency and ameasured level of expertise, all racecoursesmust retain the services of a turf consultant andare to produce annually, by the end of October,the turf consultant’s report on the condition ofthe course.While the season at Roscommon in Ireland

may only run from May to September, theweather variations can often be extreme andnatural rainfall is a continual problem. ManagerMichael Finneran sums up perfectly theproblems faced by groundsmen everywhere.“One thing that everyone has to realise is the

B

The watering of tracks is a contentious issue, even though,depending on the view you take, it’s an essential

blessing/evil for grass growth. Everyone wants to see a goodcovering of grass on a racecourse but thereon in opinion is

split as to whether natural firm summer ground shouldprevail or whether artificial watering should ensure good

ground. Much of that opinion rests on whether you have afirm or good ground specialist!

WORDS: LISSA OLIVER PHOTOS YORk RAcEcOuRSE, LEOPARDSTOWn RAcEcOuRSE,

SHuTTERSTOck, SAInT-cLOuD RAcEcOuRSE

totally different soil structures,” he explains.“The soil structure on one side of Ireland, forexample, is totally unlike that on the other sideof the country. Hence we have winter racing indifferent areas to summer racing.”Given the high levels of rainfall, watering at

Roscommon isn’t the greatest of Finneran’sconcerns. “Our biggest problem is drainage, butsince investing in a drainage system, our worstareas of the past have now become our driestareas. It takes a few years for any system to kickin properly,. The soil here took a year or two toreally dry out thoroughly and we were stillstruggling. The addition of sand slits, to collectthe water in the soil, was a tremendousimprovement.”Like everyone else, Finneran and his fellow

racecourse managers are always at the mercy ofweather forecasts. The promise of rain thatnever materialises can catch many a managerout and, as Finneran says, they would need tobe on site from dawn to midnight in order toreally do their best for the ground. Moreimportantly, there is only one priority when itcomes to track condition and it isn’t attractingthe best horses.“We water for the safety of horse and jockey,

that is our main priority,” insists Finneran. “Ourmain aim is to provide safe ground for horseand jockey and any water we put down for thatreason also promotes grass growth. We do ourbest not to interfere with nature, but to help it.”Working with so changeable a mistress as

Mother Nature can’t be easy and the BritishRacecourses Association (RCA) publication ‘TheRacecourse Training Manual’, freelydownloadable, illustrates just what a highlytechnical and complex job it is. Moreover, itclearly states: “Through good managementpractices National Hunt courses should aim toprovide good ground (and no firmer than goodto firm) whilst Flat courses should aim toprovide good to firm ground.”Controversially, some might argue, the

Manual also states: “Comprehensive recordscompiled by the Racecourse Department over aten year period show that the risk of injury tohorses is minimised when the extremes of goingare avoided.” Some of these figures have beenquestioned due to often subjective going

RACING

York racecourse had to cope with the wettest summer on record in 2012 and the heat

wave of July 2013


descriptions, individual track variations and notall horses having an equal risk of fracture.“Horses know when it is firm and they look

after themselves but, when they let themselvesgo on ground that is soft on top and firmunderneath, that’s when you have problems,”Hughie Morrison told the Daily Star last Julyduring a furious outburst against unnecessarywatering.Clonmel, which stages racing all year, made

the headlines earlier this summer for a largenumber of horse fatalities at a single NHmeeting but ground conditions, officially good-to-firm, were not to blame. Five horses died atan evening NH meeting in July, however Irishofficials did not call for extra watering, satisfiedthat the injuries could not be attributed to eitherthe track or the going. Only one of the fivehorses to suffer fatal injuries did so as a result ofa fall and two were injured in a bumper. Noneof the jockeys or trainers of the horses involvedattributed the fatalities to the track or thesurface.

“Obviously when there’s five fatalities at aparticular racecourse on a particular day, youhave to look at everything to see if there is acommon thread, but there isn’t,” said DenisEgan, Chief Executive of the Turf Club.“Everybody was happy with the ground. I even

had an email from a leading trainer who hadrunners there to say that he had no problemwith it. He had five runners on the night andthey all returned sound.”In Britain, the British Horseracing Authority

(BHA) instructs jumps courses to aim to stageracing on ground no faster than good, wateringthe track when necessary to achieve this, butthis is not a policy adopted by Ireland. “We’vehad this debate time and time again aboutwhether the ground should be altered and theview of a lot of trainers is that if that is what theweather is, then provided the ground is safe,they are happy to run,” said Egan. “It doesn’tneed to be on the slow side of good to be safe.If the track is level with a good covering of grassand if the jar is taken out of it, the ground issafe.”Of course, echoing Finneran’s reminder

about soil structure, avoiding firm groundmight not only be for the good of the horse. Soilstructure is determined by the amount oforganic matter and airspace within the soil and

“In Britain, the BHAinstructs jumps courses toaim to stage racing onground no faster thangood, and watering thetrack when necessary toachieve this, but this isnot a policy adopted byIreland”

WATERING COURSES

Watering at

Leopardstown

RACING

Groundsmanship, membership being veryactively encouraged by the RCA, and tomaintain that accreditation they must completea minimum of 35 hours of Continuous PersonalDevelopment training each year. Wateringmight be an age-old battle but maintaining agood racing surface is a modern and forward-thinking occupation, with the latest studies andinnovations to hand.Nevertheless, the fact remains that grass

typically needs 20-30mm of rain per weekduring the summer for growth, nutrients andideal soil conditions. Surprisingly, droughtoccurs in Britain on average every three to fouryears out of ten. Regionally, this increases fromone to three years out of ten in the north ofEngland and Scotland to as much as seven toeight years out of ten in parts of the South East.


in its natural state earthworm activities createfissures, enabling aeration of the soil, which inturn promotes root, grass growth and mineraluptake. Racecourses, however, are subjected tohigh compactive forces from horses andmaintenance equipment, forcing out the air andcompacting the soil. This results in poordrainage, poor root development, less vigorousgrass growth and, in dry conditions, anunyielding surface. Has modern equipmentplayed a role in sounding the death knell forfirm going?That may have once been the case but lighter

machinery is turning that theory around. “A lotof tracks are now using umbilical machineryand it’s not as heavy as the old water tanks,” saysLorcan Wyer, Clerk of the Course at nine Irishracecourses, including Leopardstown, Thurlesand Clonmel, where racing continuesthroughout summer and winter, as well asGalway. “The verti-drain machine is wonderfuland acts as decompaction. Where there is nowinter racing, we graze sheep on the course, atGalway and Roscommon, throughout thewinter and that’s the best ever maintenance.”It’s very easy for jockeys and trainers to

condemn ground conditions or the choicesmade by course clerks but 16 detailed pages ofwhat is no more than a basic summary ofground care provides an illustration of howtough the actual task is. And firm ground isdefinitely not a welcomed aim.The majority of racecourse groundsmen in

Britain are members of the Institute of

At these times the water deficit in grass is morethan 150mm during April to September.There is, of course, a further side to the

dilemma. It isn’t just a question of wateringduring the summer for safety reasons or forpandering to the needs of elite horses. Whetherfor right reasons or wrong reasons, doessummer watering affect the ground conditionscome winter? The hue and cry about ethics ona big race day at the height of the Flat season arequickly irrelevant and forgotten, but therepercussions could possibly be faced by winterperformers just a few months down the line.Chris Gray BSc(Hons), MSc, PGDTech,

DipGeogEnv, DipIT, NDT, FinstG, Head ofEducation at the Institute of Groundsmanship,dismisses this suggestion. “Excessive wateringduring the summer will not affect groundconditions during the winter,” he insists. “Thereason is that the residence time of water in asoil is relatively short due to the naturalprocesses of drainage and evapo-transpiration,with the latter process being especiallyprevalent during the summer. Even if soils aretemporarily flooded in the summer, they willdrain naturally once the flood conditions haveceased. If a clay soil, however, had beenespecially prepared to retain water, such as for anatural pond, then the outcome would bedifferent, but this is not applicable for any formof racecourse.“There are many factors which impact on the

going status of any racecourse, howeversummer watering, even if excessive, will not be

“Where there is no winterracing, we graze sheep onthe course, at Galwayand Roscommon,throughout the winter andthat’s the best ever maintenance”

Lorcan Wyer

WATERING COURSES


Saint-Cloud

racecourse

The Imants ShockWave revitalises heavy wear areas of turf by relieving soil compaction

a factor in the winter,” he adds. “A significantmajority of racecourse groundstaff are membersof the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG); thisis primarily due to the positive and pro-activeapproach taken by the Racecourse Association(RCA), who we consider an outstandingexample of an organisation that advocateseducation and training for their industry.”However, out on the coalface, there are

groundsmen and Clerks who will disagree.“There is some truth in the suggestion thatsummer watering damages winter going,” Wyerargues. “If you have a dry summer it can beproblematic,” he explains. “For example, atLeopardstown, where we have a wonderfultrack with staff to match, we use irrigation tomaintain safe ground throughout the summer.To arrive at that we have to water on a weeklybasis. When you walk along the watered area,midway between the Steeplechase Course andthe Champion Hurdle Course, essentially themiddle section of the racecourse, it’s quitenoticeable – the summer-watered ground canhang on to the moisture and can ride slower inthe winter. “But there are ways you can help, we use a

verti-drain machine, which is excellent. Thegrass root can get a bit lazy with irrigation, sodraining and a little light top dressing helps theroot to get down and work properly. The type ofsand used in the dressing is key – beach sand,with sea shell type quality, really encouragesworm activity.”Of course, another problem Wyer faces in

aeration and removing surface water.The timing of meetings, as at many courses,

does not leave d’Orglandes with enough time toideally complete cultivation and theShockWave, coupled with its lightness, hasbeen of huge benefit, even though Saint-Cloudsuffers few drainage or compaction problems.Susanne Putensen, Manager at Hamburg

racecourse, does not have to comply with anyofficial requirement for going, but points out,“We have a special situation because there aresix or seven days of mixed racing within tendays in July. The meeting traditionally ends withthe German Derby (Group I).“We have two turf courses, the main course

(only for flat racing) and a slightly smaller onewhich may also be used for hurdle races. Bothcan be watered, the course for steeplechases(one or two during the meeting) cannot bewatered. Parts of the courses are drained inconsequence to very severe weather in 2007.“The courses are watered depending on

weather pattern and forecast, not only to helpthe grass but to keep the going permeable,”Putensen continues. “Hamburg is well knownfor its ‘British’ climate and heavy showers. Theaim is to keep the going on the firm side of goodto be always prepared for bad weather.”And so we have a situation in Germany

where Group One class horses, steeplechasersand hurdlers alike are all racing on firm summerground, at times unwatered due to threat ofheavy rainfall. It would appear to concur withthe current view of many British trainers – morearguments arise from artificially watered goodground than from natural firm ground.“Keep it simple,” concludes Lorcan Wyer.

“Our aim is to grow good grass and have goodground. There is a huge variety of soil structureand composition and we all strive for anAxminster carpet!”You cannot please all of the people all of the

time, but Europe’s groundsmen are certainlygoing a long way to prove that theory wrong. n

Ireland is the mixed card of both Flat and NH.“We’re trying to get ground that is ideal for aseven furlong two-year-old and a staying chaseron the same card. Galway can be veryproblematic, with a Listed seven furlong race forfillies and a staying chase in the one day, butover all I think we managed to keep everyonehappy.”One man who must also consider this at all

times is award-winning Head Groundsman atHuntingdon racecourse, Shaun Reilly. Reillywas awarded the Institute of Groundsmen JohnDeere Professional Horse Racing Groundsmanof the Year in 2012.“We are faced with two challenges,” he says

of Huntingdon. “In the summertime you arewatering for the going, keeping the ground asgood as possible to produce nice racing, and inthe winter you are at the mercy of the weather.It’s either raining or it’s freezing cold. But we’requite lucky here because we have a decentdrainage system and a nice racing surface.”Even though last year’s Award recipient,

Adrian Kay at York racecourse, deals only withFlat racing from May to October, he and hisgroundstaff have had to cope with the wettestsummer on record in 2012 and the heat wave ofJuly 2013, so year-round weather extremes arenot only a headache for courses with year-roundracing.Course Director Jean Guillaume d’Orglandes,

at Saint-Cloud, faces these same problemsshared by most racecourse managers. He hasfound a new solution in the latest equipmentavailable, in the case of Saint-Cloud the ImantsShockWave, which will also be used at the otherFrance-Galop tracks of Longchamp andAuteuil. “We wanted to maintain the excellentcondition of the soil structure and root zonewithout causing damage or leaving deepimpressions on the surface of the track,” heannounced. The Imants ShockWave is a lineardecompactor, which revitalises heavy wear areasby relieving soil compaction, improving

BOOK REVIEW

HILE there areseveral excellenttexts available onequine orthopaedicsand sports medicine,information relating

to the racehorse is fragmented and oftencontradictory, failing to take into account thepracticalities of management peculiar to theracing industry.

Ramzan has consciously created a textbased more on evidence than anecdote.However, as much of what the equineclinician does is derived empirically, there isoften no scientifically validated ‘best way’ totreat conditions.

Here, rather than simply transcribe thereceived wisdoms of Newmarket racingpractice, every effort has been made to build areference manual from a scientific base byreviewing not just the published equine andhuman sports medicine literature but alsoincorporating shared experience accumulatedover generations in equine veterinary practice.As far as possible the text has been maderelevant to all major racing jurisdictions, not just the United Kingdom and Europe.


W

The thoroughbred racing industry is now more than ever a globalaffair, with technology, transport and communication linkshaving a profound effect on racing and breeding activities, aswell as the veterinary advances that support them. In his newbook, The Racehorse: A Veterinary Manual, by leading equineveterinary practitioner, Pieter H L Ramzan, BVSc(Sydney),MRCVS provides a practical and objective source ofveterinary information, pertinent to the thoroughbred racehorse,that is accessible not only to the racehorse clinician but also others withinthe industry, who will find it a useful, if not indispensable, reference work.WORDS: HARRIET SCOTT

Valuable veterinaryinformation atyour fingertips

This work draws together those conditionsthat might reasonably be encountered in theday-to-day management of a racing yard in aclear, well-illustrated format. Orthopaedicinjury necessarily accounts for the major part of the book, however, topics as diverse as rehabilitation periods and prognosis,respiratory medicine, exercise physiology and ‘herd health’ adds to the wealth ofinformation included, spanning the full rangeof fields relevant to the clinician, trainer andowner.

With the sales upon us, we have taken anexcerpt the ‘Selection of a racehorse’, coveringevery possible problem or condition that abuyer may encounter, whether as a yearling ortwo-year-old.

Selection of a racehorsePre-purchase examinations vary in contentwith type of animal, intended purpose andclient demands, and may comprise anycombination of physical inspection,assessment of airway function, radiographicand ultra-sonographic imaging and bloodanalysis. Examination of horses for privatesale typically follows the recognized standard

of ‘five-stage’ inspection encompassing pre-and post-exercise phases (+/- supplementarydiagnostic imaging), while examination in thecontext of public auctions typically has acurtailed examination depending on type ofhorse and circumstances of sale.

Pass or fail?The pre-purchase examination represents a‘risk assessment’ of the potential for a horse not to fulfil the particular purpose forwhich it is being considered. Everypurchasing client has different perceptions ofrisk and what is acceptable to one buyer may‘fail’ for another.

Criteria for horses purchased (‘pinhooked’)specifically for public or private resale at afuture date must necessarily be more stringentthan for horses bought primarily for racing.Acceptability of orthopaedic conditions thatrequire some patience in handling or that maynecessitate medication to maintain soundnessis determined largely by the client’srequirements. It is therefore important for theclinician to establish clearly the purpose forwhich the horse is being bought and the levelof acceptable risk. Significance of clinical and


BOOK PREVIEW

imaging findings can vary markedlydepending on the age of animal, stage oftraining and intended purpose.

ExpectationsPurchasing an unbroken yearling is a high-risk investment when considering thelikelihood of racetrack or resale earningsproviding a return over and above thecombined cost of purchase and training. Thisrisk is considerably lower for the horse intraining that has typically been selected forexamination on the basis of demonstrableathletic ability. Expectations of athleticpotential for a yearling should be consideredin the context that only 40–50% of horses willrace at two years old, and around 20% ofhorses will not have started a race by the endof their three-year-old season.

Conditions of sale at public auctionConditions of sale at public auction differbetween sales companies and types of sale.Most have clauses regarding return of lots dueto undeclared infirmity of wind, stable vicesand use of anti-inflammatory drugs, and it isimportant to be familiar with the relevant

conditions when undertaking pre-bidinspections. Legislation in some countriespermits the return of animals with latentdefects far beyond the scope of publishedconditions of sale; however, preventing such situations arising in the first instancethrough competent examination is alwayspreferable.

THE VETTING PROCEDUREPreliminariesl Establish the intended purpose for which

the horse is being examined; imagingrequirements and relevance of findingsdiffer between jurisdictions.

l Communication with vendor prior toexamination regarding level of exerciserequired/recent medication.

l Verbal or written statement from vendorregarding stable vices and history ofprevious surgery, EIPH or any othersignificant veterinary intervention.

l Establish recent racing form.l Verify identification from passport and

record vaccination history. Physicalexamination: summary

l Condition and conformation: apparentfitness, overall health and obviousconformational faults.

l Eyes: horses with severely impaired vision can function seemingly normally intraining with few or no behaviouralirregularities. Gross assessment, directophthalmoscopy and evaluation of ocular reflexes. Menace reflex is reasonabletest of vision (requires intact sensory andmotor pathways), unlike pupillary lightreflex.

l Heart: rate, rhythm and murmurs.

Auscultation from both sides of chest at restand immediately following exercise.

l Mouth: teeth (evidence of stable vices);corners of mouth (bit damage).

l Neck: throat and submandibular space(scarring/lymph nodes); jugular grooves(patency of jugular veins/recent injection);poll and wither (headshyness/injury).

l Girth, topline and belly: sarcoids(interference with tack); muscularpain/asymmetry of topline and pelvis;abdominal scars (previous surgery); tail(tone and injury).

l Genitalia: both testicles fully descended/palpably normal (colts); mammary glands

“Every effort has beenmade to build a referencemanual from a scientificbase but also incorporating sharedexperience accumulatedover generations in equineveterinary practice”

respiratory obstructions and propensity forEIPH can be assessed.

l Second examination at walk and trotfollowing cooling-off period.

Flexion testsl Flexion tests are non-specific and response

varies between horses.l May exacerbate subclinical lameness.l Force and duration of flexion can strongly

influence results; important that astandardised approach is used and ‘positive’responses (obvious lameness which persistsfor ≥3 strides) are compared against theopposite limb and interpreted with caution. n


BOOK REVIEW

and vulval conformation (fillies).l Limbs: palpation weight-bearing and with

limb in flexion.l Feet: foot symmetry, balance, hoof quality

and type of shoeing.

Actionl Examination at walk and trot in hand before

exercise.l Exercise component should ideally

incorporate fast work so that dynamic

The Racehorse: A VeterinaryManual, published by CRC Pressis available to readers of EuropeanTrainer Magazine for the special

price of £71.10 inclusive of P&P(published price £79.00).

To order call +44 (0)1380 816777or visit

www.trainermagazine.com/book

“Purchasing an unbrokenyearling is a high-riskinvestment when considering the likelihoodof racetrack or resaleearnings providing areturn over and above thecombined cost of purchase and training”

European Trainer Suppliers’ Guide

ADVERTORIAL


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Planning and building a new yard can bequite an undertaking. The horses welfare isparamount yet the design and constructionmust be efficient and cost effective. Runningcosts for any yard can become a seriousfinancial liability and, with forage prices setto rise, it is essential that we try to find waysof becoming more economical and lesswasteful.

Hay Bar is a proven sound investment inmany ways. Stabled horses benefit fromfeeding from the floor, as it helps to maintaintheir natural way of foraging. This, in turn,helps to ensure that mentally they are morerelaxed and that there are less respiratory,dental and physio problems, all of which can

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The management of a racehorse in trainingoften means long periods in the stable andlittle time in the field grazing. Combinedwith high levels of concentrate feed, thisroutine can result in periods withoutforage, for instance if the horse finishes hisor her hay or haylage well before nextfeeding time.

In addition, intense training regimes andregular travel can lead to high stress levels.All these changes can challenge theracehorse’s digestive system.

The imbalance of a stomach expecting asupply of food 24/7, but in reality receivingdiscrete meals throughout the day, leads toan excess of gastric acid which can causediscomfort.

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GB Ascot Rous (Albert Bartlett) L 5-Oct-2014 £45000 3 + T 1000 5 30-Sep-14FR Longchamp Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (Qatar) Gp 1 6-Oct-2014 € 350000 2+ T 1000 5 28-Aug-14ITY Milan Cancelli L 6-Oct-2014 € 41800 3+ T 1000 5GB Newmarket Cornwallis St (Dubai) Gp 3 18-Oct-2014 £37000 2 T 1000 5 12-Oct-14ITY Milan Premio Omenoni Gp 3 20-Oct-2014 € 61600 3+ T 1000 5 19-Sep-14IRE Dundalk Mercury St L 25-Oct-2014 € 40000 2+ AWT 1000 5 19-Oct-14FR Longchamp Criterium de Vitesse L 27-Oct-2014 € 55000 2 T 1000 5 18-Oct-14UAE Meydan Meydan Sprint L 8-Mar-2015 $175000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ T 1000 5 03-Mar-15UAE Meydan Al Quoz Sprint Gr 1 29-Mar-2015 $1000000 NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ T 1000 5 17-Jan-15

FR Chantilly Bonneval L 7-Oct-2014 € 52000 3+ T 1100 5.5 30-Sep-14USA Santa Anita BC Juvenille Fillies Championship Gr 1 2-Nov-2014 $2,000,000 2 F D 1100 5.5 21-Oct-14USA Santa Anita BC Sentinent Jet Juvenile Gr 1 8-Nov-1014 $2,000,000 2 D 1100 5.5 21-Oct-14USA Los Alamitos Starlet Gr 1 14-Dec-2014 $350000 2 F D 1100 5.5USA Los Alamitos Los Alamitos Futurity Gr 1 21-Dec-2014 $500000 2 D 1100 5.5

GB Newmarket Boadicea St (EBF) L 5-Oct-2014 £40000 3+ F&M T 1200 6 30-Sep-14GB Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy L 5-Oct-2014 £150,000 2 T 1200 6 30-Sep-14GB Ascot Bengough St (John Guest) Gp 3 5-Oct-2014 £70000 3+ T 1200 6 30-Sep-14USA Santa Anita The Santa Anita Sprint Championship (Ancient Title S) (Prov date) Sprint Gr 1 5-Oct-2014 $250000 3+ D 1200 6 26-Sep-14JPN Niigata Sprinters St Gr 1 6-Oct-2014 $930269 3+ T 1200 6 20-Aug-14FR Chantilly Eclipse Gp3 11-Oct-2014 € 80000 3 T 1200 6 25-Sep-14GB York Rockingham (Coral.co.uk) L 12-Oct-2014 £45000 2 T 1200 6 07-Oct-14IRE Curragh Waterford Testimonial St L 13-Oct-2014 € 40000 3+ T 1200 6 07-Oct-14GB Newmarket Middle Park St (Vision.ae) Gp 1 18-Oct-2014 £170000 2 C T 1200 6 30-Jul-14GB Doncaster Doncaster L 26-Oct-2014 £27000 2 T 1200 6 21-Oct-14ITY Rome Ubaldo Pandolfi L 27-Oct-2014 € 41800 2 F T 1200 6GB Newmarket Bosra Sham St (EBF) L 1-Nov-2014 £30000 2 F T 1200 6 26-Oct-14USA Santa Anita BC Xpressbet Sprint Championship Gr 1 2-Nov-2014 $1,500,000 3+ D 1200 6 21-Oct-14FR Maisons-Laffitte Seine-et-Oise Gp 3 5-Nov-2014 € 80000 3+ T 1200 6 16-Oct-14FR Maisons-Laffitte Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte Gp 2 5-Nov-2014 € 190000 2 T 1200 6 16-Oct-14GB Doncaster Wentworth St (Betfred) L 9-Nov-2014 £40000 3+ T 1200 6 04-Nov-14ITY Rome Premio Carlo & Francesco Aloisi (Ex Umbria) Gp 3 10-Nov-2014 € 61600 2+ T 1200 6 10-Oct-14GB Lingfield Park Golden Rose St L 16-Nov-2014 £37000 3+ AWT 1200 6 11-Nov-14FR Fontainebleau Contessina L 21-Nov-2014 € 52000 3+ T 1200 6 13-Nov-14FR Fontainebleau Zeddaan L 21-Nov-2014 € 55000 2 T 1200 6 13-Nov-14JPN Kyoto Keihan Hai Gr 3 1-Dec-2014 $371285 3+ T 1200 6 15-Oct-14JPN Nakayama Capella St Gr 3 15-Dec-2014 $342015 3+ D 1200 6 29-Oct-14UAE Meydan Al Shindagha Sprint Gr 3 13-Feb-2015 $200,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D 1200 6 10-Feb-15UAE Meydan Mahab Al Shimaal Gr 3 8-Mar-2015 $200,000 NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ D 1200 6 03-Mar-15UAE Meydan Dubai Golden Shaheen Gr 1 29-Mar-2015 $2,000,000 NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ D 1200 6 17-Jan-15

USA Santa Anita BC Turf Sprint Championship Gr 1 2-Nov-2014 $1,000,000 3+ T 1300 6.5 21-Oct-14

GER Cologne Kolner Herbst Preis L 4-Oct-2014 € 25000 3+ T 1400 7 24-Sep-14GB Newmarket Oh So Sharp St Gp 3 5-Oct-2014 £40000 2 F T 1400 7 30-Sep-14GB Redcar Guisborough St L 5-Oct-2014 £40000 3+ T 1400 7 30-Sep-14GB Ascot October St (Miles & Morrison) L 5-Oct-2014 £40000 3+ F&M T 1400 7 29-Sep-14FR Longchamp Prix de la Foret (Qatar) Mile Gp 1 6-Oct-2014 € 300000 3+ T 1400 7 28-Aug-14FR Longchamp Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-Grand Criterium Juv Turf Gp 1 6-Oct-2014 € 350000 2 CF T 1400 7 28-Aug-14FR Chantilly Herod L 7-Oct-2014 € 55000 2 T 1400 7 30-Sep-14IRE Dundalk Star Appeal EBF St L 11-Oct-2014 € 47500 2 AWT 1400 7 05-Oct-14

STAKES SCHEDULES

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RACES

Races are divided by distance and the relevant surface is indicated

as follows:

AWT - All Weather Track D - Dirt T - Turf

Counties covered in this issue are: France, Germany, Ireland, Italy,

Japan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.

Races highlighted in purple indicate the race is a Breeders’ Cup

"win and you’re in" race.

CLOSING DATES

Closing dates for all Irish races are set for domestic entry

dates. Please check International entry dates with the relevant

issue of The Racing Calendar. The Italian authority (UNIRE) do

not publish closing dates for Listed races but we have been

advised to set race closing dates ten days in advance of the

race.

COPYRIGHT

Under Copyright law, no part of this publication may be

reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means. This

includes but not limited to; photocopying for commercial

redistribution and or facsimile recording without the prior

permission of the copyright holder, application for which should be

addressed to the publisher.

DISCLAIMER

Whilst every effort has been made to publish correct information,

the publishers will not be held liable for any omission, mistake or

change to the races listed in all published indexes.

STAKES SCHEDULES 2014

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STAKES SCHEDULES

Country Track Race Name & (Sponsor) Breeders’ Cup Class Race Date Value Age Surface Metres Furlongs Closing

FR Longchamp Saint-Cyr L 18-Oct-2014 € 55000 3 F T 1400 7 10-Oct-14GB Newmarket Challenge St Gp 2 18-Oct-2014 £100000 3+ T 1400 7 17-Sep-14GB Newmarket Dewhurst St Gp 1 18-Oct-2014 350000 2 C&F T 1400 7 30-Jul-14GB Newbury Radley St L 26-Oct-2014 £25500 2 F T 1400 7 21-Oct-14GB Newbury Horris Hill St (Worthington Highfield Social Club) Gp 3 26-Oct-2014 £37000 2 C&G T 1400 7 21-Oct-14IRE Leopardstown Killavullan St Gp 3 26-Oct-2014 € 47500 2 T 1400 7 21-Oct-14GER Hannover Neue Bult Youngster Cup L 27-Oct-2014 € 25000 2 F T 1400 7 15-Oct-14GER Hannover Neue Bult Stuten Sprint-Preis L 27-Oct-2014 € 25000 3 + F T 1400 7 15-Oct-14IRE Leopardstown Knockaire St L 27-Oct-2014 € 40000 3+ T 1400 7 21-Oct-14USA Santa Anita BC Draftkings Filly & Mare Sprint Championship Gr1 2-Nov-2014 $1,000,000 3+ F & M D 1400 7 21-Oct-14ITY Milan Premio Chiusura Gp 3 2-Nov-2014 € 61600 2+ T 1400 7 03-Oct-14JPN Kyoto Swan St Gr 2 2-Nov-2014 $558092 3+ T 1400 7 17-Sep-14FR Maisons-Laffitte Miesque Gp 3 5-Nov-2014 € 80000 2 F T 1400 7 16-Oct-14JPN Kyoto Fantasy St Gr 3 9-Nov-2014 $274148 2 F T 1400 7 01-Oct-14JPN Tokyo Keio Hai Nisai St Gr 2 9-Nov-2014 $352473 2 T 1400 7 01-Oct-14FR Fontainebleau Ceres L 21-Nov-2014 € 55000 3 F T 1400 7 13-Nov-14JPN Hanshin Hanshin Cup Gr 2 28-Dec-2014 $635085 3+ T 1400 7 12-Nov-14UAE Meydan Al Fahidi Fort Gr 2 23-Jan-2015 $250,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ T 1400 7 20-Jan-15UAE Meydan Meydan Classic L 27-Feb-2015 $125000 NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ T 1400 7 24-Feb-15

IRE Tipperary Concorde St (Coolmore Stud Home of Champions) Gp 3 6-Oct-2014 € 65000 3+ T 1490 7.4 28-Aug-14

ITY Rome Criterium Femminile L 3-Nov-2014 € 41800 2 F T 1500 7.5ITY Pisa Criterium di Pisa L 8-Dec-2014 € 41800 2 T 1500 7.5FR Deauville Luthier L 14-Dec-2014 € 52000 3+ AWT 1500 7.5FR Deauville Miss Satamixa L 29-Dec-2014 € 52000 3+ AWT 1500 7.5

FR Longchamp Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Qatar) Gp 2 5-Oct-2014 € 200000 3+ T 1600 8 28-Aug-14GB Newmarket Sun Chariot St (Kingdom of Bahrain) Gp 1 5-Oct-2014 £160000 3+ F T 1600 8 23-Jul-14USA Belmont Park Champagne St Juv Gr 1 5-Oct-2014 $400000 2 D 1600 8 21-Sep-14USA Belmont Park Frizette St Juv F Gr 1 5-Oct-2014 $400000 2 F D 1600 8 21-Sep-14USA Keeneland First Lady S Gr 1 5-Oct-2014 $400000 3+ F&M T 1600 8 17-Sept-14USA Keeneland Shadwell Turf Mile Mile Gr 1 5-Oct-2014 $750000 3+ T 1600 8 18-Sep-14FR Longchamp Prix Marcel Boussac Juv F Turf Gp 1 6-Oct-2014 € 300000 2 F T 1600 8 28-Aug-14FR Saint-Cloud Thomas Bryon Gp 3 10-Oct-2014 € 80000 2 T 1600 8 25-Sep-14FR Chantilly Ranelagh L 11-Oct-2014 € 52000 3+ T 1600 8 03-Oct-14GB Newmarket Autumn St Gp 3 12-Oct-2014 £40000 2 T 1600 8 07-Oct-14GER Cologne Preis des Winterfavoriten Gp 3 13-Oct-2014 € 155000 2 T 1600 8 CLOSEDIRE Curragh Silken Glider (Staffordstown) St L 13-Oct-2014 € 42500 2 F T 1600 8 07-Oct-14ITY Milan Gran Criterium Gp 1 13-Oct-2014 € 209000 2 C&F T 1600 8 12-Sep-14GB Newmarket Fillies’ Mile (Dubai) Gp 1 18-Oct-2014 £170000 2 F T 1600 8 23-Jul-14GB Ascot Queen Elizabeth II St (Quipco) Gp 1 19-Oct-2014 £1,000,000 3+ T 1600 8 06-Aug-14IRE Cork Navigation St L 19-Oct-2014 € 40000 3+ T 1600 8 14-Oct-14GER Baden-Baden Winterkonigon Gp 3 20-Oct-2014 € 105000 2 F T 1600 8 CLOSEDGER Baden-Baden Preis der Winterkonigin Gp 3 20-Oct-2014 € 105000 2 T 1600 8 CLOSEDIRE Naas Garnet EBF St L 20-Oct-2014 € 50000 3+ F&M T 1600 8 14-Oct-14ITY Milan Premio Dormello Gp 3 20-Oct-2014 € 88000 2 F T 1600 8 19-Sep-14ITY Milan Del Piazzale Gp 3 20-Oct-2014 € 61600 3+ T 1600 8 19-Sep-14GB Pontefract Silver Tankard St (EBF) L 21-Oct-2014 £40000 2 T 1600 8 15-Oct-14FR Deauville Reservoirs (Haras d’Etreham) Gp 3 23-Oct-2014 € 80000 2 F T 1600 8 09-Oct-14FR Nantes Sablonnets L 26-Oct-2014 € 55000 2 T 1600 8 18-Oct-14GB Doncaster Trophy (Racing Post) Gp 1 26-Oct-2014 £200000 2 C&F T 1600 8 13-Aug-14JPN Tokyo Saudi Arabia Royal Cup Fuji St Gr 3 26-Oct-2014 $391680 3+ T 1600 8 17-Sep-14FR Saint-Cloud Criterium International Gp 1 27-Oct-2014 € 250000 2 CF T 1600 8 09-Oct-14FR Saint-Cloud Perth Gp 3 31-Oct-2014 € 80000 3+ T 1600 8 16-Oct-14GB Lingfield Park Fleur de Lys St (EBF) L 31-Oct-2014 £40000 3+ F&M AWT 1600 8 25-Oct-14USA Santa Anita BC Juvenille Turf Championship Gr 1 1-Nov-2014 $1,000,000 2 T 1600 8 21-Oct-14USA Santa Anita BC Dirt Mile Championship Gr 1 1-Nov-2014 $1,000,000 3+ D 1600 8 21-Oct-14USA Santa Anita BC Juvenile Fillies Turf Championship Gr 1 1-Nov-2014 $1,000,000 2 T 1600 8 21-Oct-14IRE Dundalk Cooley EBF St L 1-Nov-2014 € 50000 3+ F&M AWT 1600 8 26-Oct-14USA Santa Anita BC Mile Championship Gr 1 2-Nov-2014 $2,000,000 3+ T 1600 8 21-Oct-14GB Newmarket Ben Marshall St L 2-Nov-2014 £37000 3+ T 1600 8 28-Oct-14GB Newmarket Montrose St (EBF) L 2-Nov-2014 £30000 2 F T 1600 8 28-Oct-14JPN Tokyo Artemis S Gr 3 2-Nov-2014 $274148 2 F T 1600 8 17-Sep-14GER Frankfurt Hessen-Sprint L 3-Nov-2014 € 25000 3+ T 1600 8 22-Oct-14ITY Rome Premio Ribot Gp 2 3-Nov-2014 € 104500 3+ T 1600 8 03-Oct-14FR Compiegne Isola-Bella L 4-Nov-2014 € 52000 3+ F T 1600 8 28-Oct-14FR Toulouse Criterium du Languedoc L 12-Nov-2014 € 55000 2 T 1600 8 04-Nov-14JPN Kyoto Daily Hai Nisai St Gr 2 16-Nov-2014 $351753 2 T 1600 8 01-Oct-14JPN Tokyo Musashino St Gr 3 16-Nov-2014 $362311 3+ D 1600 8 01-Oct-14JPN Kyoto Mile Championship Gr 1 24-Nov-2014 $976929 3+ T 1600 8 01-Oct-14FR Chantilly Tantieme L 26-Nov-2014 € 52000 3+ T 1600 8 18-Nov-14FR Chantilly Isonomy L 26-Nov-2014 € 55000 2 T 1600 8 18-Nov-14JPN Hanshin Hanshin Juvenile Fillies Gr 1 15-Dec-2014 $635154 2 F T 1600 8 29-Oct-14JPN Hanshin Asahi Hai Futurity St Gr 1 22-Dec-2014 $683899 2 No G T 1600 8 12-Nov-14UAE Meydan Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 1 Gr 2 9-Jan-2015 $250000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D 1600 8 06-Jan-15UAE Meydan Cape Verdi Gr 2 30-Jan-2015 $200,000NH F&M 4yo+ SH F&M 3yo+ T 1600 8 27-Jan-15UAE Meydan UAE 1000 Guineas L 6-Feb-2015 $250000 NH 3F SH 3F D 1600 8 03-Feb-15UAE Meydan Firebreak St Gr 3 13-Feb-2015 $200000SH-bred 3+ & NH-bred 4+D 1600 8 10-Feb-15UAE Meydan UAE 2000 Guineas Gr 3 13-Feb-2015 $250,000 NH 3yo SH 3yo D 1600 8 10-Feb-15UAE Meydan Zabeel Mile Gr 2 27-Feb-2015 $250,000 NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ T 1600 8 24-Feb-15UAE Meydan Burj Nahaar Gr 3 8-Mar-2015 $200,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D 1600 8 03-Mar-15





STAKES SCHEDULES


Country Track Race Name & (Sponsor) Breeders’ Cup Class Race Date Value Age Surface Metres Furlongs ClosingUAE Meydan Godolphin Mile Gr 2 29-Mar-2015 $1,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D 1600 8 17-Jan-15

USA Keeneland Darley Alcibiades S Juv F Gr 1 4-Oct-2014 $400000 2 F D 1700 8.5 17-Sept-14USA Keeneland Claibourne Breeders’ Futurity Juv Gr 1 5-Oct-2014 $500000 2 D 1700 8.5 18-Sep-14GER Dusseldorf Landeshauptstadt Dusseldorf Gp 3 6-Oct-2014 € 55000 3+ T 1700 8.5 13-Aug-14GER Krefeld Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen Gp 3 10-Nov-2014 € 55000 2 T 1700 8.5 20-Aug-14CAN Woodbine Kingarvie S S 7-Dec-2014 CAN125,000 2 AWT 1700 8.5 20-Nov-14USA Aqueduct Alex M. Robb H’cap S 1-Jan-2015 $100000 3+ (NY Bred) D 1700 8.5

USA Keeneland Juddmonte Spinster S Distaff Gr 1 6-Oct-2014 $500000 3+ F&M D 1800 9 18-Sep-14FR Maisons-Laffitte Le Fabuleux L 8-Oct-2014 € 55000 3 T 1800 9 30-Sep-14USA Keeneland Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S (by invitation only) Gr 1 12-Oct-2014 $400000 3 F T 1800 9JPN Tokyo Mainichi Okan Gr 2 13-Oct-2014 $607118 3+ T 1800 9 03-Sep-14GB Newmarket Darley St Gp 3 18-Oct-2014 £55000 3+ T 1800 9 12-Oct-14JPN Tokyo Fuchu Himba St Gr 2 19-Oct-2014 $519023 3+ FM T 1800 9 03-Sep-14FR Longchamp Casimir Delamarre L 20-Oct-2014 € 55000 3 F T 1800 9 11-Oct-14FR Longchamp Conde Gp 3 20-Oct-2014 € 80000 2 T 1800 9 09-Oct-14IRE Leopardstown Eyrefield St L 27-Oct-2014 € 40000 2 T 1800 9 21-Oct-14ITY Rome Premio Guido Berardelli Gp 3 27-Oct-2014 € 88000 2 T 1800 9 26-Sep-14USA Santa Anita BC Distaff Championship Gr 1 1-Nov-2014 $1,000,000 3+ D 1800 9 21-Oct-14ITY Milan Campobello L 2-Nov-2014 € 41800 2 T 1800 9FR Marseille Borely Delahante L 10-Nov-2014 € 55000 2 T 1800 9 01-Nov-14JPN Kyoto Miyako St Gr 3 10-Nov-2014 $362311 3+ D 1800 9 01-Oct-14JPN Tokyo Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai St Gr 3 25-Nov-2014 $312578 2 T 1800 9 15-Oct-14USA Churchill Downs Clark H’cap Gr 1 29-Nov-2014 $500000 3+ D 1800 9 13-Nov-14JPN Hanshin Challenge Cup Gr 3 14-Dec-2014 $390663 3+ T 1800 9 29-Oct-14UAE Meydan Al Rashidiya Gr 2 30-Jan-2015 $200,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ T 1800 9 27-Jan-15UAE Meydan Jebel Hatta Gr 1 8-Mar-2015 $300000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ T 1800 9 03-Mar-15UAE Meydan Dubai Duty Free Gr 1 29-Mar-2015 $6,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ T 1800 9 17-Jan-15

FR Bordeaux Grand Criterium de Bordeaux L 9-Oct-2014 € 55000 2 T 1900 9.5 01-Oct-14FR Deauville Lyphard L 3-Dec-2014 € 52000 3+ AWT 1900 9.5FR Deauville Petite Etoile L 4-Dec-2014 € 55000 3 F AWT 1900 9.5UAE Meydan Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 2 Gr 2 6-Feb-2015 $250000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D 1900 9.5 03-Feb-15UAE Meydan UAE Oaks Gr 3 27-Feb-2015 $250,000 NH 3F SH 3F D 1900 9.5 24-Feb-15UAE Meydan Al Bastakiya L 8-Mar-2015 $250,000 NH 3yo SH 3yo D 1900 9.5 03-Mar-15UAE Meydan UAE Derby Gr 2 29-Mar-2015 $2,000,000 NH 3 SH 3 D 1900 9.5 17-Jan-15

FR Longchamp Prix Dollar (Qatar) Gp 2 5-Oct-2014 € 200000 3+ T 1950 9.75 28-Aug-14SWE Taby Galopp Stockholm Fillies And Mares St L 13-Oct-2014 SEK 400,000 3+F&M T 1950 9.75 03-Sep-14

FR Chantilly Charles Laffitte L 2-Oct-2014 € 55000 3 F T 2000 10 23-Sept-14GER Hoppegarten Preis der Deutschen Einheit Gp 3 4-Oct-2014 € 85000 3+ T 2000 10 06-Aug-14JPN Hanshin Sirius St Gr 3 5-Oct-2014 $342758 3+ D 2000 10 20-Aug-14FR Longchamp Prix de l’Opera (Longines) F&M Turf Gp 1 6-Oct-2014 € 400000 3+ F T 2000 10 28-Aug-14FR Saint-Cloud Dahlia L 10-Oct-2014 € 64000 4+ F T 2000 10 02-Oct-14GB Newmarket Pride L 12-Oct-2014 £37000 3+ F T 2000 10 07-Oct-14GER Munich Nereide-Rennen L 13-Oct-2014 € 25000 3+ F T 2000 10 03-Sep-14ITY Milan Premio Verziere (Memorial A. Cirla) Gp 3 13-Oct-2014 € 61600 3+ F T 2000 10 12-Sep-14SWE Taby Galopp Songline Classic L 13-Oct-2014 SEK 400,000 3+ D 2000 10 09-Sep-14FR Lyon-Parilly Andre Baboin Gp3 15-Oct-2014 € 80000 3+ T 2000 10 25-Sep-14IRE Dundalk Carlingford St L 18-Oct-2014 € 40000 3+ AWT 2000 10 12-Oct-14GB Ascot Champion (Quipco) Gp 1 19-Oct-2014 £1,300,000 3+ T 2000 10 06-Aug-14CAN Woodbine E P Taylor S Gr 1 20-Oct-2014 CAN500,000 3+ F&M T 2000 10 02-Oct-14GER Baden-Baden Baden-Wurttemberg-Trophy Gp 3 20-Oct-2014 € 55000 3+ T 2000 10 27-Aug-14JPN Kyoto Shuka Sho Gr 1 20-Oct-2014 $871592 3 F T 2000 10 03-Sep-14IRE Leopardstown Trigo St L 26-Oct-2014 € 40000 3+ T 2000 10 21-Oct-14ITY Rome Conte Felice Scheibler L 27-Oct-2014 € 41800 3 T 2000 10ITY Rome Premio Lydia Tesio Gp 1 27-Oct-2014 € 209000 3+ F T 2000 10 26-Sep-14USA Santa Anita BC Filly & Mare Championship Gr1 2-Nov-2014 $2,000,000 3+ F & M D 2000 10 21-Oct-14USA Santa Anita BC Classic Championship Gr 1 2-Nov-2014 $5,000,000 3+ D 2000 10 21-Oct-14GB Newmarket James Seymour L 2-Nov-2014 £37000 3+ T 2000 10 28-Oct-14ITY Rome Premio Roma Gp 1 3-Nov-2014 € 209000 3+ T 2000 10 03-Oct-14JPN Tokyo Tenno Sho (Autumn) Gr 1 3-Nov-2014 $1292420 3+ T 2000 10 17-Sep-14FR Saint-Cloud Solitude L 9-Nov-2014 € 55000 3 F T 2000 10 01-Nov-14FR Saint-Cloud Criterium de Saint-Cloud Gp 1 9-Nov-2014 € 250000 2 CF T 2000 10 23-Oct-14GB Doncaster Gillies St (EBF) L 9-Nov-2014 £40000 3+ F&M T 2000 10 04-Nov-14FR Marseille Borely Grand Prix de Marseille L 10-Nov-2014 € 60000 3+ T 2000 10 01-Nov-14ITY Rome G, Valiani (ex Buontalenta) L 10-Nov-2014 € 41800 3+ F T 2000 10GB Lingfield Park Churchill St L 16-Nov-2014 £45000 3+ AWT 2000 10 11-Nov-14JPN Fukushima Fukushima Kinen Gr 3 17-Nov-2014 $390800 3+ T 2000 10 01-Oct-14JPN Kyoto Radio Nikkei Hai Nisai St Gr 3 30-Nov-2014 $312578 2 T 2000 10 15-Oct-14JPN Chukyo Kinko Sho Gr 2 7-Dec-2014 $585958 3 + T 2000 10 29-Oct-14JPN Chukyo Aichi Hai Gr 3 21-Dec-2014 $341958 3+ FM T 2000 10 12-Nov-14UAE Meydan Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 3 Gr 1 8-Mar-2015 $400000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D 2000 10 03-Mar-15UAE Meydan Dubai World Cup Gr 1 29-Mar-2015 $10,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D 2000 10 17-Jan-15GER Krefeld Niederrhein-Pokal Gp 3 10-Nov-2014 € 55000 3 + T 2050 10 CLOSED

IRE Dundalk Diamond St Gp 3 4-Oct-2014 € 57500 3+ AWT 2100 10.5 28-Aug-14FR Saint-Cloud Flore Gp 3 31-Oct-2014 € 80000 3+ F T 2100 10.5 16-Oct-14FR Croise-Laroche Grand Prix du Nord L 6-Nov-2014 € 55000 3 T 2100 10.5 29-Oct-14FR Toulouse Fille de l’Air Gp 3 12-Nov-2014 € 80000 3+ F T 2100 10.5 23-Oct-14

GER Hannover Neue Bult Stuten-Steher-Cup L 6-Oct-2014 € 25000 3 + F T 2200 11 24-Sep-14GER Hannover Herbst Stuten Steher-reis Gp 3 27-Oct-2014 € 55000 3+ F M T 2200 11 03-Sep-14JPN Kyoto Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup Gr 1 17-Nov-2014 $879240 3+ FM T 2200 11 01-Oct-14GER Dresden Grosser Dresdner Herbstpreis L 20-Nov-2014 € 25000 3+ T 2200 11 12-Nov-14










STAKES SCHEDULES

Country Track Race Name & (Sponsor) Breeders’ Cup Class Race Date Value Age Surface Metres Furlongs ClosingITY Naples Unire L 22-Dec-2014 € 41800 3+ T 2250 11.25

ITY Siracusa Francesco Faraci L 9-Dec-2014 € 41800 3+ T 2300 11.5

GB Ascot Cumberland Lodge St (BMW) Gp 3 5-Oct-2014 £60000 3+ T 2400 12 30-Sep-14FR Longchamp Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Qatar) Gp 1 6-Oct-2014 € 4000000 3+ CF T 2400 12 15-May-14FR Toulouse Panacee L 11-Oct-2014 € 52000 3+ F&M T 2400 12 03-Oct-14IRE Curragh Finale St L 13-Oct-2014 € 40000 3+ T 2400 12 07-Oct-14JPN Kyoto Kyoto Daishoten Gr 2 14-Oct-2014 $607118 3+ T 2400 12 09-Sep-14CAN Woodbine Pattison Canadian International Gr 1 20-Oct-2014 CAN1,000,000 3+ T 2400 12 02-Oct-14FR Longchamp Conseil de Paris Gp 2 20-Oct-2014 € 130000 3+ T 2400 12 09-Oct-14ITY Milan Gran Premio del Jockey Club e Coppa d’Oro Gp 1 20-Oct-2014 € 209000 3+ T 2400 12 19-Sep-14FR Nantes Grand Prix de la Ville de Nantes L 26-Oct-2014 € 60000 3+ T 2400 12 18-Oct-14GB Newbury St Simon St (Worthington’s Champion Shield) Gp 3 26-Oct-2014 £60000 3+ T 2400 12 21-Oct-14USA Santa Anita BC Turf Championship Gr 1 2-Nov-2014 $3,000,000 3+ T 2400 12 21-Oct-14GER Munich Grosser Pries Von Bayern Gp 1 2-Nov-2014 € 155000 3+ T 2400 12 13-Aug-14ITY Milan Falck G. L 2-Nov-2014 € 41800 3+ F T 2400 12GB Kempton Park Floodlit St L 6-Nov-2014 £37000 3+ AWT 2400 12 31-Oct-14FR Lyon-Parilly Grand Camp L 23-Nov-2014 € 52000 3+ T 2400 12 15-Nov-14JPN Tokyo Japan Cup Gr 1 1-Dec-2014 $2442708 3+ T 2400 12 15-Oct-14FR Toulouse Max Sicard L 8-Dec-2014 € 60000 3+ T 2400 12UAE Meydan Dubai City of Gold Gr 2 8-Mar-2015 $250,000 NH 4yo+ SH 4yo+ T 2400 12 03-Mar-15UAE Meydan Dubai Sheema Classic Gr 1 29-Mar-2015 $6,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 4yo+ T 2400 12 17-Jan-15

FR Longchamp Prix Royallieu (Qatar) Gp 2 5-Oct-2014 € 250000 3+ F T 2500 12.5 28-Aug-14FR Deauville Vulcain L 23-Oct-2014 € 55000 3 T 2500 12.5 15-Oct-14JPN Tokyo Copa Republica Argentina Gr 2 10-Nov-2014 $538502 3+ T 2500 12.5 01-Oct-14FR Saint Cloud Belle de Nuit L 14-Nov-2014 € 52000 3+ F T 2500 12.5 06-Nov-14

GB Lingfield Park River Eden St (EBF) L 31-Oct-2014 £40000 3+ F&M AWT 2600 13 25-Oct-14

FR Saint-Cloud Scaramouche L 4-Oct-2014 € 52000 3+ T 2800 14 25-Sept-14GB Ascot Noel Murless L 4-Oct-2014 £37000 3 T 2800 14 26-Sept-14ITY Milan St Leger Italiano Gp 3 26-Oct-2014 € 61600 3+ T 2800 14 26-Sep-14ITY Rome Roma Vecchia L 10-Nov-2014 € 41800 3+ T 2800 14UAE Meydan Nad Al Sheba Trophy Gr 3 1-Mar-2015 $200000SH-bred 3+ & NH-bred 4+T 2800 14 24-Feb-15

FR Longchamp Prix Chaudenay (Qatar) Gp 2 5-Oct-2014 € 200000 3 T 3000 15 28-Aug-14JPN Kyoto Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) Gr 1 27-Oct-2014 $1091954 3 No G T 3000 15 CLOSED

FR Saint-Cloud Prix Royal-Oak Gp 1 27-Oct-2014 € 250000 3+ T 3100 15.5 09-Oct-14FR Saint-Cloud Denisy L 14-Nov-2014 € 52000 3+ T 3100 15.5 06-Nov-14

UAE Meydan DRC Gold Cup Gr 2 29-Mar-2015 $1000000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ T 3200 16 17-Jan-15

JPN Nakayama Stayers St Gr 2 7-Dec-2014 $585958 3+ T 3600 18 29-Oct-14

FR Longchamp Prix du Cadran (Qatar) Gp 1 6-Oct-2014 € 300000 4+ T 4000 20 28-Aug-14GER Cologne Silbernes Band des Rheinlandes L 13-Oct-2014 € 25000 3 + T 4000 20 01-Oct-14












DAVID CROSSE

One of the hardest things about being a jockey is the constantsplit second decisions that have to be made. It’s part of whatmakes the game what it is but I can pretty much guaranteethat the overwhelming majority of my decisions and those ofmy colleagues are made with the intention of winning or atleast finishing closer in every race.

backgrounds and are entertainingcharacters. I firmly believe it is theirpassion and understanding of horses andthe sport that makes them a fair presenter.

In my view, Attheraces still have a fewgood presenters and characters but theother channels can be dull viewing. Racingshould not just revolve around the bettingand exchanges – when a favourite getsbeaten, the programme is dedicated todissecting this race. Unfortunately thisformat is repeated day in, day out, andnarrows the audience appeal.

Racing needs to use its personalities tokeep the sport alive – from the eccentric,wacky individuals to the consummateprofessionals who describe the sport intremendous detail.

In conclusion we have got tounderstand that the television is thewindow to the soul of our sport. We havealso got to cherish the presenter who weremember for their style and charisma andtheir ability to relate to us. Racing isamazing, fast and beautiful. It sets theheart blazing on the coldest wintermorning. Let’s keep promoting that – notwhoever can ruffle the most feathers. n

chance and horses are not machines.I do understand pundits and journalists

have a job to do themselves and they needto comment objectively on a sport whichso much of is hard to understand withoutexperience.

However, they don’t necessarily have tobe negative and controversial to be good.On British TV an excellent example isClare Balding, who is considering givingup commentating on racing as she isclimbing the ladder so fast. It will be amassive loss to the sport if she goes. She isvery knowledgeable and a top-classpresenter who always shows racing in agood light and is a great anchor,presenting the facts as they are. There areenough contentious incidents in ourgame: we do not need other peopleinvolved in racing adding to it.

John Francome was a top-classpresenter too. He always told it as it was.Similarly, Ted Walsh for Irish viewerswould be in the same bracket but the bestbit about him is that he can come out withanything. Entertaining!

These people have plenty of attributes incommon. They are all from horse-related

ATURALLY mistakeswill occur and somedecisions I make will bewrong but it’s verysimilar to driving yourcar as fast as it can

possibly go through heavy city traffic,while negotiating ten others trying to dothe same thing at the same time. See howmistakes can happen?

Across Europe, where newspapercoverage is falling, all major racingcountries are increasing the TV exposurededicated to horse racing. This is excellentfor promoting the sport and a greatopportunity to develop new fans.Therefore it is vital to utilise this coveragein the most engaging way to appeal to arange of viewers.

However, from a jockeys perspective,certain coverage is more desirable thanothers. It is terribly frustrating when, fromtime to time, we are openly criticised for awider audience to pull apart certain ridessaying this jockey caused this horse tolose, that horse to fall and so on.

If anyone stands down by the last fencein a race you will see how committed eachjockey is as they fire themselves at a five-foot fence at 30 miles an hour in anattempt to win. I’m not so audacious as tosay we do no wrong but it is very hard tosee your efforts lambasted, especially bysomeone with no experience of physicallydoing the job of a jockey.

Spectators seem to lose sight of the factthat this is horse racing – it’s a game of


NLet TV continue to promote

the positive in our sport

“Racing needs to use its personalities to keep the sport alive – from the eccentric individuals to the consummate professionals who describe the sport in tremendous detail”

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Documents

European Trainer - Issue 47 - October to December 2014