Trainer Magazine, European edition, issue 63 - October - December 2018

ISSUE 63 – OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2018 £6.95 www.trainermagazine.com

THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FOR THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE THOROUGHBRED

“I’m still very hungry to compete at the top level” Nicolas Clément

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| OPINION |

GILE S ANDE RSON PUBLISHER’S OPINION

aking over a high-profile or public-facing role in racing whilst continuing with your day job must be no easy task. The increased workload as well as the expectation to live up to what one’s predecessor achieved must be a daunting prospect, but six months in and our cover profile trainer, Nicholas Clément, seems to be coping well in his position as president of the “Association des Entraîneurs de Galop”, (French trainers’ association).

“Life is about give and take. I have been fortunate in some ways in my life and career and I wanted to give back in whatever way I could…. If I can have even a tiny input into trying to forge a new future for racing then I will do everything I can” - so he tells Alex Cairns when they met in early September.

Being a large racing nation with a government looking (like all governments) to increase tax revenue from different

T

gambling sources, the importance of a strong and stable racing industry with growth from the pari-mutuel market is not lost on Clément, nor is the desire to make sure that the work which the trainers association undertakes from its office in Chantilly will be just as relevant to trainers in the far-flung provincial training centres.

In this issue, we also look at the importance of good nutrition and the way which it can impact on mental health.

But for those employed to ride in the racing industry, a light weight has always been a prerequisite on the job spec. For many it has been about what or how little they eat, but this article looks at the importance of how eating the right foods does have a huge bearing on mental health.

Within the article are the results of a General Health Questionnaire, circulated to jockeys, which tells us that after dietary monitoring was instigated the number of ‘psychiatric caseness’ reduced by 50%.

Running before this feature is our article on understanding concussion and protecting riders from concussion. Whilst it might be easy to say that everything is down to the design and reliability of helmets, a startling reminder of the importance of both nutrition and its impact on mental health is provided by Professor Roy Burek, who tells us that hydration is known to reduce concussive events but also that “we are also seeing depression as a factor in increasing the likelihood of sustaining concussion.”

Both articles make for interesting reading and being able to implement findings within racecourse canteens and racing yards should be more than just food for thought.

Wherever your racing takes you this autumn - good luck!

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ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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| CONTENTS |

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CONTENTS F E AT U R E S 10 Nicolas Clément

Alex Cairns talks to the leading French trainer about his career, the international appeal of French racing and his ambitions.

20 Clean Sport

What the clean sport ethic means and how you can apply it to your stable, by Melissa Volpi.

26 How equine influenza viruses mutate

Debra Elton and Adam Rash cover the history of EIV and what’s being done to tackle the evolution of new strains of the virus.

34 Travelling stateside

The logistical impact for European trainers travelling horses to North America this autumn, by Alex Cairns.

40 Understanding concussion and protection

Lissa Oliver examines the latest research on concussion and how this is influencing helmet design.

48 The importance of good nutrition

for your staff

How improved diet can help to make outdated practices redundant and improve the physical and mental health of your staff, by Lissa Oliver.

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54 Unravelling ulceration

Squamous and glandular gastric ulceration explained from a nutritional perspective,

by Emma Hardy.

60 Wobbler Syndrome and the thoroughbred

Celia Marr reports on the veterinary industry’s latest findings on a condition that affects 2% of young thoroughbreds.

64 Equine therapy, officials’

development and executive council report

Paull Khan reports on how retired racehorses are providing therapeutic benefits for humans, the race official development scheme and the EMHF’s executive council meeting in the Czech republic.

64 REGULARS 04 Contributors 06 ETF Members 08 TRM Trainer of the Quarter

@t ra in er _m ag /t ra in er ma ga zi ne /t ra in er ma ga zi ne

72 Starting Out

Rookie trainer, Gavin Hernon, gives his quarterly update on starting out as a trainer.

74 Hindsight

Alec Head discusses his career as an international trainer and breeder,

by Oscar Yeadon.

78 Product Focus

Visit trainermagazine.com to download the digital edition of this issue.

T he £ 8 . 8 / €10. 2 M i l llio io n S eerr ie s

JAPAN AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL

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Editorial Director/Publisher Giles Anderson Design ATG Media Editorial/Photo Management Suzy Stephens Advert Production Shae Hardy Circulation/Website Anna Alcock Advertising Sales Giles Anderson, Oscar Yeadon, Anna Alcock Photo Credits: Zuzanna Lupa, Eclipse Sportswire, APRH, Shutterstock, Charles Owen, Hesteguiden.com, Caroline Norris, HBLB, Anne-Armelle Langlois Cover Photograph Zuzanna Lupa

Trainer magazine is published by Anderson & Co Publishing Ltd. This magazine is distributed for free to all EFT members. Editorial views expressed are not necessarily those of the ETF. Additional copies can be purchased for £6.95 (ex P&P). No part of this publication may be reproduced in any format without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Printed in the European Union For all editorial and advertising queries please contact: Anderson & Co. Publishing Tel: +44 (0) 1380 816777 Fax: +44 (0) 1380 816778 email: info@trainermagazine.com www.trainermagazine.com Issue 63

Debra Elton Debra gained a BSc and PhD at University of Leeds, where she spent five years working on equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1). This was followed by a two-year postdoctoral position in the USA at Texas A&M University working on baculovirus replication. Following this she spent 11 years at the University of Cambridge working on influenza viruses before moving to the Animal Health Trust in 2006. Debra is currently the Head of Virology and the UK OIE expert for equine influenza and equine rhinopneumonitis.

Alex Cairns Alex Cairns is a horse racing writer and photographer.

He previously worked for the KRA as English Editor and International Liaison and is now based in his native Northern Ireland.

Emma Hardy Dr Emma Hardy has been European Marketing Manager for Freedom Health LLC since joining the company in 2009. She is a member of the British Society of Animal Science and is a registered Animal Technologist. Emma achieved her undergraduate degree in BSc Equine Sports Science (1st Class Hons) in 2003 from the University of Lincoln, then went on to be accepted onto a Research Internship with Kentucky Equine research, USA. Following her return, she undertook a Doctor of Philosophy researching equine myopthies, with particular focus on aberrant protein expression in skeletal muscle and erythrocytes.

Lissa Oliver Lissa Oliver lives in Co. Kildare, Ireland and is a regular contributor to The Irish Field and the Australian magazine, Racetrack. Lissa is also the author of several collections of short stories and four novels.

ISSN 17580293

9 771478 961223

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TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 63

Paull Khan Paull Khan, PhD. is an international horseracing consultant. He is Secretary-General of the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation and Technical Advisor for Europe to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. His other

clients include the British Horseracing Authority. Previously, Dr Khan held many senior roles at Weatherbys, including Banking Director and Racing Director.

Melissa Volpi Melissa Volpi is a freelance features writer and photographer. She lives in Scotland with her small herd of three horses and writes about her experiences with them every month in Countryside magazine. Melissa has a degree in photojournalism from London College of Communication and now studies equine behaviour.

Her work has been published in many UK and International magazines to include Scottish Field, Horse and Rider and The Chronicle of the Horse.

Celia Marr Professor Celia Marr is an RCVS recognised Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine based at Rossdales Equine Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Newmarket. She is also Editor-in-Chief of the Equine Veterinary Journal and Honorary Professor at the University of Glasgow and has previously worked at Cambridge University, the Royal Veterinary College, the University of Pennsylvania, and in racehorse practice in Lambourn.

Oscar Yeadon Oscar Yeadon is the publication manager for Anderson & Co Publishing, as well as a longstanding fan of National Hunt racing. His passion for the sport developed during his time managing racing syndicates and events across the UK. Gavin Hernon Gavin Hernon is an aspiring young trainer in Chantilly, France. At the age of 16, Gavin flew the nest of the family’s stud farm in north Cork on an adventure that would see him under the direction of Jim Bolger, Andre Fabre, Nicolas Clément, Ed Dunlop and Graham Motion. Gavin also acts as the French representative for Goffs.

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EUROPEAN TRAINERS’ FEDERATION 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 Chairmanship: Guy Heymans (Belgium) Tel: +32 (0) 495 389 140 Email: heymans1@telenet.be

Vice Chairmanship:

Vice Chairmanship:

Treasureship:

Nicolas Clément (France) Tel: +33 (0)3 44 57 25 39 Fax: +33 (0)3 44 57 58 85 Email: entraineurs.de.galop@wanadoo.fr

Christian von der Recke (Germany) Tel: +49 (022 54) 84 53 14 Fax: +49 (022 54) 84 53 15 Email: recke@t-online.de

Michael Grassick (Ireland) Tel: +353 (0)45 522 981 Mobile: +353 (0)87 258 87 70 Fax: +353 (0)45 522 982 Email: office@irta.ie

AUSTRIA

HUNGARY

UNITED KINGDOM

Mrs Živa Prunk Tel: +38640669918 Email: ziva.prunk@gmail.com

CZECH REPUBLIC

Livia Prem Mobile: +3630 431 2777 Email: livia.prem@hotmail.com

ITALY

Rupert Arnold Tel: +44 (0) 1488 71719 Fax: +44 (0) 1488 73005 Email: r.arnold@racehorsetrainers.org

RUSSIA

Joseph Vana Tel: +42 (0) 6024 296 29 Email: horova@velka-chuchle.cz

Agostino Affe Email: affegaloppo@gmail.com

Olga Polushkina Email: p120186@yandex.ru

GREECE

NETHERLANDS

SLOVAKIA

Aggeliki Amitsis Tel: 30 229 908 1332+ Email: angieamitsis@yahoo.com

Geert van Kempen Mobile: +31 (0)6 204 02 830 Email: renstalvankempen@hetnet.nl

GERMANY

NORWAY

Erika Mäder Tel: +49 (0) 2151 594911 Fax: +49 (0) 2151 590542 Email: trainer-und-jockeys@netcologne.de

Are Hyldmo Mobile: +47 984 16 712 Email: arehyldmo@hotmail.com

www.trainersfederation.eu

Jaroslav Brecka Email: jaroslav.brecka@gmail.com

SWEDEN

Caroline Malmborg Email: caroline@stallmalmborg.se

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TRAINER OF THE QUARTER

N IE L S PETER SEN

The TRM Trainer of the Quarter award has been won by Niels Petersen. Petersen and his team will receive a selection of products from the internationally acclaimed range of TRM supplements as well as a bottle of fine Irish whiskey. s one of Scandinavia’s leading trainers since taking out his licence in 1998, and a multiple champion, few would have been surprised to see the Niels Petersen-trained Square De Luynes prevail in the latest renewal of the Norsk Derby at Ovrevoll on 26th August.

After all, this was the Ovrevoll-based trainer’s fifth success in the race, but while Petersen had long held Square

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TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 63

De Luynes in high regard, the route to the Norsk Derby hadn’t been the most straightforward and came after a year of planning.

“We knew we had him in outstanding condition for the Norsk Derby, so the result wasn’t a complete surprise. He had had a fetlock operation at two, which meant we had a quiet winter last year. It was then when we decided to aim him for the Norsk Derby.

“We had fantastic weather this summer but the downside of this was that the ground was fast, fast, fast everywhere, so he went to the Guineas for his seasonal debut, and finished an unlucky second.

“I wanted to try him over distance before the Norsk Derby, so we sent him to the Swedish Derby, where maybe the ground didn’t suit him and he finished sixth. The race served its purpose and left five or six weeks until his target race.”

Square De Luynes finished behind his winning stablemate Nordic Defense in the Swedish Derby, but tables were turned when the pair met each other in the Norwegian equivalent the following month.

“On the day, we were confident about

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Square De Luynes)”, remembers Petersen.

“The race panned out as we thought it might, and Nordic Defense wasn’t fluent on Ovrevoll’s undulating ground.”

So what next for Square De Luynes?

“He’s a wonderful horse if maybe a little fragile, and we decided in mid-September that we should put him away now, and build him up for next season. We are going to think about Dubai this winter. He’s an unexposed type and can go further. As he’s also still unfurnished, a winter with the sun on his back could be to his advantage.”

Square De Luynes’ Norsk Derby victory was backed up on the same card by that of his stablemate, Our Last Summer, who won the Group 3 Marit Sveaas Minnelop. As well as providing Petersen with a fourth winner in the race, the trainer could have a busy autumn on the international scene as Our Last Summer could head to the Canadian International at Woodbine if - at the time of writing - he wins or runs well in the Stockholm Cup.

Further ahead, Petersen is also looking towards 2019. “We have some lovely twoyear-olds, including a couple of really nice types, by Sea The Moon and Siyouni, so we look really good for next year.”

Factor in the likes of Square De Luynes and Our Last Summer with the rest of Petersen’s 50-strong string and it’s easy to see the trainer adding to his current tally of 10 Scandinavian derbies.

ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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PROFILE

N IC O LA S C L ÉM E NT Monsieur le président Alex Cairns

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Zuzanna Lupa

| NICOLAS CLÉMENT |

ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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PROFILE

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he Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is often cited as one of the races trainers would most like to win. To reach such a pinnacle generally takes a lifetime of steady building. Powerful owners must be recruited, facilities enhanced, elite stock acquired. So when three-year-old colt Saumarez landed France’s premier prize in 1990, his trainer Nicolas Clément signalled himself as a major outlier. In just his second full season with a licence and with his first Arc runner, he had become the youngest trainer ever to win the race. Aged 26, he went from relative obscurity to international renown. But this was no flash in the pan. With 30 years’ training experience now under his belt, Clément has proved he does consistency as well as precocity. And he will surely leave a notable legacy through both his on-track achievements and his actions as the new president of the Association des Entraîneurs de Galop (the French trainers’ association). We tracked Nicolas down on the wooded gallops of Chantilly to talk communication, competition, and cooperation.

Vocation

Being raised in Chantilly is always likely to increase one’s chances of being involved in the racing world. Add in being the son of Classic-winning trainer Miguel Clément and Nicolas’ vocation appears pre-destined. It could have been very different however.

‘I went to high school in Paris and my mother wanted me to go into business. We compromised with vet studies, but I only lasted two months and then told her I’d got a job on a farm in Normandy. I had always been drawn to horses and racing was my passion from a young age. I spent some time at Taylor Made in America, learning how the whole thing works straight from the farm. This gives a great understanding of the whole cycle; breeding to race and then racing to breed. After that I worked for John Gosden, Vincent O’Brien, and François Boutin. So I was lucky to learn from some of the best in the business. I then got my licence and set up in my father’s yard in 1988.’

This was the yard from which Miguel Clément had sent out Nelcius to win the Prix du Jockey Club in 1966, just one highlight from a successful career sadly cut short at the age of 42. Despite Miguel’s early death, Nicolas still feels a paternal influence.

‘I was very young when my father died, so didn’t get the opportunity to learn as much as I might have from him. He was always an advocate of keeping your horses in the worst company and yourself in the best and I have certainly tried to follow that ethos. He was good friends with a lot of influential people such as Robert Sangster and he had many English and American owners. This open, international approach wasn’t so common in my father’s time and I took a lot from it.’

Taking on the family business in his mid-twenties surely came with a degree of pressure for Nicolas, but winning the Arc at the first attempt is not the worst way to establish one’s credentials.

‘Winning the Arc at such an early stage of my career was exceptional, but it didn’t turn my head. I’ve always

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known this game is full of ups and downs. Saumarez’ victory definitely put my name out there all the same and helped me expand my stable, with more owners and better stock. Since then we’ve enjoyed more big days thanks to the likes of Vespone and Stormy River.

Style Vendome won the French 2,000 Guineas for longstanding owner André de Ganay in 2013 and that was something special. I had bought him at the sales with my partner Tina Rau for less than €100,000. Not many sold at that price go on to be Guineas winners. In the past few seasons The Juliet Rose has been a wonderful filly for us.

She took time, but excelled over a mile and a half.’

Competition

With 30 years in the business, over 900 winners to his name, and over €30m earned, Clément can boast impressive stats. Racing’s fast pace won’t allow for resting on laurels however.

‘Each season I set myself goals depending on the stock I’ve got. With 70 horses, which is the average I tend to have, I try to have at least 35 winners and any year in which we earn over €1 million including premiums is a good year. Most years we have reached this goal. Our number of stakes winners is also an important measure. If we manage six or seven black type horses I consider that a pretty good achievement.’

Being the youngest trainer to win the Arc is certainly a way to grab people’s attention, but might it have resulted in some middle-distance type-casting?

| NICOLAS CLÉMENT |

‘Maybe in the early days, but I like to train any nice horse.

Some people think that if you train one to win over a mile and a half in the Arc it means you are a mile and a half trainer, but I don’t like to be pinned down. I learnt a lot from François Boutin, who was brilliant with two-year-olds and I love to train them. I just wish I had a few more forward types these days, but I’m generally happy with the range I get through the yard. I would love to win more Classics and as many Group 1 races as possible. One race that has always attracted me is the Epsom Derby. And I’d like to win the English Guineas. We came very close with French Fifteen when he was second behind Camelot in 2012.’

Saumarez was owned by an American. French Fifteen by a Qatari. Style Vendome by a Frenchman. The Juliet Rose by a South African. It seems Miguel Clément’s international outlook really did leave a lasting impression on Nicolas.

‘Racing is an international business these days and my owner profiles reflect this. I have quite a few from America, partly due to the fact that my brother Christophe trains over there. I send him some horses and once in a while he sends me an owner who would like to own in Europe.

We also have owners from Ireland, Germany, England, Scandinavia, Switzerland, South Africa, and elsewhere.

So it’s a very diverse group, spread across the globe. I am a great believer in communication and think you have to provide a proper information service in order to satisfy owners and spread the word. We have a good number of French owners too, but there is a lack of racing culture among the general public in France these days and if you have a newcomer owner then you have to explain so much. It’s not easy and of course training racehorses is a game where there tends to be a lot of bad news for the few moments of joy. That’s part of the reason I enjoy working with owner-breeders because they know the game is a rollercoaster and see things from a long-term perspective.’

What makes France such a draw for international owners?

‘French racing has a lot of qualities. Firstly, there is great prize money, which is a huge plus. We’re running maidens for more than twice the prize money they run them for in England. There are also some very nice tracks such as Deauville, Chantilly, Longchamp, Saint-Cloud, MaisonsLaffitte, or Auteuil over jumps. Being based in Chantilly you have access to real quality tracks around Paris and can also ship horses abroad easily via Charles de Gaulle. The gallops here in Chantilly are wonderful, as is the case in MaisonsLaffitte, Pau, Royan, and elsewhere. Overall I think we’ve got a great model, I just hope that we can go forward and maintain it for years to come. There are certainly some adjustments that could be made, but I’m confident that the right people are in place to understand the current situation and make sure the right things happen to encourage the next generation of owners, trainers, bettors, and fans.’

So there are a lot of advantages to training in France, but this doesn’t mean building a career there is a walk in

ABOVE: Hands on: Arc-winner Clément remains ambitious

ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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PROFILE

ABOVE: Clément is mindful that the overall number of horses in training in France is declining

| NICOLAS CLÉMENT |

the park. You need only look down the list of trainers and owners in even a lowly French maiden to realise that there are formidable opponents vying for a slice of the pie.

‘It is very competitive. Partly this is because more and more horses have been coming from abroad to be trained here and to race here. At the same time in France we have a significant presence from the big operations such as the Aga Khan, Juddmonte, Coolmore, or Godolphin and they are always difficult to compete with. I will go to the sales and pick up a €50,000 yearling and maybe it’ll do well, but it can be a struggle for smaller players to make an impact against those big owners, even if I enjoy the challenge.

‘And we are now welcoming more foreign trainers. Anyone who has held a licence abroad can set up in France relatively easily. For the moment there are still not many English and Irish, but I think that could change soon, especially as there aren’t a lot of French assistant trainers coming through.

The average age of trainers in France is 55 and some of the older trainers would be happy to welcome new trainers to the country, whether they’re from Poland, Germany, Italy, or anywhere, because they will want to sell their stables and there is a lack of potential buyers. These international arrivals mean more competition, but at the same time we need new people coming in with new horses and new owners because the number of horses in training is declining. It’s around 4% down for the last five years in fact.’

Scan me to view our recent article on Chantilly.

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Bigger picture

Nicolas is clearly conscious of broader issues outside his own business and became president of the French trainers’ association (‘Association des Entraîneurs de Galop’) in March 2018. He was elected unanimously to take over from Criquette Head-Maarek, who had held the position for 20 years and retired in February 2018. With a busy yard to run, such a role might be considered an unwelcome burden, but Clément sees things differently.

‘Life is about give and take. I have been fortunate in some ways in my life and career and I wanted to give back in whatever way I could. I was already a member of a few trainers’ councils and decided that I was ready to take on this new challenge. If I can have even a tiny input into trying to forge a new future for racing then I will do everything I can. It’s been a very busy period since March, but we have a great team who help me a lot and that makes it easier. We also now have several vice-presidents. FrancisHenri Graffard is brilliant with communication and also looks after other areas such as salary negotiation. Mikel Delzangles does quite a bit with the programme and is our treasurer. Philippe Decouze, who is based in Lyon, takes care of the rules of racing. Etienne Leenders represents the jumping side. Didier Prodhomme represents MaisonsLaffitte, the other France Galop training centre besides Chantilly, and is playing a key role in its restructuring.

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PROFILE

| NICOLAS CLÉMENT |

‘There is great support behind what we are doing, from trainers with operations of all different sizes, from all different parts of the country. I may be president, but it’s really a team effort and cooperation is key. Our vicepresidents and other trainers such as Rodolphe Collet and Corine Barande-Barbe all make a great contribution. Of course we all have to concentrate on our day-jobs, but we have one meeting a month and I delegate so that we can get things done together.’

Clément with long term partner Tina Rau

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What are some of the central issues to be addressed?

‘There are a lot ex-trainers in difficult financial situations, with very little pension. One of the great things about the trainers’ association is that it can provide some social assistance to ex-trainers or trainers in financial difficulty.

Criquette did great work on this and there are currently 20 to 30 trainers receiving support from us each month.

‘A totally different project we have is a manure transformation plant where we can ‘methanise’ horse manure, which means deriving methane gas from our main waste product in order to create electricity. The government is very keen to avoid excessive dependence on nuclear energy and we have been working on this project for a while now. It’s a very long process with a lot of administration, but we hope to have something in place in 2019.’

‘Another priority is communication. On the ground we have heard that a lot of trainers think the trainers’ association is very much Paris and Chantilly, but I want it to be truly national. If this is to be the case then communication is fundamental. We are putting together a website and I have been around the country a few times to exchange with my colleagues. There are some great characters and very talented people in our community. So I just have to listen to them and try to make a plan to address their concerns.’

‘The big thing we have to address is maintaining and improving the overall appeal of our sport, which is unfortunately declining whether you look at new owners, attendance at the races, or the lack of staff. We are really at the crossroads of two models and need to modernise. There is a lot of politics in our game however and it can be difficult to change things, but if you have the right motivation and a positive attitude then there is progress to be made.’

An example of the sometimes-hindering influence of politics is the fact that there are two trainers associations in France. If union makes strength, then surely it would be preferable to speak with one voice?

‘The second association is called AEP (‘Association des Entraîneurs Propriétaires’) and is run by fellow trainer Mathieu Boutin, whom I have a good relationship with.

Of all the trainers in France, around a quarter are not affiliated to an association, about 15% are with AEP, and about 60% are with us. I believe the AEP was created when certain people believed that smaller trainers had to fight the bigger trainers, which I think is completely wrong. When you are a trainer, 90% of your concerns are shared by all other trainers. But obviously they want a programme where prize money is focused more towards the lower handicaps and claimers. Of course we need those races and they should be supported appropriately, but we need balance. Anyway, the two associations have a decent relationship. We agree on quite a few subjects and work together when we can.’

PROFILE

| NICOLAS CLÉMENT |

IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY, THERE ARE BIG QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED AND WE NEED TO ADAPT TO THE CONTEMPORARY CONTEXT. Sustainability

Speaking with Nicolas Clément, one is struck by his passion, his articulacy, and his breadth of knowledge. He can speak with authority on diverse subjects and his rightful pride in the qualities of Chantilly and French racing in general is quite infectious. At the same time, he is frank in his assessments and does not seek to sugarcoat the fundamental challenges that racing is facing both in his home nation and abroad.

‘The general health of French racing is good.

Prize money is at a good level and there is a positive commercial culture among owners and breeders that keeps the whole racing economy going. There seems to be great demand for French stock, for the flat in Hong Kong, the US, and Australia, or for National Hunt in Ireland and England, which is very important for breeders and owners. It’s mainly the betting that has to be looked at.

We have a big threat from the government’s sports betting company FDJ (‘Française des Jeux’) being privatised. This could lead to a situation where sports betting will swallow up a lot of the bets previously placed on horse racing. So we need to fight this and think about our product so as to better market our sport towards the new generation.

From a trainer’s perspective, an issue we are finding is that yearling prices have gone up a lot as stallion fees have

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also risen and it is always a worry when your product is proving more difficult to acquire.’

‘In terms of sustainability, there are big questions to be asked and we need to adapt to the contemporary context.

The main arguments in our favour are the 150,000 people working in racing and also the fact that we are a great source of income for the government. Not only does the state receive around a billion euros from betting, it also derived significant income through the VAT on training fees or the sale of horses, for example. So within the next year or two we need to define how the new sports betting system is going to work. We used to have a monopoly and now it’s been opened up, but I don’t think they can play with losing 150,000 jobs.

We need to reinvent ourselves, we need to make savings, and we need to think forward so as to ensure we have the right amount of prize money for each of the racing disciplines in France: flat, jumps, and trotting. Clients and investors need to have confidence that the prize money is there.

We have €250m currently. That needs to be safeguarded and potentially enhanced with realistic five- and ten-year plans. A secure purse structure, combined with proper communication to enhance the sport’s public appeal, can help us reinvent ourselves and build for the long-term.’

Having exploded onto the international racing scene at Longchamp in October 1990, Nicolas Clément now finds himself as an elder statesman of the French training ranks. For some, success can dull inspiration. For Clément, it has only increased his aspirations.

‘I’m still very hungry to compete at the top level. With my size of operation things can go up and down quite easily. We really depend on the one or two stable-stars who come along from time to time. You never know how things can change, but if we manage to generate a buzz about French racing and people are attracted by it then I am confident there can be good times ahead.’

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| INDUSTRY |

All racing staff have the potential to contaminate your horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environment and cause your horse to fail a drug test, education is key

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| CLEAN SPORT |

Melissa Volpi

Shutterstock

CO MB ATI NG C ON TAM IN ATI ON I N T HE R A C I N G YARD There is so much more to the Clean Sport initiative than the FEI Prohibited Substances List. Building relationships with local feed suppliers and developing a code of practice with staff will ensure your racehorse has a clean and clear system.

ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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| INDUSTRY |

| CLEAN SPORT |

H

orseracing is an inclusive sport. It was this ‘spirit of the sport’ that the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale) wanted to preserve when it formed the Clean Sport commission on the 9th October 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

But what is ‘Clean Sport’ and why is it necessary?

According to the FEI, Clean Sport is about being honest and being true. It’s about having integrity and not letting our lust for winning cloud our judgement and respect for rules and laws. It’s about aiming for success, but accepting failure if it cannot be won fairly. The FEI believe that doping is contrary to the spirit of the sport and it has put together an initiative to ensure the end of positive drug testing for horses and their human athletes. Clean Sport is about being aware of prohibited substances, to include banned substances and controlled medication.

It’s about being vigilant in feed management, medication management and stable management.

“In terms of applying the clean sport principles to racing yards, trainers need to be vigilant as it is so easy for prohibited substances to sneak in,” says Kate Hore RNutr (Animal), senior nutritionist at NAF (Natural Animal Feeds). “An obvious example may be an owner or staff member having a cup of coffee (source of caffeine) and a chocolate bar (source of theobromine) in the feed room, which then creates a potential risk of contamination and then for a positive drug test. The best advice is to avoid eating or drinking in the feed room or stable.”

WHITE POPPIES ARE GROWN COMMERCIALLY GROWN TO PRODUCE MORPHINE, THEIR SEEDS CAN EASILY BE BLOWN FROM ONE FIELD TO ANOTHER CONTAMINATING OTHER CROPS.

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The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) set up a Naturally Occurring Prohibited Substances (NOPS) scheme in 2009 that identifies the main NOPS and their sources, as well as providing a list of approved feed suppliers (companies that have signed up to be audited under the schemes new codes). “The BETA NOPS scheme is the only one of its kind and has cooperation from all corners of the world,” says Hore. “Contamination by NOPS is easier than people think, morphine being a good example. White poppies are grown commercially to produce morphine and the poppy seeds can be blown from one field to another, into a field of oats for example, which could then create a contamination issue further down the processing chain.”

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| CLEAN SPORT |

“Some herb suppliers to the equine industry may also supply bakeries, who may need poppy seeds, which is another potential point of introduction for contamination into the process. For that reason, we batch test every batch of both the raw and the finished feed,” states Hore.

“We only purchase from approved suppliers and not from any that supply known NOPS sources such as poppy, chocolate, coffee or tea. We also make sure that our staff don’t take any food or drinks on the production floor other than plain water. If they are not doing it already, trainers can apply similar practices to their yards. These could be storing any medication away from the feed, using a log book to record what is fed to the horses, using different coloured buckets for horses on medication and buying feed from NOPS-approved suppliers (like us) only.”

What ‘Clean Sport’ SHOULD mean to the racing industry

The FEI and BETA have highlighted a problem within the equestrian sector, a complicated problem that is constantly undergoing further research and testing. But if there is one key point to be made here, it’s that we should be aiming to simplify our practices rather than making them more difficult to control. Building bonds with local farmers helps to ensure traceability and it’s this ethos that is at the heart of Simple Systems LTD. – another feed company that is approved by BETA NOPS. “We source our feeds from local farmers that we know and trust,” says Jane van Lennep, Director of Nutrition. “By visiting these farms and working closely with the farmers, we are not only building lifelong relationships, but also ensuring the lowest feed miles, total traceability and high standards of quality. We also make a paddock re-seed mixture that is BETA NOPS-approved.”

Knowing what the Clean Sport initiative is and why it exists is one thing, but does every person that comes into contact with your horse have anti-doping education?

Hands on jobs within the racing industry involve physical contact with horses, which means that these people have the potential to contaminate a horses environment and could cause a horse to fail a drug test.

Educating those who come into contact with horses about contamination and what the common causes of contamination should be essential to the management of any farm or yard.

KNOWING WHAT THE CLEAN SPORT INITIATIVE IS AND WHY IT EXISTS IS ONE THING, BUT DOES EVERY PERSON THAT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH YOUR HORSE HAVE ANTI-DOPING EDUCATION? 24

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CHURCHILL DOWNS NOVEMBER 2 & 3

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It’s time to take your place on the world stage, pre-entry for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships closes on Monday, October 22. For your copy of the Horsemen’s Information Guide, visit members.breederscup.com or email the Breeders’ Cup Racing department below.

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| VETERINARY |

HO W EQ U IN E IN F LU EN ZA VI R U SES MU TAT E Debra Elton and Adam Rash

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Shutterstock, HBLB

| INFLUENZA |

Overview

Equine influenza virus (EIV) causes equine influenza in horses, characterised by a raised temperature and harsh dry cough and rapid transmission amongst unprotected horses.

It is a major threat to the thoroughbred racing industry as it has the potential to spread so quickly and can cause the cancellation of events and restriction of horse movement. The last major outbreak in Europe occurred in 2003, when over 1000 vaccinated horses in Newmarket became infected. The virus spread throughout the UK and outbreaks were also reported in Ireland and Italy. More recently, more than 50,000 horses were infected during the 2007 outbreak in Australia, large-scale outbreaks occurred in India during 2008 and 2009 and multiple countries were affected by widespread outbreaks in South America in 2012. At the time of writing, another widespread outbreak has been affecting South America, with reports from Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia to date. International transport of horses for events and breeding purposes means that equine influenza can spread readily from one country to another.

Infected horses can shed the virus before they show any clinical signs of infection and vaccinated animals can be infectious without showing any obvious signs, adding to the risk.

Regular vaccination against equine influenza offers the best protection against infection. Three major vaccine manufacturers make products for the European market, each differing in the virus strains that are included in the vaccine.

Sophisticated adjuvants are included in these vaccines, which help boost the horse’s immune response. However, EIV, like other influenza viruses, can mutate to change its surface proteins and can thereby escape from immunity generated by vaccination. It is important that vaccines contain relevant vaccine strains, to give them the best chance of working against current EIVs. EIV belongs to the influenza A group of viruses, which infect a variety of other animals including humans, birds, pigs and dogs. The natural reservoir for most influenza A viruses is wild aquatic birds, from this pool some viruses go on to infect new hosts and adapt to spread in them. Influenza A viruses are subtyped according to two proteins found on the surface of the virus, haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Sixteen HA subtypes and 9 NA subtypes are found in aquatic birds, however only two subtypes are known to have become adapted to

horses, H3N8 and H7N7. Equine H7N7 viruses were first isolated in 1956 but have not been isolated since the late 1970s and are now thought to be extinct. Equine H3N8 viruses were first isolated in 1963 when they caused an influenza pandemic in horses and continue to circulate today.

Antigenic drift and shift

The HA and NA proteins on the surface of the influenza virus particle induce antibodies in the host when the virus infects it. For EIV, these antibodies protect the horse against further infection provided the horse encounters similar viruses. A similar process occurs when horses are immunised with a vaccine, most vaccines contain virus proteins that induce the horse’s immune system to make protective antibodies. However, the response to the vaccine is not as good as to virus infection, so horses need to be vaccinated regularly to maintain a protective immune response.

Regular vaccination against equine influenza offers the best protection against infection.

To overcome the horse’s immune response and enable the virus to survive in the equine population, EIV gradually makes changes to its surface proteins. This process is called antigenic drift. The result is that eventually the horse’s antibodies no longer recognise the virus, which is then able to infect the animal. The two proteins that are important for antigenic drift are HA and NA. HA is involved in virus entry into target cells of the respiratory tract. Antibodies against HA block virus infection, either by preventing the virus from binding to the cell surface, or by preventing a later stage of the infectious cycle that occurs within the infected cell.

Antibodies against HA are described as ‘neutralising’ because they prevent virus infection. By changing the HA protein, equine influenza can avoid recognition by these neutralising antibodies. NA is also involved in virus entry, it is thought to help break through the mucus layer that protects the respiratory tract. It also plays a part in virus release, enabling newly formed virus particles to escape from the surface of

the cell that made them. Antibodies against NA are thought to block this process, preventing the virus from spreading to new cells. By changing the NA protein, the virus can avoid inhibition by these antibodies and go on to infect new cells.

Equine influenza virus belongs to a family of viruses that have RNA as their genetic material rather than DNA. RNA viruses tend to mutate more rapidly than DNA viruses. The virus has an enzyme called RNA-dependent RNA polymerase that is responsible for making new RNA copies of the virus genetic material for packaging into new virus particles. This is an essential step during the virus life cycle. Compared to the polymerase enzymes found in DNA viruses, the influenza polymerase makes more mistakes when it is copying the virus RNA and this is how changes are made in the genes that code for HA and NA. As well as undergoing antigenic drift, influenza viruses including equine influenza virus can change their genes by a process called antigenic shift. This is a much bigger rapid change, brought about by the virus-swapping sections of its genome with another influenza virus.

This process is called reassortment and is possible because the virus genome is made up from eight separate segments of RNA, each individually packaged in a set of proteins. If a horse is infected with two different equine influenza viruses at the same time, the eight segments from each virus can be mixed up, generating progeny viruses with new combinations of segments compared to the two parent viruses. This can lead to new combinations of HA and NA that haven’t been seen before, meaning there is no immunity to the new virus.

This has happened during the evolution of human influenza viruses and resulted in the influenza pandemics of 1957, 1968 and 2009. In two of these examples, human influenza viruses swapped genes with avian viruses, leading to viruses that replicated well in humans but had a new HA gene from an avian virus. In the 2009 pandemic, a new reassortant virus was generated in pigs then transmitted to humans.

Reassortment has also happened with equine influenza viruses. The two different subtypes of equine influenza viruses, H7N7 and H3N8, underwent reassortment resulting in viruses that had most of the internal components of the H3N8 virus but with the HA and NA surface proteins from the H7N7 virus. Eventually these viruses died out and the only equine influenza viruses now in circulation are H3N8.

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the different sublineages of equine H3N8 viruses too, for example several of the viruses isolated in the UK during 2009 had a mixture of Florida clade 1 and Florida clade 2 HA and NA. Fortunately these reassortant viruses do not contain a novel HA or NA that has not been seen in horses before, so have not resulted in a major epidemic threat to horses.

In addition to antigenic drift and antigenic shift, the other source of potential new influenza viruses is an animal reservoir, such as birds. We know that horses can be infected by viruses belonging to the H3N8 and H7N7 subtypes and both of these are found in wild aquatic birds.

It is thought that the 1963 H3N8 equine pandemic probably arose as a result of

cross-species transmission from birds to horses in South America. Such an event happened in China in 1989, when an avian H3N8 infected horses with a much higher mortality rate than is usual for equine influenza. This virus spread amongst horses within China but died out after a relatively short time. It is possible that further avianequine cross species transmission events could take place, however the virus must then adapt to its new host in order to become established in horses and be able to transmit efficiently from horse to horse.

This will require mutations in various virus genes that help the virus attach to and replicate in cells lining the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s respiratory tract and spread via droplet infection to other horses.

Evolution of equine influenza

Equine H3N8 virus was first isolated from infected horses in Florida in 1963.

This virus spread across continents in the following two years and has been circulating in horses ever since. During this time the virus has evolved into different lineages and sublineages.

At first, it was thought that equine influenza did not undergo antigenic drift as it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to change very much.

However, it has since become clear that the virus does change, just more slowly than human influenza viruses. To start with, EIV evolved in a linear fashion, gradually collecting sequential mutations in HA. In the 1980s this single lineage divided into two, the Eurasian lineage

H7N7 EIV 1956 H3N8 Avian influenza virus epidemic 1989

H3N8 EIV 1963

TIMELINE OF INFLUENZA EMERGENCE EVENTS IN HORSES

1872

Epidemic of equine influenza in USA virus subtype unknown

28

Emergence of H7N7 equine influenza virus in Czechoslovakia

1956

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1963

Emergence of H3N8 equine influenza virus in USA

Last detection of H7N7 equine influenza virus

1977

1989-90

Isolated epidemics of equine influenza in China caused by an H3N8 avian virus

| INFLUENZA |

and the American lineage, based on the geographical location of the different strains. The Eurasian lineage caused serious outbreaks in Europe, including the 1989 outbreak in the UK during which vaccinated horses succumbed to infection. At this time, the virus strains present in vaccines were older, some contained viruses from 1979 and 1963.

Vaccines broke down and failed to protect against infection and laboratory investigations revealed that the virus had undergone antigenic drift. As a result of this, it was realized that a programme of surveillance for equine influenza was essential, in order to monitor the viruses that were in circulation and to have a process to select suitable strains for use in vaccines. The American sublineage has divided into three further sublineages, Kentucky, Argentinian and Florida; only viruses belonging to the Florida sublineage appear to circulate today and these are divided between two groups, Florida clade 1 and Florida clade 2. Florida clade 1 predominates in the Americas, Florida clade 2 in Europe and Asia. Florida clade 1 was responsible for the 2007 outbreak in Australia, and more recently the widespread outbreaks in South America during 2012 and 2018. Florida clade 2 caused an extensive outbreak in vaccinated horses in the UK in 2003 and was also responsible for the outbreaks reported in India during 2008-2009 and Mongolia in 2011. At the moment there are at least

Consequences of antigenic drift: vaccine strains

In addition to antigenic drift and antigenic shift, the other source of potential new influenza viruses is an animal reservoir, such as birds. three different variants amongst the Florida clade 2 viruses, one of these was first isolated in the UK and has a mutation in HA at position 144, hence viruses belonging to this group are known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;144 virusesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. On mainland Europe, viruses with a mutation at position 179 in HA were predominant and in Asia there are viruses with a different mutation at position 144.

The 144 viruses react differently to the other viruses in a laboratory assay called a virus neutralisation assay, they are not recognised by equine antibodies raised to an old vaccine strain belonging to the Argentinian sublineage. However, using another antibody-based assay called a haemagglutination-inhibition assay, these viruses are indistinguishable from the others. It is likely that the Florida clade 2 viruses will continue to mutate and diverge from each other so it is important to maintain surveillance to monitor how much they change.

Once an equine influenza virus has acquired enough mutations in the surface proteins to undergo antigenic drift away from commercial vaccine strains, existing vaccines will no longer offer adequate protection against infection and they will need to be updated. Suitable vaccine strains are recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), based on an international programme of surveillance for equine influenza that is carried out by a network of OIE reference laboratories and several collaborating laboratories. Data is collected by the participating laboratories, then reviewed annually by the OIE Expert Surveillance Panel (ESP). This panel includes representatives from the OIE reference laboratories, the OIE and the World Health Organisation. The conclusions of the ESP are published by the OIE in the second quarterly bulletin each year and the recommendations for vaccine strains are used by vaccine manufacturers worldwide.

The first vaccines licensed for equine influenza contained early virus strains belonging to the pre-divergence lineage.

After the outbreak of 1979, which shut down horseracing in the UK, vaccination became mandatory for racing thoroughbreds and vaccines incorporated strains from 1979. These stood until the outbreaks caused by the Eurasian viruses in 1989, which also affected vaccinated horses.

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In 1995 the first recommendations of the ESP were made, to include a representative of the American (Kentucky) lineage and the Eurasian lineage for H3N8 equine influenza, but also a representative of the H7N7 subtype. These recommendations remained in place until 2004, following the outbreaks in the UK and South Africa in 2003, marking the emergence of the Florida sublineage. Initially the OIE recommendations were updated to include a member of the Florida sublineage such as A/equine/South Africa/4/03 and to keep the Eurasian strain, but the H7N7 strain was no longer needed. However, surveillance data accumulated over the next few years showed that the Florida sublineage had undergone antigenic drift and in 2010 the ESP recommended that representatives of both Florida clade 1 and Florida clade 2 should be included in vaccines. It was also indicated that there was no need for inclusion of a Eurasian strain as these had not been isolated since 2005. The 2010 recommendations still stand today, viruses isolated around the world between 2010 and 2017 belong to either Florida clade 1 or clade 2 and appear to be antigenically closely related to their respective recommended vaccine strains. For Florida clade 1 this remains as A/equine/South Africa/4/03 and for Florida clade 2 this remains as A/equine/ Richmond/07. It is important that any strains that are incorporated into vaccines are antigenically representative of these two

International travel of horses means the virus can spread readily from one country to another

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| INFLUENZA |

isolates and the OIE reference laboratories make suitable strains available to vaccine manufacturers so that they can update their products. At the time of writing, in Europe there is only one vaccine available that complies with the OIE recommendations, in the USA there are two manufacturers with products that comply.

Surveillance

Surveillance for equine influenza in the UK has been funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board for many years. Based at the Animal Health Trust, veterinary practices that have registered with the surveillance scheme receive free testing of nasopharyngeal swabs taken from suspected cases of equine influenza. Veterinary surgeons are also encouraged to submit paired blood samples, with the first sample

We therefore urge horse owners, trainers and yard staff to call their vet as soon as they suspect a respiratory infection, clinical signs can be very mild in vaccinated animals and are easy to miss.

taken as early as possible and the second samples taken 14-21 days later. Samples are sent to the AHT diagnostic lab and any nasopharyngeal swab samples that test positive for equine influenza using a very sensitive quantitative PCR assay are sent to the influenza research team, where attempts are made to isolate live virus from the sample. These virus isolates play a crucial part in the process of vaccine strain selection. The AHT laboratory sequences the HA and NA genes of flu positive samples, in some cases it is possible to generate data directly from the swab sample without having to grow the virus first. However, to carry out antigenic characterisation of the virus to determine whether it has undergone antigenic drift or not requires a stock of live virus to be grown up. This virus is then tested in the laboratory against a panel of different antibodies to measure how well they recognise the virus. If the antibodies still bind to the virus, this means that the virus has not changed its surface HA to the point where we need to worry. However, if the antibodies no longer recognise the virus, this means that antigenic drift has taken place and it is time for vaccine strains to be updated. To help interpret the data from the antibody binding experiments, the OIE reference laboratories for equine influenza share their data with collaborators based at the University of Cambridge and the Royal Veterinary College, who use a technique called antigenic cartography to map the antigenic distances between new virus

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| VETERINARY |

strains isolated from horses and existing OIE-recommended vaccine strains. The further the map distance between the new strains and the vaccine strains, the greater the degree of antigenic drift. This technique allows the differences between viruses to be visualized on three-dimensional maps and helps to determine whether recent virus strains have undergone significant antigenic drift or not.

Surveillance for equine influenza and the selection of suitable vaccine strains is dependent upon the submission of samples from infected horses by equine veterinarians to a laboratory that takes part in the process. In turn, this is dependent upon the veterinarian being called out to take those samples and to do so whilst the horse is still shedding live virus. The antigenic work required to characterise the viruses can only be carried out on live virus as it requires large quantities to be grown up. We therefore urge horse owners, trainers and yard staff to call their vet as soon as they suspect a respiratory infection, clinical signs can be very mild in vaccinated animals and are easy to miss.

Research on human influenza viruses identified antigenic sites within the HA protein, regions that varied more than other parts of the protein. These sites are recognised by antibodies and mutations within them can stop them binding to HA. The antigenic sites for equine H3 have not been mapped directly, although some research has shown that some specific changes in these sites seem to have a greater antigenic effect than others.

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| INFLUENZA |

Cross species transmission and receptor binding

In 2004, an outbreak of severe respiratory disease in racing greyhounds was reported in Florida, USA, caused by equine influenza virus. The virus went on to spread to most states in the USA and adapted to transmit readily between dogs. It became established in the canine population, particularly in large rehoming centres, and was named H3N8 canine influenza virus. It now looks as though it may have died out, replaced by an avian H3N2 virus that was imported with dogs from Korea. The equine H3N8 virus adapted to transmission in dogs by acquiring multiple mutations, however there was a key change in the HA that affected part of the receptor binding site.

This is the region of HA that is important for it to bind to the surface of host cells, an early step in the infectious cycle.

Changes in the receptor binding site can affect which species a given influenza virus will infect and some of these changes have been studied in depth for human and avian influenza viruses. Humans and birds have different receptors on the surface of their cells, making it difficult for avian viruses to infect humans. For

Acknowledgements

equine influenza viruses, the preferred receptor is more like that found in birds, making it unlikely that human viruses will infect horses or equine flu will infect humans. Some natural isolates of EIV have a change in the receptor binding site that look similar to that found in canine H3N8 and it is possible that the virus that first crossed the species barrier into dogs had this mutation. Further mutations that gave a growth advantage in the new canine host are likely to have been selected as the virus adapted. Experiments carried out with canine influenza showed that it did not readily infect horses, so once the virus had adapted to dogs it lost the ability to infect horses. In the UK, there have been two outbreaks of equine influenza in foxhounds, which can come into close contact with horses during transport.

Similarly, there were reports that yard dogs developed antibodies to equine influenza after the outbreak of equine influenza in Australia. In all three cases, the virus did not then become established in dogs. Cross species transmission is a rare event and it is thought that multiple mutations are required before an influenza virus becomes fully adapted to enable it to transmit in a new host.

The authors are grateful to the HBLB for funding surveillance work for equine influenza for many years. This work is a collaborative effort on the part of the OIE Reference Laboratories for EIV and collaborating laboratories around the world and would not be possible without horse owners and veterinarians, who contribute by sending samples in from influenza-infected horses.

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THE TRAINERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PERSPECTIVE 34

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| RUNNING HORSES IN AMERICA |

Why America?

Alex Cairns Eclipse Sportswire

LEFT: Ed Dunlop’s experience of running Lailani in the US in 2001 benefitted his subsequent runners

There are lucrative and prestigious opportunities for all types of horses in America, notably in the Breeders’ Cup or the Fall Meet at Keeneland in Kentucky. Dunlop may have been steeped in racing from his earliest age thanks to the exploits of his now sadly departed father John, but sending horses to the US was a learning curve nonetheless.

“One of my earliest experiences and successes in America was with a filly called Lailani. She won the Irish Oaks in July 2001 before we sent her to Belmont in New York for the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes in September of the same year. She won that too, but then ran badly in the Breeders’ Cup Fillies and Mares, again at Belmont. I learnt a lot from her actually because we left her there after the Flower Bowl and I think that affected her performance. This helped us adapt our approach with Ouija Board, who provided us with some our biggest days in America, winning two Breeders’ Cup Fillies and Mares in 2004 and 2005.”

In 2001, a trip to the east coast of America still represented a serious logistical challenge and financial outlay for European runners, so one can understand Dunlop’s decision not to ship Lailani home between runs.

Today, however, advances in transport and reductions in cost make flying visits a viable option. “If you look at someone like Aidan O’Brien, who is probably the most accomplished trainer in the world these days when it comes to travelling horses, he flies them in and out as if they were just travelling to the races down the road in a horsebox. That seems to be the best approach, though isn’t always possible depending on the destination.”

AIDAN O’BRIEN IS PROBABLY THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED TRAINER IN THE WORLD THESE DAYS WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVELLING HORSES.

I

n recent years, international travel has become much more accessible and people now regularly embark on journeys previously the reserve of a few trail-blazing adventurers. The same is true for racehorses, whose handlers can today chart careers based on a rich international programme that offers opportunities year-round. For European trainers, America is perhaps the most readily accessible intercontinental option, with fewer regulations to be negotiated than in Asia or Australia. The relatively reduced distance from Europe to the US also provides an incentive, especially if running in the east of the country.

Ed Dunlop has been travelling horses to some of the world’s far-flung reaches for almost 20 years now and has consistently demonstrated his ability to get it right thanks to the success of horses such as Lailani, Ouija Board, Snow Fairy, and Red Cadeaux.

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| TRAINING |

| RUNNING HORSES IN AMERICA |

Preparations

So scaling up the same practices employed for running a horse a few miles down the road can be a winning formula, but any international campaign will nonetheless require a certain amount of preparation and planning.

How should a horse be prepared for international travel?

And how might running in the US compare to Asia or Australia? “Travelling horses to America tends to be a lot more simple, as there aren’t lengthy quarantines to be negotiated for us on the UK end. When we send horses to America they are travelled fit, put in the barn and kept there apart from for exercise. Then they run and come home soon after. From our experience, travelling to Australia or Japan is a lot more complicated, as both countries have very tough rules and normally around a month in quarantine is required. These regulations also affect what you can take feed-wise, so that has to be taken into account.”

Sheer geography can also have a strong influence on where might be best for European trainers to launch an international campaign. “Travelling from the UK to America is not such a huge distance, if we’re talking about the east coast anyway, so that makes it all the easier.

The further you fly a horse then the greater the cost, the more susceptible they are to travel sickness, and the more chance there is of incident along the way.”

The journey

Economy Class or Business Class? Anyone who has flown long haul will know the travel experience and level of service are strongly affected by budget and provider. The same is true when travelling horses. “The different classes

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BELOW: The amount of space available to a horse when travelling is a key factor in their well being

available allow for different palette space allocations and service options. The more room you can have for your horses the better it is, so that they can get their heads down and move more naturally during transport. We normally work with Luck Greayer Horse Transport, who have UK bases in Newmarket and Lambourn. They have excellent people who travel with the horses for us and are enormously important in the success of any number of horses travelling around the world. We speak with them and tell them our dates, then they get everything sorted in terms of transport, palette space, getting stables organised on the other end, and getting them home.”

The services of reputable shipping companies with a proven track record can greatly ease the logistical and administrative burden of running a horse abroad. All this can be in vain, however, if the horse is excessively stressed by unfamiliar surroundings or its own particular preferences and quirks are not provided for during transit. This intimate knowledge of each individual animal and how to deal with the particular challenges of travel can only come from trusted and experienced staff, but recent changes to security regulations mean that horses’ grooms are now often unable to remain with their horses at all times during transit. “We have two of our people who travel with the horses, but rules now sometimes limit their access due to the space available on the plane. The shipping companies provide their own grooms and they do everything they can, but it’s not quite the same. Our travelling head lad Robin Trevor-Jones has been around the world with almost all of our travelling horses and has been absolutely integral to their success.

Red Cadeaux, for example, would go into quarantine for

Jackdaws Castle

| TRAINING |

Australia, then on to Hong Kong, and then occasionally to Japan, so Robin and the horse would be away for three to four months. That level of dedication and trust are invaluable, even for shorter trips.”

Risks & return

Having shaken up a horse’s routine during travel, settling into a new environment is the next challenge to be negotiated. ‘How a horse acclimatises really depends on the individual, how they travelled, if they manage to stay healthy. We test them on arrival to make sure everything’s in order with regard to their bloods. Some horses take it well and others don’t, but there are no fixed rules. We’ve had horses who didn’t bat an eyelid over the whole thing and others that just couldn’t handle it. We tend to have our horses fully prepared for when they arrive at their destination, so we don’t have to do a huge amount of work with them there, but this obviously depends on how far you’re travelling and what quarantine requirements there are. For America, it’s all relatively simple as long as they travel, eat, and relax.’’

Racehorses by their nature are always subject to accident and injury, be it in the stable, the paddock, in transit, or at the races. Longer journeys can of course increase the likelihood of incident, however. So does the return from such ambitious plans tend to outweigh the risk? “Travel sickness, training problems, difficult ground conditions, training or racing injuries, and injuries in transit are unavoidable risks of international travel, but you face a lot of these risks even in day-to-day training and racing. The risk is obviously quite strong, but the reward is potentially great when you’re running for huge prize money in very prestigious races. You also have to

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| RUNNING HORSES IN AMERICA |

remember that a lot of horses would be going to America on one-way tickets. Trainers send them over, run them, and then sell them on over there. So that’s something a lot of trainers will have in mind when taking horses abroad.’’

As the lucrative US autumn racing programme approaches, trainers across Europe will be hoping their charges can emulate the international exploits of Ed Dunlop’s Lailani and Ouija Board. In a world now much smaller than it was just 20 years ago, such American dreams now seem all the more accessible in reality.

Ouija Board, a dual winner and runner-up in the Filly & Mare Turf in three visits to the Breeders’ Cup

ABOVE: Mendelssohn and Ryan Moore following victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in 2017

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ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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| INDUSTRY |

U ND E R S TA ND I N G A ND P R O T E C T IO N Lissa Oliver Charles Owen, Shuutterstock, Anne-Armelle Langlois, Caroline Norris

A

s helmet technology moves forward, concussion remains an issue, so the question we must ask is whether this is despite improvements to helmets, or because of them? Could the lifestyle of a work rider contribute to the risk of sustaining concussion in a fall, or could a change in lifestyle protect against the risk? Can a poor state of mental health increase the risk of concussion, or is mental health affected by repeated concussion? These are just some of the questions being asked by scientists, doctors and engineers in ongoing research to protect riders.

A concussion is a brain injury that occurs when a blow to the head causes

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the brain to spin rapidly in the opposite direction from where the head was struck and is the most common type of “closed brain injury”, where the skull is not split.

Those suffering from concussion may have symptoms such as headache, sensitivity to light, tinnitus, dizziness, sleepiness, confusion and behavioural changes, although many of these symptoms can also be caused by other injuries sustained in a fall and unrelated to brain injury. A specific diagnosis is vital to securing the necessary treatment and correct aid to recovery.

Our natural protection comes from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which cushions the brain within the skull and serves as a shock absorber for the central nervous system. CSF is often thought of as existing

only between the brain and the skull, but the brain has a much more complicated structure and CSF also fills a system of cavities at the centre of the brain, known as ventricles, as well as the space surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

The transfer of energy when a rider’s head hits the ground causes rapid acceleration and deceleration, which briefly deform the brain. Because of this deformation, the volume of the brain decreases while the volume of the rigid skull remains unchanged. CSF flows into the skull from the spinal cord and fills the empty spaces created by the brain deformation, flowing back with acceleration and forward with deceleration, to prevent the brain impacting against the skull.

| CONCUSSION |

Research on turf impact has shown that concussion can occur without any associated helmet damage. The soft surface of the turf distorts and collapses, instead of the helmet, and the energy from the impact is transferred to the head. Currently, equestrian helmets are designed and tested to protect the head from impact with hard surfaces, but concussion most commonly occurs after being thrown from a horse onto a soft surface such as turf.

To improve performance for concussive injury, helmet technology needs to be rethought. Several research projects have risen to this challenge, with help from the sporting communities most at risk. A key player in this research is the NFL and in 2016 pledged $100 million, to become one of the largest funders of concussion research in the United States. Its “Play Smart, Play Safe” initiative aimed to spend $60 million to create a safer helmet as a means of reducing concussion, joining with global sports organisations such as the NHL and World Rugby.

Another major research group is HEADS, an Innovation Training Network funded under the European Commission’s Marie Sklodowska-Curie Programme, structured around 13 individual research projects focusing on the three main topics of accident reconstruction and simulation, head model refinement, and helmet certification improvements. This involves six partners, three industry and three academic, across five countries, who are already involved in working towards

new helmet standards: Lead Partner, University College Dublin, Ireland; KU Leuven, Belgium; KTH-Stockholm, Sweden; AGV, Italy; Lazer Sport, Belgium; and Charles Owen, Britain.

Charles Owen is widely recognised as one of the leading manufacturers of riding helmets and the company was chosen in 2015 as one of five first-round winners of the $60 million Head Health Challenge presented by the NFL, to develop new advanced materials for helmets.

Professor Roy Burek of Cardiff University is the Managing Director of Charles Owen, and one of the supervisors of the HEADS project. He explains, “the length of time the impact lasts in contact with the surface is becoming an important factor. For example, impact lasts five milliseconds on steel, but 25-30 milliseconds on softer surfaces. We are seeing concussions at much lower force levels which can only be explained by taking the time into account.

“There are a huge number of blood vessels in the brain, which are stronger and stiffer than neurons (brain cells), so when you are distorting the brain you are straining neurons through a matrix of blood vessels. In CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) studies, the damage is focused around the blood vessels due to

the much, much higher local strains.

“The neurons have viscoelastic properties and if you stretch them over a short space of time they stiffen and resist stretching, but if you continue to pull, they start to stretch. It is the amount of stretch that causes the body to react. This is why we are particularly interested in the time interval of impact.”

Burek suggests that helmet development in the past, by not looking at the surface or impact time, may have failed in protecting the milder forms of brain injury that we are only starting to understand their importance. “Slowing the rate of energy transfer rate down is the normal thing we do, but at some point rather than protecting the brain we could actually be causing injury. Are we finding a ground and helmet combination that is making the impact last so long we’re causing injury?” he wonders.

“There is another area we need to consider in how the helmet works with the ground. Historically, helmet design has just focused on the exterior surface.

However when the helmet hits the ground it comes to an abrupt stop as there’s not much momentum due to its lightness. On the outside the helmet sticks to the ground, while the head slides within the helmet, which means we have two active surfaces.

THE LENGTH OF TIME THE IMPACT LASTS IN CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE IS BECOMING AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. FOR EXAMPLE, IMPACT LASTS FIVE MILLISECONDS ON STEEL, BUT 25-30 MILLISECONDS ON SOFTER SURFACES. PROFESSOR ROY BUREK

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| INDUSTRY |

So now we have to design the inside of the helmet, which is very revolutionary.

“We want the inner surface to allow the skull to slide and move, similar to the scalp.

Out of KTH in Stockholm a new technology has developed called MIPS, with a plastic shield on the inside of the helmet, designed to slide from side-to-side, attenuating tangential forces when we impact the ground at speed. The technology mimics the body’s own brain protection. In most equestrian accidents the scalp alone is sufficient protection, but as the speed of riding increases, there is some benefit in having a second biofidelic scalp.”

Burek group has also studied data from helmets involved in equestrian falls.

“Helmets from the racing and eventing community have been examined with financial help from BETA. All the helmets were from those who have had a head injury. We found 35% of helmets had not permanently absorbed any energy from the fall, which then suggested are we designing helmets for more extreme accidents than are commonly happening?

How do we deal with this, do we say riders rarely get kicked in the head so we don’t need helmets as protective, but instead we want a helmet to be much more absorbing at the lower end of the fall spectrum? As a society should we allow adult athletes to decide on their level of protection? Is it about keeping you alive, or reducing concussion? That’s a big debate.”

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s Senior Medical Officer, Dr Adrian

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McGoldrick, is in no doubt that current riding helmets have radically reduced the rates of concussion within the horseracing industry. He has collected figures from falls in competitive races, as well as making his own observations as a General Practitioner based on the Curragh and regularly tending those involved in falls at exercise.

“The researchers in this field are doing a fantastic job and modern helmets have dramatically reduced the level

THE RESEARCHERS IN THIS FIELD ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB AND MODERN HELMETS HAVE DRAMATICALLY REDUCED THE LEVEL OF CONCUSSION I’M SEEING BY 95%.

DR ADRIAN MCGOLDRICK

of concussion I’m seeing by 95%,” he says. “There is still a lack of knowledge regarding head injury and the longterm damage to health. It would be wonderful if research could lead to a set of biomarkers that we could use as a gold standard to regulate when a rider could return to the saddle after a concussion.

That’s something we don’t have.”

Another major study is being conducted at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), which earlier this summer received $15,000 from the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA). “We take jockey health and safety very seriously,” NYTHA President Joe Appelbaum says. “We are thrilled to be able to help further research in the vital area of head trauma and concussion, so that we will be better able to protect our riders going forward.”

Three-times Eclipse Award winning jockey Ramón Dominguez was forced into retirement in 2013 due to head injuries sustained in a fall and is now a key figure in connecting the racing community with researchers. “I’m in regular contact with the New York Institute of Technology and the work they are doing there is very important for me and other jockeys,” he says. “I am connecting with the racing industry and getting the funding, and the racing industry really does care and sees this as one of the main priorities.

Protecting against any risk of head injury is recognised as very important and the racing industry is very proactive in this.”

Total Falls per Season Total Concussions

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2832

2722

2411

2377

2063

1997

1756

1568

1434

1449

33

33

39

24

24

15

29

24

19

22

1.2%

1.2%

1.6%

1.0%

1.2%

0.7%

1.7%

1.5%

1.3%

1.5%

39

42

49

51

40

48

45

35

38

38

Flat Number of Falls Concussions Sustained

Fall Rate per Ride

1

0

2

2

1

3

2

1

3

4

2.6%

0.0%

4.0%

3.9%

2.5%

6.3%

4.4%

2.8%

7.9%

10.5%

0.3%

0.3%

0.4%

0.5%

0.4%

0.4%

0.4%

0.3%

0.3%

0.3%

1,189

1,095

1,037

1,039

768

871

788

777

714

751

National Hunt Number of Falls Concussions Sustained

Fall Rate per Ride

16

21

20

13

9

6

11

14

11

11

1.3%

1.9%

1.9%

1.3%

1.2%

0.7%

1.4%

1.8%

1.5%

1.5%

N/A

5.4%

5.6%

5.5%

4.4%

4.9%

4.9%

5.0%

4.4%

4.6%

1604

1585

1325

1287

1255

1078

923

756

682

660

Point-to-Point Number of Falls Concussions Sustained

Fall Rate per Ride

16

12

17

9

14

6

16

9

5

7

1.0%

0.8%

1.3%

0.7%

1.1%

0.6%

1.7%

1.2%

0.7%

1.1%

15.5%

15.4%

14.8%

13.6%

13.9%

13.9%

11.6%

12.9%

12.3%

12.1%

Dominguez is also working with researchers from other sports who share a common concern in concussion. “Through the Jockeys Guild I met Professor Jeff Crandall, Chair of the NFL Head, Neck, and Spine Engineering Subcommittee and an engineer at the University of Virginia, working on helmets. The NFL had done research where the ideal subjects were jockeys. He agreed most definitely that we are at an age now, when it comes to brain protection, that we would, and should, be benefiting from each other’s work in this field. We need to collaborate with other sports while taking advantage of each other’s research.

“We have a real need to develop a helmet that protects against the force of impact. Jockeys worldwide are riding with helmets that are a lot more expensive than those previously used, but we are still seeing the same, or increased, number of concussions. So, for me, protecting the head with the right helmet is what every jockey wants, as well as other athletes at risk from head injury, and we all want something better.”

Leading the NYIT study on concussion and helmet safety is Dr Milan Toma, whose research is currently one of two NYIT initiatives aimed at elevating visibility for jockey concussions. Dr Hallie Zwibel, Director of NYIT Centre for Sports Medicine, recently partnered with the Jockeys Guild to develop “return to ride” rules that will provide instruction on when injured jockeys can safely return to

racing. National protocols do not currently exist in North American horseracing.

“Dr Zwibel, Ramon Dominguez and I got together and we introduced my computational assessment of brain injuries to the Aqueduct Racetrack in New York,” reveals Dr Toma. “They were impressed and decided to contribute $15,000 donation to our research study.

While much of the discussion regarding helmet safety has been focused on other sports, I am happy to lend my expertise to help deliver much-needed awareness for horseracing. The headform used in this study represents a leap in head injury modelling by both the complexity and inclusion of the effect of the CSF on potential brain injury.

“First, we need to understand the injury mechanism to reach any conclusion that could lead to adjustments in the current helmet designs. Therefore, we are currently running simulations that show us the events occurring inside the skull when the head hits the ground while wearing helmets for jockeys. Once we can see what’s happening inside the head, then we can suggest potential solutions after we confirm their efficacy.

“The study is currently ongoing and it’s too soon to publish any new results,” Dr Toma stresses. “However, within a year we should have better understanding of the injury mechanism that governs the resulting damage to the brain when exposed to conditions typical for horseracing accidents.”

I’M IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH THE NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE WORK THEY ARE DOING THERE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME AND OTHER JOCKEYS. RAMÓN DOMINGUEZ

Improving helmet design to protect against concussion is just one focus of research, however. Prof Burek reminds us of other key elements currently being examined. Significantly for work riders and jockeys, dehydration can increase the risk of sustaining concussion in a fall.

“Many factors can help us prevent overreaction to an impact to the head and ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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SOURCE: IRISH RACING OVER 10-YEAR PERIOD, COURTESY DR. ADRIAN MCGOLDRICK

| CONCUSSION |

| INDUSTRY |

one of them is hydration. It’s known to reduce concussive events,” reveals Burek.

“Another is diet. The body has many neuro protective mechanisms and we need to enable them. For example, if there is sulphur in the diet, such as broccoli, cabbage and garlic, with exercise it produces the protective chemical the brain releases when it feels under threat.

“We are also seeing depression as a factor in increasing the likelihood of sustaining concussion. Depression seems to activate the brain in the same way that prior impacts activate the brain to become unwell. Depression could cause worse symptoms from hitting your head than if you are happy and healthy.”

Of course, not every fall results in a head injury and, indeed, not every head injury results in concussion. “Quite a number of things can be going on inside following an impact, so it should be stressed that people need to identify what type of injury they have,” warns Burek. “An impact may not always result in a mild traumatic injury to the brain. Impacts to the ear canal can create vertigo and dizziness, a totally different mechanism, but can be mistaken for concussion. There can be damage to muscles that control the eyes, which causes disorientation because the eyes are not moving together and the brain receives confused messages. A neck injury can create symptoms of pain and headaches, but has nothing to do with the brain. Hormones can be disrupted, and the sexual drive or menstrual cycle affected. If the growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland, is reduced, as we see in head injury studies, it can lead to depression and suicide attempts.

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| CONCUSSION |

tight and secure. As Dr Toma points out, “When the head hits the ground the brain first collides against the skull at the point of impact and then rebounds, causing injury on the opposite side. When the helmet isn’t tight enough the head similarly rebounds inside the helmet and subsequently increases the number of times that the brain hits the skull in the point of impact and rebounds. You see a lot of loose helmet straps on professional athletes in all sports.

A helmet that is too loose may shift position as you ride and hit the ground, and thus reduce the helmet’s protective potential.”

Ultimately, trainers have a duty of care to ensure staff are supplied with correctly fitting safety wear, but individuals can aid their well-being by following a healthy diet and avoiding dehydration. As Prof Burek suggests, “As a jockey, if you are going to be the best then you need a plan to protect yourself, because falls are inevitable.

Exercise riders also need to start out with a plan to protect themselves for the future.

“The key message is that someone’s working on it and the protection of riders is part of a whole research community.

Equestrianism is up there at the top of scientific research and is not being ignored.”

DEPRESSION COULD CAUSE WORSE SYMPTOMS FROM HITTING YOUR HEAD THAN IF YOU ARE HAPPY AND HEALTHY. It is important that we identify, sight, ear, hormone, neck or brain? There are specialist exercises to help recovery.”

Dr McGoldrick provides clear advice for all trainers. “To reduce serious injury, a trainer should provide staff with the best available helmet and vest. Riding staff should all be wearing a level 2 safety vest of the standard EN 13158:2009 and 2018 or equivalent. The helmets should conform to the PAS 015:2011 VG01 01 2012 standard required by EU law.”

Simply wearing a helmet is not enough, however. Care must be taken that the helmet fits properly and the straps are

RECOGNISING CONCUSSION

A rider does not need to lose consciousness to suffer concussion.

Watch for, in the days following the fall: • Confusion, inability to remember things that happened before and/or after the injury • Slow to answer questions or follow directions • Easily distracted • Not performing duties as well as expected • A blank stare/glassy eyed • Headache • Dizziness • Loss of vision, seeing double or blurred, seeing stars or flashing lights • Ringing in the ears • Sleepiness • Stomach ache, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting • Poor coordination or balance, unsteady on feet • Slurred speech • Poor concentration • Strange or inappropriate emotions (i.e. laughing, crying, getting angry easily) • Feeling generally unwell

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ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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| NUTRITION |

THE I M P O R TA N C E OF GOOD NUTRITION AND ITS BEARING O N M E N TA L H E A LT H

U

nique to the racing industry is the daily neeed fo or staffff to meeet reequireed maaximu um weights. Many in racing already believe they understand nutrition and the best methodss to make weight, using tried and tested practices that havve been in common use for decades. The perceived success of such practices leads to an attitude of ‘it works for me’ and a reluctance to change or adopt new suggestion ns, and few consider the future consequences on health in later years.

Dehydrating and starvvation to make weight is commonplace, and long periods in saunas and salt baths,

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laxaativees and self-iinduced vo omiting are familiar practices.

Thee heealtth imp pliccatio onss associaated wiitth theese incclu ude poor bone density tyy, hormonal issues and impaired mood proffile. i Despite increased awareness of these problems, they remain as common globaally as they were thirty ty years ago.

To help address this, th he UK-based Racing Foundation awarded a grant of just over £200,000 to support a ground-breaking, nutritiional intervention programme developed over three yeaars by a specialist team at the Research Institute of Spo ort and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University tyy. The team is led by former jockey, Dr Georgee Wilson, and includes the head

| FOOD FOR THOUGHT? |

of nutrition for cycling’s Team Sky, Dr James Morton, and Daniel Martin, a doctoral researcher and high-performance nutritionist for the Professional Jockeys Association.

Dr Wilson has already spent seven years (part-funded by the Sheikh Mansoor Racing Festival) researching the serious health implications of extreme weight-making practises in jockeys and has designed healthier, alternative weight-making programmes. In addition to offering the facilities at the University to measure bone and body composition, hydration, metabolism and provide strength and fitness assessments, he also works with racing organisations to provide workshops, tests, presentations and bespoke advice. He is in the ideal situation to conduct research into the health issues faced by racing staff, having ridden as a National Hunt jockey in his younger days.

“For my first ride as a conditional jockey at Southwell in 1985, I lost a stone in five days to make 10st (63.50 kg) minimum weight, felt awful and, given the occupational risks, I shouldn’t have been near a horse, let alone riding in a race,” he reflects on his experience. He later rode as an amateur mostly in point-to-points and hunter chases when weight became a problem. “Having ridden over jumps, I fully empathise with staff and understand the need for, and risks from, dehydration and starvation. Riding out stable staff are weighed in some yards and most vacancies are advertised with a maximum weight, so making weight is not just a problem for jockeys but also for a lot of racing staff.

“I was aware that not a lot had changed since my own time in yards in the 1980s and 1990s and so I decided to do my doctorate in the effects of common weight-making practices such as dehydration and nutrition (or lack of!).

In 2009 I started my first research and have now had 11 papers published.”

Currently, Dr Wilson is studying the effects of diet, dehydration and bone health of jockeys, but, as he recognises, comparisons of bone density between standard

Lissa Oliver Shutterstock

BELOW: It is the responsibility of the trainer to ensure younger staff members are set a good example

12st athletes and 9st, (57.15 kg), jockeys may have potential flaws given jockeys are an atypical population, being much smaller athletes. Furthermore, unlike other athletes, jockeys don’t tend to perform substantial hard surface training that helps maintain healthy bone metabolism.

Assisting Dr Wilson is Daniel Martin, and their paper, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health (31 August 2017), is the first body of research to investigate the opinions and practices of racehorse trainers in relation to rider welfare. Disappointingly for the researchers, from over 400 invitations, only five trainers expressed an interest to take part, something that certainly needs addressing.

A reluctance to face up to industry problems isn’t new and is not confined to trainers. “When I first went to the British racing industry authorities and said I wanted to do this, they originally didn’t offer any help,” he reveals. “There appeared to be a reluctance to accept that the current services and advice to help riders, particularly with weightmanagement, were clearly not working. Therefore, I just ‘kicked on’ with my research, and because jockeys had not received the sports science support in the past, they flocked to LJMU to undergo the testing and receive bespoke weight-management programmes.

“Thankfully, now everyone is aware of the issues and have embraced the research findings on healthier weight-management practices, and it appears we are all singing from the same hymn sheet. Indeed, Dr Jerry Hill, the Chief Medical Advisor at the British Horseracing Authority, is a collaborator on some of my recent published research and we have some other research projects we are currently working on together.”

Even so, it is an industry culturally-driven and based on the shared knowledge and experience of its senior professionals, which can represent an obstacle to Dr Wilson and his team when some of that knowledge is outdated and incorrect. As Martin explains within one of the published

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Arachnoid Granulation

Dural Sinus (Ve enous Blood Sub Arachnoid Space Choroid Plexus (CSF Prooduction La ateral Ventricle

Pituittary Glan nd

chnoid d Sub Arac Spac ce (Spinal Canall)

papers, “If apprentice and conditional jockeys can carry some knowledge of evidence-based practices and the dangers of traditional methods into their early careers, there will be less of a reliance on seeking advice from senior jockeys. Similarly, over time the ‘new’ practices will hopefully supersede the current archaic medley of dehydrative methods.”

It certainly behoves trainers to ensure that younger staff members are set good examples and it isn’t asking too much of their time or level of expertise to provide suitable meals, in yards where catering is offered. Where meals are not provided, posters and literature should be made available to display in the yard to help encourage awareness of a good diet.

The Liverpool team’s research has already identified that poor nutrition habits may be inherited from one generation of jockey to the next. Up to 85% of current professional jockeys have a parent or sibling either still currently riding, or now retired, which may well contribute to the estimated 63% of jockeys who prefer to seek weight-making and nutrition advice from their senior peers and retired elders rather than a qualified nutritionist or dietician. This obviously applies also to other staff members, particularly work riders.

Mental health is another major area of research that has revealed a connection to diet, and the clinical tests for measuring mood in lifestyle have shown Dr Wilson and his team that staff struggling to make weight “are not the happiest bunnies.” Furthermore, studies into concussion have shown that due to lower levels of the body’s natural chemical production to protect the brain, those suffering from depression are far more likely to suffer a concussion in a fall.

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Fou urth Ventricle

nal Chord Spin

| FOOD FOR THOUGHT? |

“You are what you eat and you’re not happy if you have a poor diet,” says Dr Wilson. “Staff now have to watch their weight and some yards set weight limits.

Traditionally, how to make weight is to undergo food restriction and even starve. When you’re hungry, you’re not in the best mood, and that has massive implications.

“There are many riders who now use science and understand energy balance, and some trainers have bought into this and recognise the benefits this has on their business. If your staff are happy, your horses are happy; but we are only seeing the ‘grass shoots’ of change and only a handful of trainers to date have taken on board the recommendations from mine and Dan (Martin’s) research. I am confident, however, with the backing of the industry stakeholders which we largely have now, that as the message gets across this should increase.

“The power that trainers have is unquestionable,” he points out. “Trainers are integral to improving the lifestyle of their staff, as well as most importantly themselves. They have a lot of control and the power to instigate change. Let’s not underestimate that their business is a non-stop hamster wheel and this brings with it a lot of stress; therefore they need to look out for their own welfare, as well as obviously the welfare of their horses, jockeys and staff.”

Martin has conducted studies into the psychological side and he and Wilson acknowledge that the biggest problem is that the racing industry is culturally-driven and needs to be breaking the old accepted norms. “The young still look to their seniors for advice and example, but there is evidence people do want to change.”

LEFT: New dietary guidelines could ease jockeys’ longstanding battle with the scales

The research Wilson conducted in 2009 showed the existing nutritional guidelines of the time to be incorrect and based upon guidelines for general athletes rather than jockeys, who in comparison have much lower energy expenditure.

“The science was based on other athletes who burn off 3,500-4,000 calories a day, but jockeys have only high activity for a short period of time so would typically burn more around 2,500 calories even on a really busy day. So we changed the guidelines to specifically suit jockeys, and hence many started fuelling better and making weight without the reliance on sweating and starving. These practices still do go on in racing across the world, however.

Again, we are seeing change and the hope is that the next generation of riders coming through will have the education and therefore the knowledge to make weight safely.”

Once again this means re-educating and affecting change in an industry that isn’t renowned for embracing new ideas and tends to work on the principle ‘if it works for me why stop?’ “This is not unique to racing and, as shown in recent years in other weight-making and non-weight sports like boxing and football respectively, when the culture changes for the better the athlete welfare changes for the better.

“We have to make people believe in it and buy into it,” Wilson enthuses. “Trainers, jockeys and work riders are selfemployed so it can be a lonely industry and they’re often left to their own devices, but the industry now recognises this and is pulling together. People are now being more candid.”

According to UK Health Service figures, at any one time around one in six adults may be suffering from a mental health problem. The racing industry is probably unique in the candour currently shown by the many individuals who have come forward to speak of depression and this has led to a greater awareness and proactive approach to mental health. Dr Wilson and the team report a casestudy showing that the mental wellbeing of a professional National Hunt jockey in the UK could be improved with a dietary and exercise intervention, suggesting that dietary practices may be responsible for impaired mood profiles.

This could be important research, with mental health of such concern to the industry, to the extent that Racing Welfare, with the joint support of the National Trainers Federation and the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, supported a Mental Health Training Day at Lambourn in May. The training day was oversubscribed and was later repeated in Middleham and Newmarket.

Run by Mental Health First Aid England, the idea of the course is to train someone to become a key point of contact for anyone within a team who may be struggling with their own mental health or be worried about that of someone else. The trainee need not necessarily be a member of the yard management structure, but simply a trusted member of staff who others are likely to confide in, and one who is interested in learning about what to do to help maintain the wellbeing of others.

Simone Sear, Director of Welfare, found feedback from the courses positive and will be running an additional day later in the year. “Many felt that if the instructors had known more about the racing industry it would have been perfect, so we are now training three of our very experienced welfare officers, who are already trained councillors, to become full Mental Health First Aid instructors,” Sear explains.

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In September, Racing Welfare launched a nationwide Racing Occupational Health Service, providing an occupational health check with a nurse for anyone in the industry. Individuals may request a health check, or may be referred by their employer, GP or any other professional.

“We have also commissioned a mental health study, by a team at the Liverpool John Moores University, for the whole of the industry, to discover what the problems are and how we can best provide help,” reveals Sear. “We should have those results in May 2019.”

The recent research by Dr Wilson and his team in professional jockeys has demonstrated that a high protein, low glycaemic index carbohydrate diet (for example, dried beans, kidney beans and lentils, all nonstarchy vegetables, and some starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, most fruit, and many whole grain breads and cereals), providing a total energy intake equivalent to resting metabolic rate, can facilitate fat loss whilst still maintaining lean tissue and improving performance markers. The jockeys in this test were also asked to jog for 30 minutes each morning pre-breakfast at 75% of the heart rate maximum, and to refrain from wearing sweatsuits or additional clothes to intentionally sweat.

Following the six-week dietary intervention, the jockeys were significantly lighter in total body mass, body fat in kilograms and body fat percentage, and maintained lean mass. There were no significant changes for hip and lumbar bone density, but metabolic, respiratory and physical data showed significant increases in resting metabolic rate, chest strength, leg strength and jumping height. The resting heart rate was also significantly lower.

The jockeys were also asked to complete a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), which is a widely used and highly reliable measure of psychological distress in the general population, capturing symptoms of depression,

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| FOOD FOR THOUGHT? |

ABOVE: The study found jockeys’ mental well being improved for dietary change

anxiety, social dysfunction, and loss of confidence.

The GHQ-12 data showed that prior to the dietary intervention, a significant proportion of jockeys (21.4 %) could fall into the classification of psychiatric ‘caseness’ or likely to be suffering from depression or anxiety and requiring specialist clinical input. The mean GHQ-12 score was 10.3 prior to the dietary intervention, reducing to 8.9 after the intervention. The number of ‘psychiatric caseness’ reduced from 2 out of 10, to 1 out of 10 following the dietary intervention.

This was the first study to use the GHQ-12 in jockeys to detect possible psychiatric disorders and assess psychological distress before and after dietary intervention, and highlights the importance of a good diet for stable staff. The reliance on archaic methods of wasting and dehydration need to be actively discouraged, as does a dependence on fast food and irregular mealtimes. Instead, enabling and supporting three meals a day that include recognised healthy foods will not only improve the health and wellbeing of staff, but of the business too.

References:

The horseracing industry’s perception of nutritional and weightmaking practices of professional jockeys, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, (D. Martin, G. Wilson, J. P. Morton, G. L. Close & R. C. Murphy) http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/215967 6X.2017.1340330 Fasted Exercise and Increased Dietary Protein Reduces Body Fat and Improves Strength in Jockeys, Authors G. Wilson, P. P. Pritchard, C. Papageorgiou, S. Phillips, P. Kumar, C. Langan-Evans, H. Routledge, D. J. Owens, J. P. Morton, G. L. Close Chapter 10.4 of the National Trainers Federation (NTF) Employment Guide contains advice for trainers in managing an employee with a mental health condition. Advice on individual issues is available from the NTF office and NTF 24-hour legal helpline 01488 71729 and 0333 003 0159 www.racingwelfare.co.uk

The Lycetts Team Champion Award Celebrating Successful Teamwork

Nominations are now being accepted from British racing stables for the Lycetts Team Champion Award.

This groundbreaking initiative showcases the country’s most forward-thinking racing yards by focusing on the importance of team ethos and recognising those who put teamwork at the forefront of their daily success.

As well as national recognition, two winning yards will receive a £4,000 prize to further enhance and improve their winning teams!

Deadline for entries to the Lycetts Team Champion Award is on Monday 3rd December 2018 and winners will be announced at the National Trainers Federation AGM on 28th February 2019.

“I am really proud to win the inagural Lycetts Team Champion Award. We are so lucky to have the staff we do. I feel our team are grest ambassadors for the yard and British horse racing.”

Warren Greatrex

“It is an honour to accept the award on behalf of the team at home. They are a credit to the yard and the industry as a whole. The Lycetts Team Champion Award is a fantastic initiative which reflects well on the staffing at the heart of the industry. The application process gave us the opportunity to look into what we do and think about how we can make improvements for the future.”

Catch Bissett

ENTER NOW For more information and entry details visit - www.racehorsetrainers.org

Team Champion Award

Lycetts | Piers Plunket, Divisional Director piers.plunket@lycetts.co.uk | 01672 518205 | www.lycetts.co.uk

National Trainers Federation | Rupert Arnold r.arnold@racehorsetrainers.org | 01488 71719 | www.racehorsetrainers.org

| NUTRITION |

U N R AV E L L IN G U L C E R AT IO ON THE CAUSES, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION FOR SQUAMOUS vs.

GLANDULAR GASTRIC ULCERATION Emma Hardy, PhD

Shutterstock

G

astric ulcers remain a common condition facing competition horses.

This poses an ongoing and persistent challenge to trainers who face the negative effects of ulcers in terms of training and performance.

To address the issue, the typical trainer spends a small fortune on scores of omeprazole and other ulcer remedies, only to find the problem isn’t resolved or simply comes back.

Meanwhile, researchers have been testing the very notion of “what is an ulcer?” The data casts doubt on whether go-to treatment approaches will actually work.

A look at what the research now tells us about equine gastric ulcers may provide some new guidance for how best to address this nearly ubiquitous concern.

The two faces of gastric ulceration

While many people think of gastric ulcers as one specific disease, equine vets and researchers refer to gastric ulcers as a “syndrome” (Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, or EGUS). The medical definition of a syndrome describes a set of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process. In practical terms, this means that ulcers are really a clinical sign – truly a symptom – of underlying disease conditions.

A few years ago, articles began to appear in the scientific press highlighting differences in the healing of ulcers in two distinct regions of the stomach – the upper “squamous” area on the one hand, as compared to the lower “glandular” portion on the other. In recent years,

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researchers in Australia publlished a series of articles (Sykes et al, 2014) to “clarify fy the distinction between diseases in different regions of the stomach” – that is, to describe the differences betw ween ulcers in the squamous area of the stomach from tho ose in the lower glandular area. The articles described signifficant i diff fferences f between the two conditions, including prevalence, risk factors and response to treattment.

Squamous gastric ulcerration

The upper region of the stom mach is minimally protected from the corrosive effects of stomach acids. As such, squamous gastric ulceration – that is, ulcers in the upper region of the stomach – is beelieved to result from the increased exposure to acid an nd other contents of the stomach. Ulcers in the squam mous region are also more common, affecting upwards of 70% of thoroughbred racehorses, as demonstrated in multiple studies over the past 20 years.

Glandular gastric ulceraation

By contrast, ulcers in the low wer glandular region of the stomach are believed to arisee from a diff fferent f set of conditions. The lower portio on of the stomach is composed of numerous cell types includ ding those that secrete gastric acid. Because horses secrete stomach acid continuously, the mucosal lining in this low wer porttion off the sttomach h is in direct contact with stomacch acid at all times.

The lower portion of the stomach is also better protected – the glandular mu ucosa is lined w wiith i a thick layer of mucus that offers naatural protection from acid.

| ULCERS |

It is believed that glandular ulceration results from the breakdown of this protective lining. Although no research has conclusively shown exactly how this defence mechanism breaks down in horses, research in humans shows NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) use and bacterial agents are contributors.

Based on this, equine squamous gastric ulceration (ES SGUS) iss a specificc cond dittio on disstincct fro om equinee glandu ular gastric ulceration (EGGUS).

Beyonnd the stomach

Until reecently, litt ttle t att tttention had been aff fforded f to inffllamm mation and ulceration developing beyond d the stomach of the horse and, in particular, w wiithin i the caecum m and large colon. Studies have now shown wn how the hindgutt can also be vvu u ulneraable to changes in the mucosal lining – that is, ulcers and oth her ty tyyp p pes of inffllammation – and should bee an essential consideeration in performance horse managemen nt. g ulcers or The equine hindgut is vast. Thus, detecting other colonic issues can be challenging. Visuallisation of gastrric ulceration vi via i 3m endoscopy has beccome

a mainstream diagnostic procedure in many equine veterinary practices. Limitations in physical reach of the endoscope leaves it ineffective for visualising anything beyond the proximal duodenum, and colonoscopy is simply not possible for the horse.

It could be suggested that the equine hindgut had been perceived as a bit of a “black box” owing to the lack of reliable diagnostic tools available for detecting issues there. But just becausee this part of the gut has been diff fffiicult i to “see”, doesn n’t mean that issues don’t exist there.

Risk factors for hind dgut dysbiosis and infflammation l largely reside w wiithin i th he management and feeding practices associated wi with i intensive exercise and management. Non-steeroidal anti-infflammatory l drugs (NSAIDs) can also be a signifficant i causative agent.

Extensive research invvolvi ving i the examination of horse cadavers has indicated d that around 50% of those horses wi with i conffirmed i gastricc ulceration w wiill i also have some hindgut infflammation l n or areas of erosion. Thus, it is crucial to think of the health of the entire digestive tract and not only the stomaach.

BELOW: Little attention has been afforded to inflammation beyond the stomach, the image shows the caecum

ULCERS IN THE SQUAMOUS REGION ARE ALSO MORE COMMON, AFFECTING UPWARDS OF 70% OF THOROUGHBRED RACEHORSES

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What this means for the trainer

Most racehorse trainers know first-hand the high cost of ulceration in their horses. There are obvious welfare implications derived from the discomfort and pain horses likely experience when suffering from ulcers and inflammation.

Ulcer-induced poor performance will often manifest as negative temperament changes, a poor attitude to work and stress-induced coping behaviours. There exists the potential for these performance-related “red flags” to be misinterpreted as bad behaviour, particularly when clinical signs are vague. Thus, when responding to challenging behaviour it is always prudent to first consider that the horse may be conveying a “can’t” rather than a “won’t”.

Knowing where a problem exists streamlines recovery

If ulceration is suspected anywhere within the digestive tract, identifying where it is located is important from two aspects.

Early and accurate detection is decisive in formulating an effective recovery plan, and identifying the source of the condition limits the possibility of significant long-term effects. Also, it is now appreciated that certain medications demonstrate greater efficacy depending on the diagnosis.

Omeprazole has long been the first line treatment for all types of gastric ulceration but is now considered just one of several options. Indeed, a recent consensus statement regarding EGGUS reports that omeprazole

THE SUCCESS OF A PARTICULAR TREATMENT WILL LIKELY BE DEPENDENT ON THE UNDERLYING CAUSE, LOCATION AND TYPE OF INFLAMMATION.

alone may not be the most efficacious treatment since the causative factors for glandular injury are not primarily acid-induced. Instead, medications to support the health of the mucosal lining, such as the prostaglandin E analogue, Misoprostol may be more effective. Still, omeprazole (particularly the new injectable form) does remain a useful medication for squamous ulceration and, in conjunction with Misoprostol for EGGUS, to allow acid injury to heal. Treatment duration is also markedly longer for EGGUS when compared to squamous ulceration.

A plethora of medications and approaches exist to support equine hindgut health. The success of a particular treatment will likely be dependent on the underlying cause, location and type of inflammation.

Different ulcers, different treatments

Every racehorse trainer knows that omeprazole represents the “gold standard” treatment for equine ulcers. Omeprazole shuts down production of acid in the stomach, creating an environment where healing can occur. Not surprisingly, omeprazole has been shown to be most effective in treating squamous ulceration (ESGUS), since the corrosive effects of acid have been more clearly implicated as a contributor to ulcers there.

Studies have also shown, by contrast, that omeprazole is much less effective as a treatment of glandular gastric ulcers (EGGUS). Along the same lines, omeprazole is entirely ineffective as a treatment approach to colonic

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ABOVE: Ulcerinduced poor performance will often manifest in a variety of negative behaviours BELOW LEFT: Cherry Ulcer

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ulcers. In both cases, no “silver bullet” exists that can immediately mitigate the issue. Instead, approaches that seek to reduce or remove the causative stressors associated with the conditions may be the best option.

Finally, an appropriate strategy for resolution of hindgut disorders may include one or more of the following ingredients; • Linseed or Flaxseed oil imparts an anti-inflammatory effect due to its high ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids to proinflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids.

• Prebiotics derived from the walls of yeast cells such as mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) or fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a good bacteria food source help to support the proliferation of beneficial microflora. MOS also tricks pathogenic bacteria into binding to it, rather than binding to the wall of the intestine and colonising.

• Yea-Sacc, a live yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) may help to populate a healthy microflora population, although proven benefits remain questionable.

• Key amino acids, such as Glutamine, Threonine and Arginine are important for the correct function, and structure of numerous cells within the gut. They also help optimise blood supply, cellular turnover and tissue repair.

• Psyllium is both high fibre and coats the intestinal lining.

BELOW: Continuous forage is just one way of preventing ulceration

Sucralfate, a mucosal protectant, has been prescribed to treat right dorsal colitis successfully. Its mode of action is to coat areas of damage to enable healing.

Beware long-term use of acid-suppressing medications

The problems associated with excess acid are well established. However it is important to remember the

LONG-TERM PREVENTATIVE MEASURES SHOULD BE IMPLICATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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| ULCERS |

important role acid plays within the normal digestive process. For example, gastric acidity helps to maintain the correct pH in the gut, to enable some digestive enzymes to function optimally.

Whilst the use of acid-suppressing medications has become commonplace and inarguably effective in the short term, prolonged or repetitive administration may create aberrations further along the digestive tract, including intestinal dysbiosis and damage to the mucosal integrity.

Should acid-suppressing therapy be unavoidable, it is critical to include hindgut nutritional support at the same time, to avoid the development of downstream issues, and long-term preventative measures should be implicated as soon as possible.

Prevention is always better than cure

Thus, we really have three types of ulcer syndromes, all potentially with different causes, reflecting different disease processes, and responding variably to different short-term treatments. Unfortunately, these problems will fail to dissipate in the long term so long as we merely continue the cycle of addressing issues with a treatmentoriented approach. Placing more emphasis on improving management and feeding practices will promote prevention and avoidance of these complaints altogether.

In an ideal world, we would radically change how we manage, feed and care for the animal to get closer to the way the horse’s digestive system naturally functions. This would incorporate the provision of continuous forage, unrestricted turnout, a “little-and-often” feeding regime, reducing the causes of stress and increasing socialisation.

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| NUTRITION |

GRAIN AND PROCESSED FEEDS IN THE HORSE’S DIET WOULD BE KEPT TO A MINIMUM TO ENSURE THAT SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES ARE CORRECTLY DIGESTED IN THE FOREGUT AND DO NOT REACH THE HINDGUT. Grain and processed feeds in the horse’s diet would be kept to a minimum to ensure that simple carbohydrates are correctly digested in the foregut and do not reach the hindgut. Whilst many yards do strive to achieve these goals, the extent to which they can achieve this may be limited. This ideal model of feeding and management is rarely conducive to meeting the physical and nutritional demands of the hard-working horse, and it’s difficult to practically implement on some yards. So, another approach would be to elevate our management of digestive tract health, in order to help offset the

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| ULCERS |

ABOVE: Gastric ulceration affects 70% of thoroughbred racehorses RIGHT: Grain and processed feeds should be kept to a minimum along with a little and often feeding regime

gastrointestinal risks that challenge our competition horses. Supplementing the diet with targeted nutrients to help normalise digestion, repair and replenish the structure of the tract, and enhance its natural defences against injury and disease is the ideal adjunct to improving feeding and management practices.

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| VETERINARY |

W O BBLER SY ND ROME AN D T HE T HOR OU G HBR ED Professor Celia M Marr

obbler Syndrome, or spinal ataxia, affects around 2% of young thoroughbreds. In Europe, the most common cause relates to narrowing of the cervical vertebral canal in combination with malformation of the cervical vertebrae.

Narrowing in medical terminology is “stenosis” and “myelopathy” implies pathology of the nervous tissue, hence the other name often used for this condition is cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM).

Wobbler Syndrome was the topic of this summer’s Gerald Leigh Memorial Lectures, an event held at Palace House, Newmarket.

Gerald Leigh was a very successful owner breeder and these annual lectures, now in their second year, honour of Mr Leigh’s passion for the thoroughbred horse and its health and welfare. The lectures are

W

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Professor Celia M Marr, Shutterstock

attended by vets, breeders and trainers, and this year because of the importance and impact of Wobbler syndrome on thoroughbred health, several individuals involved in thoroughbred insurance were also able to participate.

Dr Steve Reed, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Kentucky and international leader in the field of equine neurology gave an overview of Wobbler Syndrome. Affected horses are ataxic, which means that they have lost the unconscious mechanisms which control their limb position and movement. Young horses with CVSM will generally present for acute onset of ataxia or gait abnormalities, however, mild ataxia and clumsiness may often go unnoticed. Trainers often report affected horses are growing rapidly, well-fed, and large for their age. It is common for riders to describe an ataxic horse as weak or

clumsy. Sometimes, a horse which has been training normally will suddenly become profoundly affected, losing coordination and walking as though they were drunk, or in the most severe cases stumbling and falling. Neurological deficits are present in all four limbs, but are usually, but not always more noticeable in the hindlimbs than the forelimbs. In horses with significant degenerative joint disease, lateral compression of the spinal cord may lead to asymmetry of the clinical signs. When the horse is standing still, it may adopt an abnormal wide-based stance or have abnormal limb placement, and delayed positioning reflexes. At the walk, the CVSM horse’s forelimbs and hindlimbs may not be moving on the same track and there can be exaggerated movement of the hind limbs when the horse is circled. Detailed physical examination may reveal abrasions around

CELIA MARR, ROSSDALES LLP, NEWMARKET

| WOBBLER SYNDROME |

based on clinical signs and standing lateral radiographs.

Dr Reed went on to discuss medical therapy in horses with CVSM which is aimed at reducing cell swelling and oedema formation with subsequent reduction of the compression on the spinal cord. In the immediate period following an acute onset of neurologic disease, anti-inflammatory therapy is important. Thereafter, depending on the type of CVSM and the age of the horse, different therapeutic options exist. In horses less than one year of stall rest and a diet that is aimed at reducing protein and carbohydrate intake and, thus, reducing growth and allowing the vertebral canal to “catch up”. The three most important nutritional factors appear to be excessive dietary digestible energy, excessive dietary phosphorus, and dietary copper deficiency. However, it is important that restricted diets are carefully managed with professional supervision. Dietary supplementation with vitamin E / selenium is also recommended. In adult horses, the options for medical therapy are Myelography involves injecting a radiopaque die around the spinal cord which outlines the cord and highlights areas of compression (arrow).

ABOVE L–R: Lateral radiographs can show the vertebral bones have an abnormal shape with flare of the caudal vertebral epiphysis (curved arrow) and extension of the dorsal laminae (straight arrow).

Abnormal ossification of the articular processes and enlargement of the joints due to degenerative joint disease (arrows) Measuring the ratio of the spinal canal to the adjacent bone identifies narrowing of the spinal canal. In this case, the narrowing is dramatic due to malalignment of adjacent vertebral bones.

restricted to stabilizing a horse with acute neurological deterioration and injecting the articular joints in an attempt to reduce soft tissue swelling and stabilize or prevent further bony proliferation.

The aim of surgical treatment is to stop the repetitive trauma to the spinal cord, which is caused by narrowing of the vertebral canal, and thereby, to allow the inflammation in and around the spinal cord to resolve. Surgical treatment of CVSM is controversial, mainly due to concerns regarding safety of the horse after surgery, and potential heritability of the disease. Ventral interbody fusion through the use of a stainless steel “basket” is currently the most commonly CELIA MARR, ROSSDALES LLP, NEWMARKET

the heels and inner aspect of the forelimbs due to interference, and short, squared hooves due to toe-dragging. Many young horses affected with CVSM have concurrent signs of developmental orthopaedic disease such as physitis or physeal enlargement of the long bones, joint effusion secondary to osteochondrosis, and flexural limb deformities.

Radiography is generally the first tool which is used to diagnose CVSM. Lateral radiographs of the cervical vertebrae, obtained in the standing horse, reveal some or all of five characteristic bony malformations of the cervical vertebrae: (1) “flare” of the caudal vertebral epiphysis of the vertebral body, (2) abnormal ossification of the articular processes, (3) malalignment between adjacent vertebrae, (4) extension of the dorsal laminae, and (5) degenerative joint disease of the articular processes. Radiographs are also measured to document the ratio between the spinal canal and the adjacent bones and identify sites where the spinal canal is narrowed. the currently most definitive tool to confirm diagnosis of focal spinal cord compression and to identify the location and number of lesions. The experts presenting at the Gerald Leigh Memorial Lectures agreed that myelography is essential if surgical treatment is pursued.

However, an important difference between the US and Europe was highlighted by Prof Richard Piercy, of the Royal Veterinary College, University of London. In Europe, protozoal infection is very rare, whereas in US, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis can cause similar clinical signs to CVSM. Protozoal myeloencephalitis is diagnosed by laboratory testing of the cerebral spinal fluid but there is also a need to rule out CVSM. Therefore, spinal fluid analysis and myelography tends to be performed more often in the US. Prof Piercy pointed out that in the absence of this condition, vets in Europe are often more confident to reach a definitive diagnosis of CVSM

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CELIA MARR, ROSSDALES LLP, NEWMARKET

| VETERINARY |

ABOVE: A CT image of a CSVM horse. CT has the advantage that the vertebral bones can be examined in three dimensions. This horse has enlargement of the articular processes that is more severe on the right side which causes lateral compression. This image has been obtained at a post-mortem exam. As improved CT facilities become more widely available, our ability to precisely assess CVSM cases premortem will also improve.

PIC:S DR EMIL OLSEN, ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

used surgery for CVSM. The prognosis of horses following surgical treatment depends on the age of the horse, the grade of neurological deficits that were present prior to surgery, the time the horse has demonstrated neurologic disease for, the number of compressed sites, the severity of the lesions, and the post-operative complications encountered. Following surgery an improvement of 1-2 out of 5 grades is expected, although some affected horses improve more than 3 grades.

Whether horses are treated medically, surgically or not treated (i.e. just turned out), the response and the prognosis depend on the age of the horse, the severity of the neurological deficits, the duration of neurological signs, and what level of performance is expected from the horse.

Without treatment the prognosis in all types of CVSM is poor, as there is continued damage to the cervical spinal cord with an increasing chance of severe cord damage.

Dr Tim Phillips, of Liphook Equine Hospital, discussed the surgical

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| WOBBLER SYNDROME |

management of Wobblers in more detail. The procedure is technically quite demanding and has significant risks attached. The recovery period is protracted.

The outcome can be very satisfactory or it can be very unsatisfactory. Unfortunately, most often the procedure results in significant but only partial improvement.

Currently myelography is used to pinpoint the site of compression which is targeted at surgery, but this imprecise. Advances in imaging through the introduction of Computed Tomography (CT) should help to improve this.

Wobbler clauses are included in some thoroughbred insurance policies, which prompted a panel discussion in which David Ashby of MS Amlin represented the underwriters and Charles Hamilton, of Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance put forward the viewpoint of the insurance broker. Although the clauses specifically apply to horses with Grade 3 ataxia, there are problems with their implementation.

The severity of ataxia can vary from day to day, or indeed from hour to hour

in some horses. Most importantly, as explained by Prof Piercy, grading of ataxia is a subjective process and assessors do not consistently agree. It can also be very challenging to distinguish ataxia from lameness. However, Dr Emil Olsen, also from the Royal Veterinary College, explained that there is hope for the future as objective assessment of spinal ataxia is possible using force plates and motion capture. Blinding folding ataxic horses can highlight their disability and improve the accuracy of this technology.

In summing up the afternoon of lectures, Fred Barrelet, trustee of the Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust, emphasised that Wobbler Syndrome remains a challenging problem in thoroughbreds. It can be difficult to diagnose confidently and the outcomes following both medical and surgical therapy can be disappointing. Future developments in diagnostic imaging and objective gait analysis are on the horizon which may reduce the impact of some of these problems.

LEFT: Dr Olsen is working on a system using inertial sensors attached to the horse at various points to document its movement in detail. This is likely to be a more widely accessible tool to help identify and quantify ataxia.

BELOW LEFT: Force plates and motion capture facilities available in the Structure and Motion Laboratory at the Royal Veterinary College has the advantage of very precise and detailed measurements and the disadvantage of requiring expensive and complex facilities including 12 Kinematic cameras, 8 force plates and a 25m runway and even with all this, the system is only able to measure a few strides at a time.

BELOW: Blindfolding the horse, exacerbates the ataxia and improves the accuracy of objective ataxia assessment.

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Paull Khan

Tomáš Kubelka

Prolific sprinter Peopleton Brook at work in his new role

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| EMHF |

SEC OND C AR EERS F O R R A C EH O RS E S C A N B R IN G L I F EC HA N G I NG RE WAR D S F O R T H E H U MA N S WHO MEET THEM

F

estival was a horse brave enough to conquer the obstacles and emerge victorious in the fearsome Velka Pardubicka steeplechase. Peopleton Brook was so hardy, he contested 93 races for Grand National-winning jockeyturned-trainer, Brendan Powell, winning nine of them and being placed a further 17 times. What do these hardened racehorses have in common? They have both given valuable service in the young, fascinating and increasingly widespread endeavour of Equine Assisted Activities such as Hippotherapy.

Owners, as well as the public at large, would appear to be ever more concerned with what should become of their racehorses once they have retired from the track. And these activities, which are held to bring profound benefits to people in many different circumstances, could increasingly provide an answer – and one as rewarding for the erstwhile owner as for the clients or patients with which their horse interacts.

What, exactly, are ‘Equine Assisted Activities (EAAs)’? Look, and you will find a myriad of similar terms in use: Equine Facilitated Learning, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Therapeutic Riding…the list goes on. Each defined differently – and sometimes conflictingly – by different authors: the hallmark, of course, of an emerging and youthful field.

Hippotherapy, despite the breadth of its literal meaning – ‘treatment with the horse’ – has come to refer to a very specific strand of EAA. In Hippotherapy, the

treatment involves the horse being ridden.

The Oxford English Living Dictionary defines the term thus: The use of horse riding as a therapeutic or rehabilitative treatment, especially as a means of improving coordination, balance, and strength. The predominant focus is on those with physical disabilities, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, etc..

But many manifestations of EAA are geared primarily to helping with nonphysical issues and these typically involve little or no riding. Interaction with the horse can take many forms, including handling, grooming and lungeing. So, too, the methodologies employed. Some are one-to-one and focus on personal issues; most are group-based and look at more general concepts, such as trust, assertiveness, self-confidence and self-esteem. Many involve trained professionals such as psychotherapists.

But all are based on the core belief that, for many reasons which the Counselling Directory www.counselling-directory.org.uk/ equine-assisted-therapy.html sets out well, the horse is especially suited to this type of work. Its very size can initially be daunting, so, for many, to overcome this and establish a relationship of trust and control is a profound achievement. As a prey animal, it is quick to interpret body language and to mirror behaviour, responding positively to a calm, confident approach. As a herd animal, it will frequently want to be led and to create bonds – the bonds between man and horse can be exceptionally powerful.

And the range of claimed benefits and beneficiaries is broad indeed. Prisoners,

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ex-servicemen and -women with PTSD, those on the autistic spectrum, children with ADHD, those deemed ‘at risk’, schizophrenics and those exhibiting a number of other behavioural and psychiatric disorders.

What is striking is that programmes of one sort or another are going on in many, many countries across Europe and beyond. In Prague, for example, the Czech State Psychiatric Hospital boasts a hippotherapy department called BOHNICE. Milan’s principal Hospital has had a hippotherapy unit for over 30 years.

On occasion, there is some involvement of the racing industry. For example, the Moroccan racing authority, SOREC (Société Royale d’Encouragement du Cheval) co-founded a hippotherapy programme aimed at people with special needs. In Scandinavia, betting companies, through the Swedish-Norwegian Foundation for Equine Research to which they contribute, funded a study of the efficacy of Equine-Assisted Therapy on patients with substance abuse issues.

A most impressive example of racing involvement is from Turkey. Here, EquineAssisted Therapy Centres can be found, courtesy of the Turkish Jockey Club, at their seven racetracks, each offering entirely free courses to children with physical disabilities or mental and emotional disorders. To date, over 3,500 children have benefitted from the scheme, described as ‘one of the most important social responsibility projects of the Jockey Club of Turkey’.

And one wonderful example sees benefit from such programmes flowing back to racing. Horseback UK is a Scottish-based centre which offers programmes for several different target groups but with a focus on ex-servicemen and -women.

However, their three-week course has recently been taken up by groups of racing staff, organised through the British racing charity Racing Welfare. The initiative was deemed a great success. Horseback UK co-founder, Emma Hutchison noted a surprising number of similarities between the racing groups and the ex-service personnel. For one thing, the reasons underlying their attendance were split roughly equally between physical (many had had serious falls) and mental.

“The similarities between our course attendees from the racing industry and those from the military showed themselves in many ways”, explained Hutchison.

“Most people who join the racing industry join at a young age, sometimes it is a bit of an escape as most jobs include

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David Loregnard (right) pictured with China Horse Club’s Teo Ah Khang, a key figure behind the St Lucia racetrack project

accommodation. They quickly become part of a new family at the yard and have many highs and lows within the job.

When suddenly, for whatever reason, this is taken away from them – through, perhaps a possible injury – then the feeling of isolation is extreme. This is so similar to our military. We have also found that bringing individuals together from the same industry, i.e. racing, works brilliantly as they have such a lot in common, they all know the same trainers, horses etc., which instantly puts people at ease, in the same way that guys from the military respond to each other.

“We are currently working with Retraining of Racehorses to develop a programme down in Newmarket using ex-racehorses and racing staff. Very exciting”.

A critical question, however, is: ‘are thoroughbreds suitable for EEA work?’

It would doubtless be fair to say that thoroughbreds would not be at the front of the minds of many people when organising EEAs. However, it is the case that thoroughbreds have been used to good effect in many EEA programmes across the continent.

Take, for example, the programme in Bollate Prison, Milan, where a stable of horses, including ex-racehorses, are used in the provision of groom’s courses, giving inmates the chance to leave jail with a diploma and possible job opportunity. In Ireland, a similar scheme – the realisation of a long-held dream of ex-Goffs supremo, Jonathan Irwin – is soon to be launched at Castlerea Prison, not far from Roscommon, with a distinctly vocational flavour. It is planned that the on-site stable of horses will be used in courses on a range of disciplines such as farriery, which will prepare inmates for

employment upon release. Racehorses are expected to play a significant part in the mix, and celebrated figures from the racing world will make appearances to add appeal to the courses, which are expected to be heavily oversubscribed.

Hippolysis is a centre offering equine assisted psychotherapy in Greece.

Hippolysis’s Sabina Serpieri explains: “We have had very good experience with racehorses in the past. Thoroughbreds are amazing, they are very expressive and they engage and draw people in and keep their focus. Different people find it easier to identify with different breeds.

Thoroughbreds have quick responses and are extremely sensitive to non-verbal communication: therefore people have a quick and constant feedback during sessions.”

“We currently have a 9yo ex-racehorse thoroughbred mare, Exasteri, who has been with us for the past three years.

She is an excellent example as she was a very fractious, spooky filly without many

| EMHF |

alternatives for her future use, which is why she was taken in by Hippolysis, but has transformed wonderfully into her new role as she has an exceptionally high emotional intelligence. She is extremely effective.”

Horseback UK is home to, among many others, the aforementioned Peopleton Brook, and Emma Hutchison has a similar message. “Racehorses can play a major part in these activities, which provide a suitable second career for ‘high-mileage’ animals, since the physical pressures of this work are not great – it is much more mental for the horse. This is provided they have been given the ‘space’ and training to re-adjust from their previous career”.

Hana Hermannová of BOHNICE lists among the advantages of thoroughbreds their excellent movement from the biomechanical standpoint, and the narrowness and flexibility of their backs.

She considers them the perfect breed for working with children and notes that they can work in this field until their old age. One

of the current team is Cech, an equable and manageable thoroughbred used for work with children. Cech is 28 years old, no less.

So what is the nature of the re-training which must typically be done with ex-racehorses to prepare them for their new role? Sabina Serpieri again: “The retraining – or “untraining” as we call it – depends on the personality of the horse and previous experiences with humans. A minimum of six months is needed in liberty with other horses, to adjust to the new reality, to cool down, become a member of the herd and understand that no submission is required from them from now on. Respect for each horse’s personality is important, so that they can feel dignified again and get in touch with their natural instincts.”

“In Exasteri’s case, the ‘untraining’ was mostly for her to mature, trust, bond with the other horses and have less explosive reactions in response to people’s feelings and actions (basically for her to be more safe and reliable). She is still

not – and may never be – suitable for all circumstances, but that is what makes her an exceptional fit for others! That is the amazing thing about working the (Hipploysis) model: each horse’s character gives the team the ability to provide a unique connection for each individual.”

It is both valid and necessary to ask whether EEA’s really work. The body of literature on the subject can be distilled down to a single word: ‘probably’. A 2015 study by E. Kendall et al in the European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling, which aimed to pull together the available evidence, concluded thus: “Much research attests to the beneficial effects of equine interventions on physical development and ability. However, less is known about the possible psychological benefits of horse activities…it is an under-researched area and conclusions are largely based on anecdotal data…. Equine-assisted interventions hold much promise, particularly in terms of child/adolescent

EMHF Chairman Brian Kavanagh meets Pardubice Mayor Martin Charva

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social and behavioural issues, and perhaps adult affective disorders. However, welldesigned randomised controlled trials are greatly needed in this area.”

Some helpful and supportive work has been undertaken since, and, indeed, the US Jockey Club is funding the ‘Man o’ War Project’ at the Columbia University Irving Medical Centre. USJC President Jim Gagliano recently explained the project to the Asian Racing Conference: “Although anecdotal evidence suggests that equine-assisted therapy benefits people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, there is no clinical evidence to prove this. The Man O’ War Project is the first university-led research trial to determine the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy and to establish guidelines for the application of equine-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD….Many people believe thoroughbreds are ideal candidates for therapy programmes, and these programmes are the perfect second career for many of our retired equine athletes.”

One might confidently predict that more and more studies will progressively add to the academic validation of EEAs, in turn unlocking greater opportunities for funding, whether charitable or governmental.

But maybe the racing world can accelerate the process of acceptance of thoroughbreds in these programmes.

Perhaps a fitting future project for the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) would be to collate examples from around the

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MOST PEOPLE WHO JOIN THE RACING INDUSTRY JOIN AT A YOUNG AGE, SOMETIMES IT IS A BIT OF AN ESCAPE AS MOST JOBS INCLUDE ACCOMMODATION. world of racehorses being successfully used for in EAA, summarise best practice in their re-training, and then spread the word to sometimes sceptical providers of these services.

If indeed it is correct that owners and trainers are increasingly concerned to find the horses they have loved a rewarding second career after retirement, how much more fulfilling if the chosen career could bring life-enhancing change to disadvantaged humans?

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO ADMINISTRATOR TAKES S ADVANTAGE OF EMHF OFFICIALS’ DEVELOPMENT SCHEME

When, two years ago, the EMHF launched its Clearing House initiative - which matches Raceday Officials who want to gain some professional development with

Racing Authorities willing to provide the time of their experienced staff - it would be fair to say that interest from Trinidad and Tobago was not top of our list of expectations. But it was from these islands that David Loregnard, secretary to their Racing Authority, made contact.

Back in 2000, Loregnard, who is also a board member of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (the umbrella body for racing’s rulemakers in the USA and the Caribbean) and is advising on the ambitious project for a new racecourse in St Lucia, had undertaken a self-designed on-the-job training programme in the United States and was captivated by the prospect of comparing the working methods of stewards and other raceday officials there with those on this side of the Atlantic.

The EMHF’s scheme is designed – naturally - for officials from EMHF member countries, but Loregnard readily agreed to square this circle by paying a modest sum which will be made available to help fund the travel and accommodation costs of an official from an impecunious EMHF member country next year. (The training itself is provided free by the host Racing Authority).

Loregnard’s first choice for his study tour was Britain, and the BHA quickly stepped forward with a comprehensive programme, taking in Kempton, two days at Newmarket and two at Epsom and involving the stipendiary steward, veterinary officer, starter, judge, clerk of the scales, and clerk of the course roles.

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I BELIEVE THIS TYPE OF TRAINING SHOULD BE MANDATORY FOR THOSE WANTING TO GAIN EXPERIENCE. Loregnard said of his visit: “I can attest with the greatest degree of confidence that this type of training is more easily assimilated in an “on the job” atmosphere as offered here, rather than in a classroom.

The main reason for this is that you are experiencing the duties and responsibilities of the stewards and other racing officials in real time all while engaged in the actual race day atmosphere. There is no substitute for that and the experience remains with you forever.

“I believe this type of training should be mandatory for those wanting to gain experience, the more so as the global stewarding community is moving ahead with plans to standardise some of its rules and protocols. Events in the racing industry are now seen in real time and not delayed as they were twenty years ago and so in many cases we have a more educated public.

“While in most countries policies have been defined by culture - by which I mean the way things have been processed since one got into the industry – the essence of this type of training is to learn each other’s methods and policies, from which we can compare to what exists in ours and formulate best practices, all for the betterment of our individual racing industries.”

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Pardubice racecourse

PARDUBICE AND PRAGUE – VENUES FOR EMHF’s 2018 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING

A year after Dr Martina Krejci, alongside Sweden’s Helena Gartner, became one of the first two females to be elected to our Executive Council, her employers, the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic, hosted its annual meeting at the Hotel Paris in Prague.

Festival, Zeleznik and all the other Czechbased winners of the Velka Pardubicka have had first to successfully complete one of four trials for the big race, and our delegates were lucky enough to gather at Pardubice racecourse to witness the favourite Ange Guardian (GER) hold on to win the fourth and final such trial before 2018’s renewal.

A popular winner, since he is trained by the legendary Josef Vana, eight times winner of the big race as a rider, and trainer of last year’s victor No Time To Lose.

For those unfamiliar with Pardubice, it is a verdant track – easy on the eye – some 90 minutes east of Prague. It packs a startling array of obstacles (including the infamous Taxis, which is only jumped the one time each year) into a relatively compact area, making the viewing excellent.

Cross-country steeplechases made up most of the card, with each race tracing a different and somewhat baffling, course.

Perhaps the best advice to a first-time visiting jockey would be – don’t make

the running. Children of all ages are kept involved and amused: there’s even a ‘miniPardubicka’ course for the smaller ones to jump round. Throughout the day, horsedrawn carriages take spectators up close to the fences on leisurely tours of the track – something that could surely be adopted by many other tracks across Europe. The stabling area is spacious and relaxed, and between races jockeys can take advantage of a pleasant decked terrace area outside their changing rooms. Facilities generally are impressive, given that Czech racing does not benefit from a return from betting.

The scrum that characterises the paraderings of so many courses these days was noticeably absent: those close connections of the runners who were admitted tended to congregate on the far side of the circling horses, rather than in the centre, giving paddock spectators an uninterrupted view. And, while a Pardubice raceday is an occasion for many in the crowd to dress up, and hats are much in evidence, it is unequivocally the horses and the racing that the people are there to see. The fields are rewarded with warm applause as they set off, and each time they pass the grandstands, and from as far away as the final bend as each of the races reaches its crescendo. Any of those who - minutes later - trail in having tailed off, are also applauded, but seemingly not with an ironic jeer – rather, as an appreciation of their unrewarded efforts. It all made for a thoroughly heart-warming day.

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| TRAINING |

STA RTING OUT

the latest update from new trainer – Gavin Hernon

APRH

Saturday 18th August 2018, a dream start and a day that will live very long in the memory.

T

o win a Deauville maiden, an hour before the hammer starts to fall on some of the best-bred yearlings in Europe would be a special moment for most trainers. I still need to pinch myself to be sure I’m not in a dream to have won the Prix Des Etalons Shadwell with my first runner.

Icefinger is a horse we have always thought might have a touch of class. We had given him Group entries before his

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race but we might opt for a Listed race to allow him grow up. His very relaxed manner at home just meant that it took him a bit of time to come to hand. Despite our belief in him, I never thought he would be able to beat nice horses who had experience in regarded maidens at the first time of asking. That day was a nice way to culminate the start-up phase of our yard.

I firmly believe that the authorization and licensing process in France is the best grounding one can get. That said, it still doesn’t quite prepare me for what comes next. Establishing a company in France and getting all the necessary paperwork in place isn’t the most straightforward and this is probably an area where France lags behind other neighbouring countries.

Admittedly, through August most of Europe takes the month as a holiday which adds to the timeline to do anything.

It probably doesn’t help that I’m wired to prefer spending time outside with the horses.

I am fortunate that I have an excellent accounting firm in Equicer guiding me through everything step by step and now we’re fully set up and running.

Even my bank account got held up in the bureaucracy so I’m grateful to my suppliers for their patience.

I feel it is necessary to say that Olivier Delloye of France Galop is an exception and his help throughout has been nothing short of phenomenal given his busy schedule and without him, Icefinger

| GAVIN HERNON |

probably would not have been able to run when he did.

My previous update had been written days before myself and my girlfriend, Alice moved into what had served as a lucky yard to Mr. Francois Doumen on the Chemin du Mont De Po. It boasts 25 of some of the newest stables to be built in Chantilly and direct access to Les Aigles and Les Lions training centres. We are very excited to be training from here, the horses love the bright, well circulated boxes and we have settled in well.

We’re up and running with three horses in the yard so far, for three different owners, and they’ve all run already! I’m lucky to have three good owners to start with, who all are interested in doing more and having more horses in France. Icefinger is a dream, one that his owner BLC Horse Racing, agent Morten Buskop and I are hoping will take us to exciting places over the coming months. We’ll take it step by step as he still needs to learn more about his job!

We tried to be adventurous with Repercussion, entering him in the Prix Quincey. He is a quirky horse, but he has a lot of ability and just needs things his own way a little bit. Maybe a confidence booster might be best for him!

Epic Challenge is a gent of a horse who has quite a bit of ability. He found instant fame in Chantilly helping to catch a loose

WE’VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO GET AROUND THE SALES AND MEET PEOPLE TO TRY AND STRIKE UP AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEW OWNERS AND HORSES AND ALL GOING WELL WE’VE GOT A FEW THINGS IN THE PIPELINE. filly and being very chivalrous about the whole encounter. Despite his gentle nature, his testicles appear to be causing him some pain and he is set to be gelded in the coming days. I see him having a bit in hand off his UK mark of 83 in time.

We’ve been working hard to get around the sales and meet people to try and strike up and build relationships with new owners and horses and all going well we’ve got a few things in the pipeline. It’s very difficult at this stage as we have to balance

between managing the horses we have in and picking up new ones. Currently it’s only Alice and I in the yard which makes getting away that bit harder - Alice is doing a great job riding the horses as evidenced

by Icefinger! We’ve managed to attract a couple of experienced exercise riders for the yard as well who all come on board in the coming weeks and we’ll start to get into a more established routine on a bigger scale.

Understandably, our current model of training three horses is far from being a financially viable one. It is however, what I consider to be a key stage in presenting what we do to potential clients. Attracting support in this industry has never been easy, particularly if there aren’t results to back it up and I felt that if we could show some results from limited numbers during the sales season, it might just tip some potential clients over our side of the fence and be worth the financial risk.

The moment the first horses arrived on to this yard, life took a significant turn and a commitment was made to give maximum effort in getting the best out of each and every individual that walked into the yard.

There are no hiding places on any racetrack and without an attention to detail that rivals the competition, 4.30 a.m. starts would be in vain and days like Saturday, 18th August 2018 would remain as dreams unfulfilled.

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| HINDSIGHT |

Oscar Yeadon

APRH, Caroline Norris, Haras Du Quesnay

ALEC HEAD Oscar Yeadon recently caught up with Alec Head to look back on his remarkable career as jockey, trainer and breeder, and his part in the enduring Head training dynasty and development of the thoroughbred pedigree in Europe.

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| ALEC HEAD |

Your grandfather William Head Sr. was a steeplechase jockey in Britain before moving to France in the 1870s and later established the training business that you ultimately became part of. Did you ever have an ambition to have a career outside of racing?

“I don’t know why my grandfather came to France, particularly, but he set up in Maisons-Laff ffiittte and then my father set ffi up in Chantilly and everyt ything followed yth from there. I don’t think I could have done anyt ything else!” yth What was your first involvement in racing?

“It was around 1942, when I started race riding. I won the big race over jumps at Auteuil, and was riding on the Flat as well, but got too heavy vy. We raced through vy. the war and it was tough, and I used to bicycle everyw ywhere. The Germans would ywh go to the races as well, so racing continued but a lot of the courses were shut, so they organised Flat and Jumps meetings at the few that were open, such as Auteuil and Maisons-Laff ffiittte. ffi “Racing recovered fairly quickly after the war and I stopped riding towards the end of the decade, because I was by then married and my wi wife Ghislaine said I wif should stop!

“So I started training and had always planned to do so - what else could I do?

We had very few horses, but the business grew organically by win inning races. I had some luck in sending horses to Italy, who won their races there, which attracted some Italian owners, who then sent me horses, including Nuccio.

And Nuccio was your big break?

“Yes, Nuccio provid ided my big break, when he won the Arc in 1952 for the Aga Kh haan III, who had purchased him the season before. That led to the development of a relationship wi with Prince Aly wit ly Khan, who was unbelievable, a superman. He could have bought two mountains.”

The Arc has certainly proven a special race for your family....

“Yes, my father twic ice trained the win inner, including Bon Mot, who was ridden by my son, Freddy, the youngest jockey to win in the race at that point, aged 19. My daughter Criquette trained Three Troikas to wi win in 1979, ridden by Freddy and win owned by Ghislaine, while Treve’s two win ins followed that of Criquette’s son-inlaw, Carlos Laff ffon Parias, wi ffo with Solemia.” wit Treve was bred at Haras du Quesnay, which has been home to your breeding operation for sixty years. How did it start?

“About 10 years into my training career, I was looking for a stud as I love breeding.

The stud had not been in use for many years and was not very well known, but I knew the guy who was dealing wit ith Mrs Macomber (the wid idow of A Kingsley Macomber, who had owned a Preakness win inner and also won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe wit ith Parth). “ The stud was in bad shape, havi ving vin been unoccupied since the Germans during the war. It took two years to get it up and running, as we could only aff fford to ffo do it gradually.”

ABOVE: Alec Head and daughter Criquette Head-Maarek. BELOW: Haras du Quesnay OPPOSITE PAGE: Alec Head (second-right) with father, William (right), grand-daughter Patricia, Criquette and Freddy (in the family colours) 1982.

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| HINDSIGHT |

As a breeder, you have been widely acknowledged as a major pedigree influence by bringing American bloodlines to Europe.

What are your memories of that period? “ The US bloodlines were doing well and we went to Keeneland and were lucky to buy the likes of Riverman, Lyph phard and many others. We would later sell some back to the US, for which we received some criticism as some of the stallions were syndicated and the shareholders liked the money to spend on other stuff ff ! ff!

“Some of those stallions injected new blood into the French breeding industry and you can draw parallels wi with what wit Northern Dancer brought to Ireland, through Europe.”

What are your thoughts on the recent moves by the European Pattern Committee to enhance the stayers’ programme?

“It’s a very good thing. You can see the interest is these races. Look at the crowd for the Ascot Gold Cup this year. It’s a great race to win in, as I did wit ith Sheshoon, but I was fortunate to have a good jockey in George Moore, who was very smart. Sheshoon was diff ffic ffi icult and very temperamental. It’s very important for a stable to have a good long-term stable jockey. Look at Dettori wi with Gosden.” wit

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| ALEC HEAD |

I THINK RACING’S WONDERFUL, SO THERE’S NOTHING I CAN R E A L LY S AY I W O U L D WA N T TO CHANGE. Do you think it’s harder or easier for the trainers of today to forge a successful career?

“I really don’t think there’s any diff fference ffe between then and now. Gosden, de RoyerDupre and others, are all 70-year-olds, or so, and they’re still at the top.

“At my peak, I had around 120 horses and, later in my career, only trained for Pierre Wertheimer and the Aga Kha han.

They were top breeders and it was wonderful. Mr Wertheimer gave me the money to buy horses from all over the world. I wouldn’t say I was a pioneer; I was very lucky!

“I think maybe it’s harder for younger trainers today, as the bigger owners have mostly disappeared, but it was hard in our time, too!”

Of the trainers who were contemporaries of yours, who stands out?

“At the sales or on the racecourse, I would often run against Vincent O’Brien. He was a genius. He trained Derby win inners and Grand National wi winners. He was very win smart, he really was something else. You don’t have trainers who train under both codes at that level these days.”

Is there anything that you would change about racing today?

“I think racing’s wonderful, so there’s nothing I can really say I would want to change. I had everyth thing I needed as a trainer in Chantilly. The track is beautiful, and you have a forest where you can work and the new dirt track is very good. Havin ing lots of trees means it’s very sheltered. But I would also say Newmarket is a beautiful training centre.”

And what do you feel was your greatest achievement?

“Breeding Treve, that was the best accomplishment. She was unbelievable and unlucky not to wi win three Arcs.” win

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ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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PRODUCT FOCUS ARIONEO PRESENT EQUIMETRE Technology for horses, whatever will they think of next? Not long ago, this was the same cry with regards to human athletes but now, it is mainstream. In the face of competition, success is paramount and understanding how the athletic body is behaving is key to success. In humans, of course it is easier, we can speak and communicate with regards to how our bodies are standing up to the stress and strain of competing. With an equine, it is far more difficult.

Equimetre is designed to work in partnership with a trainer. There is no replacement for skill, experience and expertise but there is a place for objective, precise data to assist in training.

So why is Equimetre so different? Four years in the development, the main set of electrodes have been specially designed, and are now patented, for the equine. It is critical that the data recorded from the horse is accurate and in order to achieve y this level of precision the use of only human electrodes was not viable due to the levels of sweat, the coat of the horse itself and the big one, the vibration of the horse when travelling at speed.

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Arioneo, took guidance from trainers at every step, understanding that the device must be simple and quick to attach to a horse. There is a reader which reads the microchip of each horse prior to being attached on the girth. Our testing reveals that the entire process is achieved in under 30 seconds. Each Equimetre can be used on a different horse on each lot, downloading the data at the end of morning training, flexibility is key and data can be downloaded after every session.

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| PRODUCT FOCUS |

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NATIONAL TRAINERS FEDERATION ANNOUNCES OPENING OF NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2019 LYCETTS TEAM CHAMPION AWARD The Lycetts Team Champion Award showcases trainers’ yards which promote a team ethos The window for nominations opens on Monday 3rd September 2018.

The closing date is Monday 3rd December 2018.

The Lycetts Team Champion mission is to showcase the positive results of developing a team that works well together, spread the message about safe working practices and improve recruitment and retention rates by promoting the most successful ways in which racehorse trainers manage their staff and thereby encourage wider adoption of those practices.

The Lycetts Team Champion Award has two categories – for trainers with 40 horses or more;

and for trainers with fewer than 40 horses. The winning yard in each category will receive £4000 to be spent in a way that benefits and enhances the team.

Teams scoring above given points thresholds will achieve recognition through a star-rating system and have the right to use the unique award logo to promote their business.

39 current holders of the star-rating can be viewed on the award website.

The 2019 winners will be announced at a special ceremony on Thursday 28th February 2019.

THE LYCETTS TEAM CHAMPION MISSION IS TO SHOWCASE THE POSITIVE RESULTS OF DEVELOPING A TEAM THAT WORKS WELL TOGETHER.

● For further details please visit – www.racehorsetrainers.org

ISSUE 63 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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| PRODUCT FOCUS |

EQUISAL TAPEWORM: THE SALIVA TEST TO DETECT TAPEWORM INFECTIONS IN HORSES EquiSal Tapeworm testing detects tapeworm infections by measuring anti-tapeworm antibodies in saliva. The test is accurate and reliable, diagnosing all pathogenic tapeworm infections (validation published in Veterinary Clinical Pathology journal*1).

Horse worms are becoming increasingly resistant to dewormers as a result of the drugs being overused, or used routinely without proof that they are required. Best practice to prevent resistance is to reduce the number of routine dewormers that horses receive.

Published research has shown that use of EquiSal Tapeworm saliva testing effectively controlled tapeworm infections and reduced the use of tapeworm dewormers by 86% compared with six-monthly deworming strategies*2.

It is common for horses to be diagnosed with tapeworm infections in their first test despite regular deworming. In these cases, annual or six-monthly treatments have not been effective at maintaining a healthy balance, resulting in chronic infection broken briefly by deworming. It is important to be diagnostic-led and consider targeting doses as required to help break the tapeworm life cycle, decrease pasture contamination, and therefore reduce the horse’s risk of reinfection. This strategy, together with good pasture management, can help to prevent chronic infection and enables more efficient management of tapeworm infections.

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Lightbody et al. (2016) Vet Clin Path, 45: 335–346 Lightbody et al. (2017) Equine Vet J. 50: 213-219

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