European Trainer - Issue 47 - October to December 2014

European

ISSUE 47 – OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2014 £5.95

www.trainermagazine.com

THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FOR THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE THOROUGHBRED

TREATING equine respiratory disease

GUILLERMO ARIZKORRETA Spain’s leading trainer in profile CARDIAC RHYTHM

New technology brings new insights

RACECOURSES To water or not to water?

GILES ANDERSON Europe needs cohesion

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HAMPIONSHIP season is upon us! Flat racing is taking centre stage with its key autumn races but I still feel that the wider European scene is missing a trick in bringing cohesion between countries. Yes, there have been welcome changes made to the European Pattern, but the European Pattern Committee can only do so much. To me, there is a sense that courses like to guard their own territory without looking at what could be done to maximise international opportunity.

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

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

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

This particular weekend should be a weekend of opportunity. The timing of the Irish card on the Saturday is cleverly crafted and follows on from the action on Town Moor. But what could really make this day work even better are two key players – Attheraces, who hold the TV broadcasting rights to Doncaster as well as Irish courses; and Ladbrokes, who have significant interests in the Irish Republic and across the United Kingdom. With the welcome news that Ladbrokes have agreed to continue sponsoring the oldest classic for another two years, perhaps they could be the ones to develop something like a Super Saturday bet for their customers to produce the potential of a big payout. n OUR very vigilant readers will have noticed that we gradually shifted our publication schedule this year. This issue will last through until the end of December, after which we will publish the first of our four issues for 2015.

We’ve recently made further enhancements to our website – www.trainermagazine.com – where you can now search for subjects we’ve already covered or read back issues online.

Wherever your racing takes you between now and the end of the year, good luck! n ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 01

Chairman’s message

CRIQUETTE HEAD

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WELCOME the movement of American trainers who are lobbying for the elimination of race-day medication in the USA. This subject has been discussed for many years and it is most satisfactory to see that so many leading American professionals are now lending their support to the proposal to phase out race-day medication, starting with two-year-olds from next year and for all horses from 2016.

On behalf of the ETF, I pledge our support for drug-free racing in America. It would be a great step forward for horse welfare and, above all, for the wellbeing of the American breeding industry as a whole if these new regulations could finally be adopted.

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

In France all eyes have been on the World Equestrian Games, held in Normandy at the end of summer. I have not had time to follow the events as closely as I would have liked but I have the utmost respect for these riders.

Whatever our discipline, we are all horsemen and women.

There are plenty of similarities between equestrian sports and racing and I am sure that we could all learn something from each other, while widening our appeal to new audiences.

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I hope that you have all had a successful summer of racing. We have enjoyed some top-class action over the past months and I would like to congratulate the trainers of winners at all levels.

“On behalf of the ETF, I pledge our support for drug-free racing in America. It would be a great step forward if these new regulations could finally be adopted” In a similar vein of promoting racing’s image, I was delighted to be invited to a dinner in London recently, organised by the Magic Millions Racing Women Association.

Former World Champion event rider Zara Phillips is patron of this operation, which aims to raise the profile of women in racing, and the dinner was attended by a range of ladies from all spheres of the racing and equestrian world. In addition to Zara Phillips, guests included Katie Page-Harvey of Magic Millions, successful Australian showjumper Edwina Tops-Alexander and Rachel Hood, who is a familiar name to all involved in racing. This initiative represents another way in which we can help to make equine activity more accessible to newcomers and it was an honour for me to participate in this inaugural London dinner.

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

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Issue 47

CONTENTS 12

Reigning in Spain

Leading Spanish trainer, Guillermo Arizkorreta, by Emma Berry

20

Morning exercise effects on muscle Dr Barbara A. Murphy discusses her research on a horse’s muscle physiology

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Cardiac rhythm

Celia Marr on new technology that brings new insights

32

Prohibited natural substances

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

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Streptococcus

Celia Marr on important research funded by the Horseracing Betting Levy Board on the respiratory disease

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Tongue-ties

Thomas O’Keeffe on the use, efficacy and welfare debate of tongue-tying

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Shunted heels

Quarter cracks can be avoided with proactive management of heels, by Scott Morrison, DVM.

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Watering courses

Does summer watering affect going during the winter?

by Lissa Oliver

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Book review

The Racehorse: a veterinary manual

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Contributors

8

European Trainers’ Federation

10

TRM Trainer of the Quarter

66

Product Focus

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48

Stakes Schedules

Harry Fry about his hopes for the future

David Crosse

Trainer on the up

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CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & Editorial Director Giles Anderson Editorial Consultant Frances Karon Circulation/Editorial Executive Louise Crampton Design/Production Neil Randon Advertising Sales Giles Anderson, Harriet Scott Photo Credits: Emma Berry, Horsephotos.com, Shutterstock, Celia M Marr, Lewis Smith/Rossdales, Getty Images, Fiona Crawford Photography, Caroline Norris, Scott E. Morrison, York Racecourse, Leopardstown Racecourse, Saint-Cloud Racecourse, Trillium Place Stables

Cover Photograph Emma Berry

Trainer Magazine is published by Anderson & Co Publishing Ltd. This magazine is distributed for free to all ETF members. Editorial views expressed are not necessarily those of the ETF. Additional copies can be purchased for £5.95 (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 enquiries please contact Anderson & Co Publishing Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1380 816777 Fax: +44 (0)1380 816778 email: info@trainermagazine.com www.trainermagazine.com Issue 47

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Emma Berry is the Bloodstock Editor of Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder and European correspondent for Inside Racing in Australia. She is married to trainer John Berry and lives in Newmarket with too many horses, dogs and cats.

David Crosse is a professional National Hunt jockey. He moved to England from Ireland when he was 16 starting his career as an amateur for Charlie Mann in Lambourn. Champion Amateur jockey in 2001/02, he rode a Cheltenham Festival winner for Nicky Henderson. He then took out a Conditional licence, riding out his claim with 75 winners in 2004. David now rides out for Colin Tizzard, Tom Symonds and Nigel Twiston-Davies and has ridden more than 170 winners. He writes a blog for Love The Races website.

Dr Catherine Dunnett BSc, PhD, R.Nutr. is an independent nutritionist registered with the British Nutrition Society.

She has a background in equine research, in the field of nutrition and exercise physiology, with many years spent at The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket. Prior to setting up her own consultancy business, she worked in the equine feed industry on product development and technical marketing.

Professor Celia Marr is an equine clinician at Rossdales, Newmarket. She is a RCVS and European Specialist in Equine Medicine and Honorary Professor at the Glasgow University Veterinary School. She previously worked at veterinary schools in Glasgow, Pennsylvania, Cambridge and London and in racehorse practice in Lambourn. She is Chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board’s Thoroughbred Research & Consultation Group and Editor-in-Chief of Equine Veterinary Journal.

Scott Morrison graduated from the Eastern School of Farriery, Virginia in 1990 and graduated Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999.

After an internship at Rood and Riddle in 1999, he then started the podiatry center at the hospital. The podiatry center currently employs 5 podiatry veterinarians and 5 farriers. Scott currently provides podiatry services and consultations in the USA and often travels internationally. He has written many papers, articles and book chapters on equine podiatry and still finds time to play polo and work with green horses.

Dr Barbara Murphy has held the position of Lecturer and Head of Equine Science at University College Dublin in Ireland since completing a PhD in Veterinary Science at the Gluck Equine Research Centre at the University of Kentucky in 2007. Her research interests are in equine reproduction and performance and she is Chairman and Founder of Equilume Ltd, which developed the innovative Equilume Light Mask as a result of her research on light manipulation in breeding stock.

Thomas O’Keeffe is a graduate of University College Dublin, working in Ocala, Florida. He worked for Rossdales and Partners in Newmarket, UK as a member of their ambulatory racing veterinary team and in their hospital facility. He was also an associate with Scone Equine Hospital, Australia, as resident veterinary surgeon for Darley’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland and worked in Lexington, Kentucky with Dr Ruel Cowles, DVM. 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 two novels.

Dr. JoAnn Slack is an Assistant Professor of Large Animal Cardiology and Ultrasound at the University of Pennsylvania. She received her DVM from the University of Wisconsin, completed a 2 year fellowship in equine cardiology and ultrasonography and is board certified in Large Animal Internal Medicine. Research includes equine cardiac arrhythmias and their effects on performance, cardiac biomarkers in the horse and echocardiography in the critical care setting. Current research includes electrocardiographic findings during racing, cardiac arrhythmias during the cross country phase of eventing and cardiac abnormalities during endotoxemia.

Josh Slater took a position at the University of Cambridge where he completed a PhD in equine infectious diseases. Now Professor of Equine Clinical Studies at the Royal Veterinary College, London he continues to research equine infectious diseases, in particular strangles and EHV. A former president of the British Equine Veterinary Association and the European College of Equine Internal Medicine Josh is senior vice president of the Federation of European Equine Veterinary Associations. He was National Technical Official responsible for biosecurity at the London 2012 Equestrian Olympic Games.

Andrew Waller moved to the pharmaceutical industry after DPhil studies to develop anti-infective agents for the treatment of antibiotic resistant disease.

Appointed Head of Bacteriology at the Animal Health Trust in 2003, he has exploited the emerging genome information towards the development of new vaccines and diagnostic tests for the prevention of equine Strangles and infection with Streptococcus zooepidemicus. He contributes to the HBLB’s code of practice for the control of Strangles and the Strategy to Eradicate and Prevent Strangles (STEPS) by the British Horse Society.

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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:

Criquette Head-Maarek Association des Entraineurs de Galop 18 bis Avenue du Général Leclerc 60501 Chantilly FRANCE Tel: + 33 (0)3 44 57 25 39 Fax: + 33(0)3 44 57 58 85 Email: entraineurs.de.galop@wanadoo.fr

Vice Chairmanship:

Max Hennau FEDERATION BELGE DES ENTRAINEURS Rue des Carrieres 35 5032 - Les Isnes BELGIUM Tel: Fax: +32 (0)81 56 68 46 Email: mhennau@gmail.com

GERMANY

Vice Chairmanship:

Christian von der Recke Hovener Hof 53919 Weilerswist Germany Tel: +49 (0 22 54) 84 53 14 Email: recke@t-online.de

SPAIN

Erika Mäder Jentgesallee 19 47799 Krefeld Tel: +49 (0)2151 594911 Fax: +49 (0)2151 590542 Mobile: +49 (0)173 8952675 Email: trainer-und-jockeys@netcologne.de

Mauricio Delcher Sanchez AZAFRAN, 5- 3ºM MAJADAHONDA 28022 Madrid Spain Tel: +34 (0)666 53 51 52 Email: mdelcher@hotmail.com

CZECH REPUBLIC

UNITED KINGDOM

Josef Vana CZECH JOCKEYS AND TRAINERS ASSOCIATION Starochuchelska 192/16 159 00 Praha 5 - Velka Chuchle Contact: Roman Vitek Mobile: +42 (0)606727027 Email: drvitek@email.cz

Rupert Arnold NATIONAL TRAINERS’ FEDERATION 9 High Street - Lambourn - Hungerford Berkshire RG17 8XN Tel: +44 (0)1488 71719 Fax: +44 (0)1488 73005 www.racehorsetrainers.org

SLOVAKIA

ITALY

Jano Cagan SLOVENSKA ASOCIACIA DOSTIHOVYCH TRENEROV MDZ 48 942 01 SURANY Slovakia Tel: +42 19 03 165 609 Email: zuzana.caganova@gmail.com

Ovidio Pessi U.N.A.G. Via Montale, 9 20151 Milano milano@unag.it paolapezzotti@libero.it tel. +39 02 48205006 mobile: +39 348 31 33 828

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Treasureship:

Jim Kavanagh IRISH RACEHORSE TRAINERS ASSOCIATION Curragh House-Dublin Road Kildare-Co.Kildare IRELAND Tel: +353 (0) 45 522981 Fax: + 353 (0) 45 522982 Mobile: + 353(0)87 2588770 Email: irishrta@eircom.net www.irta.ie

NORWAY

Sven-Erik Lilja Eventyrveien 8, 1482 Nittedal Norway Tel: +47 (0) 67 07 14 12 Mobile: +47 (0) 91 12 88 96 Email: svelilja@gmail.com

SWEDEN

Fredrik Reuterskiöld Swedish Trainers Association South Notarp 3228 S-243 92 Hoor Tel: +46 (0)413 55 00 65 Fax: +46 (0)413 55 04 95 Mobile: +46 (0)70 731 26 39 Swedish Trainers Association North Karlaplan 10 115 20 Stockholm Sweden Mail: worldracing@hotmail.com Tel: +46 (0)8 662 46 79 Mobile: +46 (0)708 756 756

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David Simcock landed a memorable Grade 1 double in Canada with Sheikhzayedroad and Trade Storm (right) at Woodbine. Trade Storm won the feature Ricoh Woodbine Mile and Sheikhzayedroad the Northern Dancer Handicap

TRM Trainer of the Quarter

DAVID SIMCOCK

The TRM Trainer of the Quarter award has been won by David Simcock. Simcock and his team will receive a selection of products from the internationally-acclaimed range of TRM supplements worth â‚Ź2,000, as well as a bottle of select Irish whiskey.

WORDS: HARRIET SCOTT PHOTOS: TRILLIUM PLACE STABLES

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EPTEMBER September has truly been a golden month for Newmarket trainer David Simcock and his Trillium Place team, after achieving an illustrious Grade 1 double at Woodbine with Sheikhzayedroad and Trade Storm.

A fourth win this year under Martin Lane, Sheikhzayedroad made a successful North American debut in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, followed later that day by Trade Storm collecting his sixth win in thirty four starts in the Woodbine Mile. The well travelled bay now looks forward to a possible visit to Santa Anita the first week of November, before heading back to Dubai next year, where the plan will be to repeat his Group 2 Zabeel Mile victory.

In the ten years since David and his wife Jennie set up on their own with a handful of horses, things have gone from strength-tostrength for the duo. Their first runner, Cut And Dried, won the day the two got engaged on February 14th 2004, a portentous sign.

Now with a string of over 100, Simcock began his career as pupil assistant to Ian

Balding, moving to Lambourn for an enjoyable stint in the employment of legend Major Dick Hern. His learning curve then took in a spell with William Muir at Linkslade culminating in assistant trainer to Luca Cumani at Newmarket.

Early success came with Classic Encounter, Listed winner Desert Phantom and Handicapper of the Year 2009, Darley Sun, with fillies Spirit of Dubai and Ahla Wasahl both winning Listed races in the same September weekend at Ascot. The tough but consistent Bushman became their first Group winner, when taking the Diomed Stakes at Epsom.

The arrival of Trillium Place at racing’s top table was signalled by the brilliant Dream Ahead in 2010-11. Winner that season of both the Group 1 Prix Morny and the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes, the speedster colt ended his ‘classic’ year as champion sprinter in Europe with a thrilling victory in the Darley July Cup and an impressive conquest of star mare Goldikova in the Prix de la Foret – both performances were as good as any seen by a European sprinter in recent times.

Following the retirement of Dream Ahead in autumn 2011, the stable made its presence felt in North America when I’m A Dreamer won the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park.

David and his team enjoyed another fine season in 2013, notching up 89 winners – their best tally yet – in Britain alone. Moment In Time provided the year’s domestic highpoint, winning the Group 3 Pinnacle Stakes at Haydock, later sold for 350,000gns at the Tattersalls December Sale, but the new Trillium Place flag bearer was Trade Storm, who netted nearly £100,000 when taking the Group 2 Zabeel Mile at Meydan. With both Trade Storm and Moment In Time subsequently being placed in Grade 1 events in Canada, Simcock’s ability to campaign his horses successfully all over the globe increased.

This season, high profile domestic victories have continued with stand out horses like the three-year-old filly Madame Chiang who won the Musidora Stakes this May and Breton Rock, who after wins at Haydock and Newbury, looks set to head to contest key European contests this autumn. n

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PROFILE

In eight years with a licence, Guillermo Arizkorreta has been Spain’s champion trainer three times and has his sights set on a prime international target.

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WORDS AND PHOTOS: EMMA BERRY

UST minutes from the centre of Madrid sits Hipodromo de La Zarzuela, the busiest racecourse in Spain in every sense of the word, including being a base for 33 trainers and around 80 per cent of the country’s racehorses.

The track lay closed and abandoned for a decade from 1996 and its reopening eight years ago brought with it the return from England of a young Spaniard who was set to take the domestic training ranks by storm. Now 39, Guillermo Arizkorreta has been champion trainer in Spain for the last three seasons. With six Classic victories to his name – including both the Spanish Derby and Oaks in 2013 – and 65 horses in his care, he is at the head of the country’s largest racing stable. Not that you’d know it if you met him.

Modest and self-effacing, Arizkorreta, despite his youth, is very much an old-school trainer.

He doesn’t have a website and isn’t tempted by the self-promotional opportunities of Twitter or Facebook, although he may soon have to give in to the urgings of his wife Mila on this subject.

Within the tight-knit Spanish racing community, the former champion amateur rider was already widely known before he set up his training business at the end of 2006 and his almost instant success in that sphere has provided its own advertisement.

“I’ve been lucky,” he says, typically quick to deflect praise at the speed of his ascent. “People knew me from when I was riding – I won the amateur championship two or three times as a rider so they knew my name. The people here also knew I had experience working for different trainers in England and Ireland and I was lucky to get owners quickly, then the results came.”

A native of San Sebastian in the Basque Country, Arizkorreta was educated at a French school in northern Spain and added English to his list of languages by spending summers riding out in Newmarket for Henry Cecil and David Cosgrove, and for Con Collins in Ireland.

A short stint with his French-based compatriot Carlos Laffon-Parias also formed part of his racing education which was honed during five years as pupil assistant and then assistant to Luca Cumani.

“My family is not involved in horses or racing

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GUILLERMO ARIZKORRETA

GUILLERMO ARIZKORRETA Reigning in Spain ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 13

PROFILE

Spanish Derby winner Rilke at Arizkorreta’s Madrid yard

at all,” he explains. “I learnt to ride at the local Pony Club in San Sebastian with Loritz Mendizabal and the man who ran it owned racehorses so we used to beg him to take us racing with him. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

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

“I wanted to train at some stage and I had contacts here so it seemed the right thing to do,” he says. “If the racecourse here in Madrid had stayed closed maybe I would have tried to set up in France or England but then it would have been harder to find clients.”

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

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

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“Around a third of my runners are in France and we sent horses to Dubai two years in a row – one of them won twice and was the first Spanish winner at the carnival” stayed here with horses but generally racing was hit quite hard as Spain suffered in the recession,” he admits.

That struggle is reflected in the fact that currently only 440 of the 750 boxes available at La Zarzuela’s well-equipped training centre are in use. For Arizkorreta, who has two young sons, Iker and Alex, the proximity of the track to his home, and training at the racecourse where much of the country’s racing programme takes place, is ideal.

“Eight months of the year the racing in Spain is just in Madrid so I can be here a lot with my family and not on the road so much like trainers in England,” he says. “But training here doesn’t stop me going abroad with runners. Around a third of my runners are in France and we sent horses to Dubai two years in a row – one of them won twice and was the first Spanish winner at the carnival – it was a great experience.”

Though there may be little travelling involved for his domestic runners, the summer racing in Madrid sets quite a punishing schedule for trainers, jockeys and stable staff, starting as it does at 10.15pm, albeit only once a week. The regular Thursday night meeting draws to a close at around 1am and Arizkorreta is back up and at his yard by 6am to oversee his four lots.

As with most modern racing stables, there’s an international mix of riders, the locals mixing with workers from France, Venezuela and the Czech Republic. Arizkorreta’s calm demeanour seems to rub off on his staff and horses who go

GUILLERMO ARIZKORRETA Spanish Oaks winner Navarra

A little night racing

The second lot prepare to leave the yard

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PROFILE

The second string (above) go out to the track Antonio and Guillermo watch the morning’s exercise

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about their work amiably and with the minimum of fuss.

First lot is conducted in the dark, under the floodlights of La Zarzuela’s synthetic training track. After a gentle warm-up canter, the horses file in to the track’s infield where they circle under the trainer’s intent gaze as he decides on smaller groups to head back out to the fibresand for a sharper piece of work. By the time the next 15 horses and riders are making their way out to exercise, the sun is rising behind the Madrid cityscape, offering an enchantingly cosmopolitan backdrop to the scene of lithe thoroughbreds in action.

The third lot consists almost entirely of

GUILLERMO ARIZKORRETA La ZarZueLa revitaLised Having lost a decade of racing in Madrid, the team at La Zarzuela racecourse is working hard to rebuild the connection with local racegoers and to increase the number of trainers and horses based at the training centre.

Director of Racing Gerardo Torres says: “We have good horses here and our races are competitive – we have horses who are able to compete at Group and Listed level in France.

“Next season we will be improving our prize-money again in the spring and the autumn and I’d like to encourage more trainers to come here – either to train from here or for overseas trainers to run their horses here.”

In consecutive weekends in April the track stages the Gran Premio Valderas and Gran Premio Cimera – Spain’s 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas equivalents – followed by the Gran Premio Beamonte-Prosegue (Oaks) and Gran Premio Villapadierna (Derby) in May and early June.

Of La Zarzuela’s 47 race days throughout the year, the ‘Noches del Hipodromo’, staged every Thursday night on the synthetic track under floodlights from the end of June to early September, have proved particularly popular. With a laidback party atmosphere, the evening fixtures, helped massively by Madrid’s warm climate, draw a large crowd for the racing, which starts at 10.15pm, followed by music and dancing into the early hours.

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

The grandstands at La Zarzuela

The parade ring under the trees

which carries Listed status and €120,000 in prize-money. The race was won this year by the Duke of Alburquerque’s homebred High Chaparral filly, Frine, who is also a Group 3 winner in France.

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

Madrid-based horses are stabled temporarily at San Sebastian, four hours north of the capital, while some travel south to race on the beach at Sanlucar. San Sebastian, with its picturesque seaside racecourse is, understandably, billed as ‘the Spanish Deauville’.

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PROFILE

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

juveniles and, very much like his former boss Cumani, Arizkorreta is in no hurry with the youngbloods assembled in front of him. They represent a mix of European stallions, including Le Havre, Sea The Stars, Sir Percy, Big Bad Bob and Spain’s popular sire Caradak, whose son Noozhoh Canarias has promoted his worth to a wider audience in the UK. He explains: “I’ve learned something useful from every trainer I’ve worked with. The one I spent the most time with and have probably taken the most from is Luca but it is completely different training in Newmarket to training on the track here in Spain, though the general aspect is the same. Luca gives time to horses and is very patient, which is the important thing. That’s what I try to do.

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

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

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

The only equine member of the team to demonstrate any sign of mischief is the veteran Le Feu Du Ciel, one of the trainer’s very first yearling purchases, who, at eight, is the elder statesman of the string. His penchant for whipping round and dropping his rider on the ground means he is exercised alone but with five consecutive Grand Prix de Pomapdour

victories to his name, plus a third-place finish in this year’s race, his consistency allows him to be forgiven the odd foible.

“There’s big pride when our runners go abroad, especially as they are trained here in Madrid,” says Arizkorreta. “Here we do a good job and we like to run in England or France or Dubai. We were all very excited for Enrique Leon and for Spain when Noozhoh Canarias ran in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket this year.”

With Noozhoh Canarias now trained in France by Carlos Laffon-Parias, the hunt is on for the next big Spanish star. If Arizkorreta is able to fulfil his ultimate racing goal, he will be hoping that that horse turns up in his stable in the near future.

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

“I was lucky to ride a couple of times there in the Amateur Derby – I think sixth was my best performance – but it was such an amazing track to ride and obviously you always think of what [Federico] Tesio said about the race. It’s true, it’s still so influential and it’s a unique course – you need a horse that stays and quickens and is very well balanced with a good temperament.”

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

He has already laid down a notable marker for his country on the international stage in Dubai. Don’t bet against Guillermo Arizkorreta becoming the first Spanish name to appear next to a horse in the Derby line-up at Epsom – this time as trainer rather than jockey, and very much as a professional. n

TRAINING

Effects of morning exercise on muscle response

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MORNING EXERCISE

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TRAINING

Timing is everything. Nowhere is this more relevant than when preparing an elite equine athlete for a race. Thoroughbred trainers are critically aware of the importance of fine-tuning the feeding and exercise regimes of their charges in the months, weeks and days before a big event. Timing is also critical for the smooth functioning of a horse’s musculo-skeletal system for optimal performance. Understanding how the horse’s muscle physiology works in synchrony with its environment and reacts to the exercise regimes that we subject it to in our daily management has been the focus of much research at University College Dublin by Dr. Barbara Murphy and her team.

A

WORDS: DR BaRBaRa a. MuRphy phOTOS hORSEphOTOS.COM

LL animals possess an internal body clock that ensures functions such as muscle metabolism, digestion and tissue regeneration and repair peak at the most suitable time of day to ensure survival in the wild.

This important system, called the circadian system, uses the continuous 24-hour transitions from night to day to generate rhythms in physiology and behaviour that allow a horse to stay in harmony with its environment. Each organ in the horse’s body undergoes rhythmical 24hour changes that respond to the environmental cues provided by the changing light-dark cycle, food availability and exercise.

How we time feeding, and in particular, exercise, has important implications for

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equine performance and will be explored here.

Domestication has changed many aspects of a horse’s daily life. To understand the impact human intervention has had on the horse’s body clock we must first consider their natural behaviour. As migrating herd animals bound by tight social bonds, horses evolved to spend up to 18 hours a day grazing as a group constantly on the move, covering anywhere from 40-100 km in a day.

Now consider the lifestyle of today’s thoroughbreds in training – stabled for up to 23 hours a day, isolated from a herd, fed concentrated feed at set intervals and often only exercised once per day at the same time each day. Each of these factors is accompanied by impacts on a horse’s health and performance. Gastric ulcers, respiratory disorders and stereotypic behaviours are some

of the common challenges faced by trainers and are often a direct consequence of an intensive indoor management regime – a necessary evil in the business of training elite athletes.

So what impact does a regimental early morning training time have on a horse’s performance? To answer this, a recently published study from University College Dublin evaluated the effect of routine morning exercise on muscle response in thoroughbreds. For the study, researchers chose six healthy four year old thoroughbred mares that had not been on exercise programmes previously. In the preceding year the mares had lived a sedentary life as a herd in a large pasture. The study horses were weighed weekly and only received a minimal grain enticement to encourage them to come in from the paddock each morning. They

MORNING EXERCISE were returned to their paddock following exercise each day and remained outside at night.

At the initiation of the study, mid-gluteal muscle biopsies were collected from each horse at four-hour intervals over a 24-hour period. Researchers analyzed the samples for muscle genes that had previously been seen to undergo circadian (24 hour) oscillation in other species, or that were shown to have high importance for muscle metabolism in performance horses. The horses were then put on an eight-week exercise regimen, which involved a 30-60 minute workout conducted on an automated 20m diameter exerciser at 10.30 am each day, six days per week.

In this way, all six horses could be exercised simultaneously in order to mimic a string of horses heading to the gallops at the same time each morning. The intensity of exercise gradually increased each week, with speeds up to 12km/h eventually maintained for up to 30 minutes. At the end of the study period researchers again took biopsies from each horse every four hours over a 24-hour period.

Horses were not exercised on the day that samples were collected. Gene expression patterns in these samples were then compared to the patterns identified at the beginning of the study.

The data showed that prior to beginning the exercise programme, muscle genes were

“At the end of the exercise programme a distinct pattern could be detected in muscle gene expression for specific genes” expressed constantly at a low level across the 24-hour period. This fits with our understanding of horses maintained in a natural setting, grazing for most of the night and day while constantly moving. At the end of the exercise programme however, a distinct pattern could be detected in muscle gene expression for specific genes. The shifts in the pattern of the genes matched their functions, so that genes involved in regeneration and repair were turned on at night and genes whose protein products help protect muscle against stress were turned on just prior to the 10.30 am exercise.

This is an anticipatory effect regulated by the horse’s body clock and synchronised by exercise in order to provide optimal performance at the anticipated time of highest activity. Bear in mind that this shift in muscle gene expression occurred in response to a

medium intensity daily workout consisting only of walk and trot. A far greater response would be expected when horses are in intense training consisting of high-intensity fast work in preparation for racing and where the horses spend the remainder of the day confined with minimal activity in their stables.

After the first week of exercise all the horses lost weight. This was followed by six weeks of gradual weight gain. The initial weight loss was associated with a loss of body fat while thereafter an increase in muscle mass occurred as the horses adapted to exercise and became fitter.

Every stable hand is aware of the anticipatory response to feeding time in a barn of horses by the sounds of nickering and hooves scraping in impatience. This is a response to the circadian rhythm of enzyme release from the digestive tract in anticipation of food breakdown when feeding times are restricted to certain specific hours of the day.

While we cannot hear the horses’ muscles gearing up for exercise in the early morning hours, the same thing is happening and now we have molecular evidence.

One of the genes that was found to be turned on in a rhythmic pattern in anticipation of exercise was Uncoupling Protein 3 (UPC3). UCP3 acts as an antioxidant defence mechanism to protect against damaging reactive oxygen species that are generated during exercise in skeletal

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 23

TRAINING muscle. Because exercise-induced oxidative stress is linked with a reduction in muscle performance and muscle damage, the implications are that in order to reduce the risk of musculo-skeletal injury, strenuous exercise should be scheduled at the same time as the horses daily training regime. Of course, most race times do not coincide with when we routinely train horses.

Two genes with important roles in the growth and development of new muscle fibres, a process termed myogenesis and hypertrophy respectively, and whose patterns changed dramatically in response to the exercise regime were Myogenic Differentiation 1 (MYOD1) and Myogenic Factor 6 (MYF6).

Both of these genes showed a shift in the time of day of highest activation towards the evening hours, suggesting that muscle regeneration and repair functions occur in the evening in response to a morning training regime.

The take home message from this study is that the time of day of exercise influences the 24-hour activities within muscle tissue in the horse. Muscle proteins responsible for protecting fibres from damage are present primarily at the time of day that coincides with when exercise is expected, whereas the muscle building and repair functions are primarily carried out at the opposite time of

24 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

“The shorter and faster the work, the more important it is that it is carried out at a time that matches the competition time” the day to exercise. So the question that must be asked is what is the consequence of asking an athlete to undergo strenuous exercise at a time outside of the daily training time?

Furthermore, if muscle performance is suboptimal outside the daily exercise time, is this true also of the cardio-respiratory system?

These questions remain to be answered and are worthy of further studies.

What is clear, however, is that the shorter and faster the work, the more important it is that it is carried out at a time that matches the competition time. Longer training periods, such as those associated with endurance work, will have a less important peak time for optimal performance.

Training time is of highest relevance for horses who are restricted to minimal activity

within a stable for all but one hour of the day - that hour then becomes the time cue for optimal muscle performance.

The saying goes that “all knowledge is worth having” and while it is very unlikely that many of us can shift training times from the early morning hours to the afternoon in order to facilitate optimum muscle performance on the track, trainers can still make use of this information to benefit their training regimes. Alternating training times for horses between the first and last string has the potential to buffer against a peak in gene expression so that the benefits are spread over a longer time period. Additionally, the incorporation of an afternoon hack or ‘pick of grass’ is accepted by many as beneficial to the horse’s mental well-being, but now could also help with preventing an early peak in muscle metabolism.

Ideally, fast work should be scheduled at the time of day closest to actual race time as possible. This means that to ensure horses have the best opportunity to perform optimally and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal breakdowns, training times need to be shifted to later in the day so that they coincide with racetimes. At least we may now know the reason why some horses shine at home on the gallops, but fail to perform to their potential on race day. n

VETERINARY

CARDIAC RHYTHM New technology brings new insights

When a horse runs badly, lameness or respiratory disease tend to immediately spring to mind, and indeed these are the most common causes, in that order. The heart comes in third, albeit quite a way behind these other body systems. If sudden death occurs in an equine athlete, a heart problem is usually the first thing that’s suspected. A new study, published in The Equine Veterinary Journal, provides significant insights on the cardiac rhythm abnormalities that can develop during and after racing in standardbreds.

WORDS: JOAnn SlAck, neW BOltOn centRe, UniveRSity Of PennSylvAniA, PROfeSSOR celiA M MARR, eDitOR, eqUine veteRinARy JOURnAl, neWMARket, SUffOlk, Uk PHOtOS: SHUtteRStOck, PROfeSSOR celiA M MARR

T

HE horse’s heart is an astounding organ, capable of pumping around 1 litre of blood with every heart beat, and with the ability to accelerate from a resting heart rate of around 30 – 40 beats per minute, to around 230 bpm at maximal exercise. This allows the horse to pump over 250 litres of blood every minute and in doing so, it supplies the oxygen it The conventional way to perform an ECG involves clips on the skin attached with leads to a rather bulky unit. Although, smaller onboard ECGs have been available for some time, many vets only had access to this sort of unit. In future, more will use the hand-held clip-less devices that are more practical for horses

26 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

CARDIAC RHYTHM

needs to fuel its muscles when galloping. Elvis Presley sang “Rhythm is something you either have or don't have, but when you have it, you have it all over”. But when it comes to the equine heart, was he right?

The equine ECG The heart is a pump that is powered by spontaneous electrical activity. The electrical activity is what determines the heart’s rhythm, making it either regular or irregular, slow or fast. The main tool that is used to document cardiac rhythm is the electrocardiograph – or ECG. The ECG is essentially a roadmap showing how the electrical activity which coordinates cardiac contraction spreads from its starting point in the pacemaker through the chambers of the heart.

If the rhythm is disrupted, the ECG

pinpoints exactly where within the heart chambers the disruption originates. Until fairly recently, routine recording an ECG required attaching electrodes to the horse’s skin, which in turn were attached to the recording unit by leads or wires.

Although it has been possible to record ECGs during exercise for several decades, using ECG units with integral digital recorders or those could transmit to a distant monitor by radio, inevitably, this sort of recording equipment limited availability.

ECGs have been recorded in standardbreds during race conditions in a study performed

by Dr Physick-Sheard in Canada and some surprising results emerged.

It was found that over 18% of these horses had irregularities of the cardiac rhythm, particularly as the heart slowed immediately

after intense exercise. Rhythm irregularity was more common in horses which broke stride or suffered interference raising the possibility that these are linked to stressful circumstances.

For human athletes, screening programs have been developed in an effort to identify pre-existing cardiovascular abnormalities that have the potential to cause sudden death.

These programs have been developed based on prevalence and risk factor data for various cardiac arrhythmias.

In the horse, guidelines for screening for arrhythmias prior to racing are essentially non-existent and the likely effects of various cardiac arrhythmias on athletic performance or risk of sudden death is largely based on expert opinion rather than evidence.

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 27

VETERINARY

Using a hand-held clip-less device, an ECG can be recorded simply by placing the device over the heart on the chest wall

Equine Veterinary Journal. The study was supported by Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association at Pocono Downs and Chester Downs and the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association.

Dr JoAnn Slack, co-ordinator of the research team, recorded ECGs using clip-less, hand-held devices before and after racing.

The study was performed over a 12 week period and involved Standardbred horses entered to race at a five eighth-mile race track where all races are 1 mile long. All horses entered to race on data collection days were enrolled in the study. Pre-race ECGs were obtained prior to horses warming up and postrace ECGs were obtained as soon as the horse returned to the paddock area following the race.

The ECGs were obtained simply by placing the recorder over the heart just behind the triceps muscle, usually on the left side but sometimes, if the horse was unco-operative, the right. The total study population comprised 1,816 horses; 453 trotters and 1,363 pacers. Some horses raced several times during the study and in total Dr Slack’s team recorded 4335 pre-race ECGs and 4322 postrace ECGs – quite a considerable effort, particularly as Dr Slack analysed every one personally.

Premature depolarisations

The ECG maps the timing of cardiac events, this horse has a ventricular premature depolarisation which can be identified because the interval between it and the other complexes is shorter and they have a slightly different shape

With atrial fibrillation, the intervals between each complex are different, giving a chaotic heart rhythm. In this example, which is from a horse that is resting, you can also see that there are continuous small deflections between the main complexes. These continuous deflection reflect the random electrical activity in the atria whereas the large complexes indicate activity in the ventricles, keeping the heart pumping albeit less efficiently

New ECG technology Vets on the racetracks have rarely carried traditional bulky ECG equipment. As a result, when a cardiac arrhythmia was suspected based on listening to the heart after racing, it was rarely possibly to document this or determine the exact nature. The usual outcome being that the horse returned home with an unsatisfactory explanation of why it might have run badly and uncertainty about what the future might bring. But, with recent

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technological advances, this situation looks set to change quite rapidly.

It is now possible to attach a device to a mobile phone which can very effectively record an ECG without the need for leads, clips or electrodes.

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

The study showed a wide range of rhythm abnormalities both before and after racing. By comparing several ECGs from the sub-group of horses that ran and were recorded several times, it was clear that these events did not occur consistently. Of most interest were the rhythm disturbances that are currently considered to be clinically important. The simplest form of rhythm disturbance is premature beats, or more correctly, depolarisations.

These can originate in the ventricles, the main pumping chambers, or within the atria, two chambers that sit at the top of the heart and contribute to its filling. Individual ventricular depolarisations were common, found post-race in one in every 361 race starts.

Individual depolarisations are fairly unlikely to affect the horse because they have minimal impact on the overall rhythm and cardiac output. Arrhythmias that disrupt the heart rhythm for several seconds or minutes are of more concern. Two main forms of this category were found in the Pennsylvania Standardbred Study: atrial fibrillation, occurring in 1 in 720 racestarts and ventricular tachycardia occurring in 1 in 2161 racestarts.

Atrial Fibrillation With atrial fibrillation, the co-ordinated electrical activity within the atria (filling chambers) is completely lost. In its place, random wavelets of depolarisation spread

VETERINARY

This ECG was recorded immediately after racing from a horse that ran badly and shows rapid atrial fibrillation, with a very irregular heart rhythm. At fast heart rates like this, an ECG is needed to characterise the precise nature of the arrhythmia

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

ECG – WHAT IT DOES The ECG is a roadmap of how electrical impulses travel through the heart. The atria are the filling chambers. The normal heart beat starts in the SA node, it passes across the right (RA) and left (LA) atria, to the AV node. There is a short delay then the impulse travels down into the pumping chambers, the right (RV) and left (LV) ventricles, through a network of specialised fibres. A beat originating in the sinus (the SA node), has a specific pattern of a p formed of a double peak, followed by the qrs and t complex. An SVPD is an abnormal impulse that starts in the atria and the p wave has a different shape. A VPD is an abnormal impulse that starts in the ventricles and the qrs-t have a different shape. If the abnormal impulses are starting at several sites, the qrs will have several shapes. If there are multiple abnormal impulses in succession, this is called tachycardia.

30 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

around the atria continuously, causing them to wobble rather than contract. The ventricles continue to pump, but because they are no longer filled efficiently, the overall cardiac output is reduced. This results in poor delivery of blood and oxygen to exercising muscles and therefore poor performance.

Atrial fibrillation has often been recognised in racehorses finishing badly, but this is the first study to systematically document its prevalence in such a large group of horses where every horse in the race was examined. Five of the six horses that had atrial fibrillation were amongst the group of 254 horses that did not finish, were distanced or finished greater than five seconds behind the winner, giving a prevalence of 2.0%. But, one horse with atrial fibrillation paced the best mile of his career and placed second in the race, likely developing the arrhythmia at the end of or immediately after the race.

Ventricular tachycardia Two horses had ventricular tachycardia identified after racing, one of which required emergency treatment. Both horses had normal heart rhythms prior to racing. Neither of these two individuals showed any signs of poor performance and most likely developed the arrhythmias at the end of the race or immediately afterwards. One horse had normal post-race behaviour and one horse was mildly agitated and slow to cool down.

Ventricular tachycardia is a highly concerning arrhythmia because it can lead to sudden death.

It is also very easy to mistake this arrhythmia for just a fast heart rate or even

atrial fibrillation if only a stethoscope is used and not an ECG. Having a handheld ECG available at the track can potentially facilitate a life-saving intervention.

Risk factors Dr Slack examined various risk factors that might possibly be linked to cardiac arrhythmias. Increasing age was a significant risk factor for post-race arrhythmia and for supraventricular premature depolarisations.

Furosemide (Lasix) was administered in 2,588 out of 4,335 race starts (60%). However, there was no association between post-race arrhythmia and furosemide administration.

Similarly, sex, gait and ambient temperature did not appear to have any link.

What can a trainer take from this study?

Don’t forget that the heart can be a cause for poor performance. Horses that perform poorly should have their heart listened to with a stethoscope, ideally in that early post-race period. Any irregularities in the heart rhythm or heart rates higher than expected (even if the rhythm is regular) should prompt an ECG evaluation.

What might the future bring?

We are still a long way behind human sports medicine where screening for hidden cardiac risk is widespread. But this study has provided a large and very useful database on which to build. There is a need to document the prevalence and risk factors for cardiac arrhythmias in other forms of racing. The Pennsylvania team has shown how this can be done using simple and accessible technology. n

NUTRITION

Opium poppies are grown in the UK for morphine-based pharmaceuticals for the health service

32 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

PROHIBITED NATURAL SUBSTANCES

PROHIBITED NATURAL SUBSTANCES The risks and responsibilities

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 33

NUTRITION

The recent spate of post-race positives for morphine and the conclusion of the high-profile FEI cases against two prominent eventers for reserpine highlight the inherent risks associated with horse feed and supplements. As feed and particularly supplement production becomes more of a global operation, with ingredients often being sourced from far flung continents, the risk of inadvertent contamination with prohibited substances becomes greater.

T

WORDS: CatheRine Dunnett BSC, PhD, R.nutR PhOtOS ShutteRStOCK

HE feed industry in the UK takes this risk extremely seriously and over the years has developed strategies designed to mitigate the risks both from home produced and imported ingredients. In general, the feed industry has a very good grasp of the areas of risk associated with traditional feed ingredients such as cereals, cereal biproducts, oilseeds, pulses and forages. This knowledge is firmly based on historical experience of sporadic contamination events through the supply chain. However, the picture with respect to supplements that use herbs, spices or other plant based ingredients is more complex, as we will discover.

A post-race positive can occur due to a feed or supplement issue resulting from inadvertent contamination with an ingredient that contains a prohibited substance, such as theobromine from cocoa, or hyoscine from the crop weed Datura sp. This type of contamination can occur either during growth and harvest, or during shipping or transport. Another scenario is that a purposely added ingredient may naturally contain a substance deemed to be

prohibited under the Rules of Racing, e.g. capsaicin in Capsicum sp (red chilli pepper) or valerenic acid (a natural sedative) in Valerian sp.

With respect to the recent episode of morphine contamination of feed, trainers may not be aware that morphine-containing poppies (Opium poppies, Papaver somniferum) have been grown for a number of years in the UK under a specific licence issued to allow the harvest of raw materials for the manufacture of morphine based pharmaceuticals for the health service.

Opium poppies, which are very distinctive, are grown in discrete locations in the country and their growth, harvest and processing is carefully managed by a single company. It is worth pointing out that the commonly encountered red field poppies do not present a significant risk at all as they contain only extremely low levels of morphine, if any at all.

Opium poppies are grown as a commercial break crop. The farmers are responsible solely for the preparation of the land; all other aspects of morphine production from poppies including the seed drilling, agronomy, harvest

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

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

34 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

and processing is under the strict control of the licence holder.

Interestingly, it is the poppy seed head that liberates the majority of the morphine and the poppy seeds are largely commercially redundant due to the very low level of morphine they contain. The poppy seeds and even some fragments of spent seed heads can find their way into the food chain. You may be familiar with the use of poppy seeds in the bakery industry, on those well recognised poppy seed rolls.

The issue of morphine entering the human food chain has been investigated recently by the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA); although currently it is not listed as an undesirable substance and as such there are no minimum legal limits for morphine in human food. Whilst to the human food industry the residual level of morphine in this spent material may be physiologically irrelevant, it remains problematic in horseracing where there is no ‘official’ threshold for morphine in post-race urine samples.

In the UK the BHA may take a pragmatic view of post-race positives that can be categorically shown to be due to feed contamination, but it is still unfortunate for the connections of the horse to lose the race and associated prize money. However, one can concede that a line has to be drawn in the sand and the horse will have raced with the ‘drug’ in its system, but no doubt there will be many discussions regarding the physiological significance of the often low levels detected.

Morphine is a significant analgesic and therefore must be regulated in a way that prevents its potential for abuse.

Part of the solution for both the racing and feed and supplement industry is to ensure that our partners, in terms of farmers, harvest

PROHIBITED NATURAL SUBSTANCES

contractors, ingredient processors, hauliers and storage suppliers and racing staff understand the importance of NATURALLY OCCURRING PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES and also the significance of what may be considered to be minute levels of contamination. This is an ongoing education process and one that the feed industry as a whole has taken very seriously and this forms a crucial part of the quality control processes involved in feed production. A long term wellestablished relationship between a feed company and their suppliers is important to ensure that each part of the supply chain understands where the risks lie.

NOPS accredited feed or supplements can only be produced in NOPS accredited manufacturing facilities and there are also rules that dictate from whom they can purchase ingredients. In addition, a company must always agree to adhere to all of the scheme rules. All BETA NOPS members must also take part in an early warning system that alerts BETA of any concerns surrounding ingredients or finished product arising from NOPS analysis. In addition, there are also strict rules on marketing claims that can be made and a ‘prohibited substance’ guarantee is not permissible, as it not possible to deliver. All NOPS accredited companies are audited annually, the audit process concentrating on the robustness of risk assessment and the QC systems in place including analysis that mitigate these risks.

Whilst trainers can without doubt expect a company marketing a feed or supplement into racing to take all reasonable precautions to minimise contamination risks on their behalf, trainers themselves also have a responsibility to understand those risks and to play their part in the risk management process. Newly licensed trainers are offered information on prohibited substances during the obligatory trainers’

courses and in Britain the NTF have organised seminars on the subject which have been previously well attended.

Rupert Arnold of the NTF commented “A trainer or member of his or her staff should make it their business to understand not only the rules on prohibited substances, but also the risks from feed and supplements”.

Certainly trainers should firstly be completely aware of what they are feeding and what the main ingredients are in those products, whether a feed or a supplement. It is a legal requirement for companies to provide this information on their packaging or label.

When choosing products, trainers would be advised to enquire about the quality systems that the manufacturer of the product has in place to reduce the risk of contamination with prohibited substances. This is likely to combine a risk assessment, raw material traceability and testing of ingredients and finished products. Be aware that many companies do not manufacture the product themselves and may use contract manufacturers, but they should still have a similarly robust system of traceability and quality control. Equally some small companies may have very rudimentary small scale in-house production, but their due diligence should be equally interrogated.

The BETA-NOPS quality assurance mark, which has been endorsed by both the BHA and NTF is fast becoming the industry standard for companies selling into racing, or other competitive sports under FEI rules and more than 40 companies have now signed up to this (www.beta-uk.org/pages/riders/feed-nops). The NOPS quality code includes a bolt-on appendix to a widely used existing UK assurance scheme for either feed (Universal Feed Assurance Scheme, UFAS) or ingredients & straights (Feed Material Assurance Scheme, FEMAS). Both UFAS and FEMAS were developed to increase safety within the human

“A trainer or member of staff should make it their business to understand not only the rules on prohibited substances, but also the risks from feed and supplements” Rupert Arnold, NTF

food chain and cover all aspects of source and supply of raw materials and manufacturing of feed and additives for animals. Within the Equine industry, the BETA NOPS code was developed by the BETA feed committee, which includes industry representatives, to help safeguard both the interests of consumers, but also of its feed members against the risk of NOPS contamination of feed and supplement products.

Companies are audited annually to ensure their compliance to the ‘rules’, which allows continued use of the BETA-NOPS insignia (see logo below), which can be found on packaging.

The code requires companies to show due diligence in their risk assessment and quality procedures which are designed to drive down the risk of contamination with naturally occurring prohibited substances. Inevitably this will incorporate a certain amount of feed or raw material testing for prohibited substances, the level of which is driven by the perceived risk and so may vary between companies.

For the most part, the testing protocol that is carried out indicates the absence of a discrete range of prohibited substances including caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, hyoscine, hordenine, atropine and morphine (see table overleaf). This list of tested contaminants was originally established by as a result of historical episodes of feed contamination impacting on racing. However, for supplements that contain herbs, spices, or plant extracts the potential contamination issues can be different.

This is because many plants contain pharmacologically active compounds, the supply chain is often complex and their country of origin may have a less stringent quality systems in place. For example, the table on page 34 shows some recent post-race positives for substances found in herbs, spices or other plant based ingredients. Trainers need to evaluate this increased risk for these types of ingredient, taking it into consideration when making product choices.

Claire Williams, Chief Executive of BETA, says that “display of the BETA-NOPS logo on a feed or supplement should give trainers a level of confidence that care has been taken to mitigate the risk of contamination with NOPS

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 35

NUTRITION cOMMON cONtaMiNaNts that fOrM part Of beta NOps aNalysis prOtOcOls contaminant

source

Caffeine

Coffee, biscuit meal

Theobromine

Cocoa

Morphine

Poppies e.g.

P Somniferum

Atropine

Crop weed e.g. Atropa sp

Hyoscine

Crop weed e.g. Datura sp

Hordenine

Sprouting grains

but cannot offer an absolute guarantee”. “There may be companies outside of the NOPS scheme who have equally good systems in place, but this increases the burden on a trainer to ensure that a product meets their requirements and expectations”.

The decision makers in racing yards should beware of companies who offer a guarantee that a product is free from prohibited substances, as this is a foolhardy statement and impossible to guarantee. Equally, a company or

36 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

representative that cites the tacit approval of a product by the BHA, or even the Jockey Club, or FEI, are misleading their customers, as these organisations never give such approvals or endorsements and the Jockey Club ceased being racing’s regulator in 2006, handing that responsibility to the HRA. Jenny Hall MRCVS Chief Veterinary Officer at the BHA confirmed that “whilst the BHA may at times offer informal guidance or advice on the use of some feed or supplement products, this in no way should be considered as approval”.

Trainers would be well advised to introduce their own measures to add to those implemented by feed and supplement companies. In much the same way that veterinary records are kept, it would be good practice to maintain a list of feedstuffs used regularly for individual horses, as a record of note should a problem arise.

In addition, keeping delivery notes, invoices and recording batch codes and delivery dates provides further evidence for route of contamination. Most reputable manufacturers will maintain retained samples that could be reexamined if a problem arose, but again this is a question to be asked of any supplier.

When reputation and livelihood can be at stake, one should not automatically assume that this is the case. Training yards should also retain their own samples of feeds and supplements for about two months, the duration over which a subsequent post-race

positive is possible and subsequent regulatory process will last. A representative sample of feed (500g) and a supplement (100g) stored in a sealed plastic bag labelled with the product name, batch code and purchase date should suffice. In the event of a problem the record keeping and retained samples kept by trainers provides evidence that the particular products have been fed. In addition, seeking an independent view of the prohibited substance risk from experts in this area is also worthwhile before a new product is used.

In addition, where a trainer uses a product manufactured outside of the UK, historic cases suggest that deeper questioning of the marketer is advisable. Some additives that are allowable in feed production in other countries such as the US and Australia may be regarded a prohibited substances under the rules of racing in Europe. NOPS accredited feeds can only be made on single species manufacturing lines, whereas this may not be the case for imported products.

The BETA-NOPS system has brought appreciable benefit to the racing industry, however, the recent issues with morphine show that it is not infallible and no doubt lessons will be learned, which will serve to improve the systems in place still further. Equally however, trainers should also accept that they have a part to play and need to be informed of the risks and make appropriate decisions on feeding and feed management accordingly. n

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VETERINARY

Streptococcus zooepidemicus

The bug that can place bets WORDS: PROFESSOR CELIA M MARR/AnDREW S. WALLER, AnIMAL HEALtH tRuSt/JOSH SLAtER, ROyAL VEtERInARy COLLEgE MAIn PHOtO: SHuttERStOCK

R

The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has invested over £7 million to protect racing and ensure horse welfare by disease surveillance and research on prevention of equine infections over the last decade. Infection with bacteria is one of the important causes. One bug in particular that can be found in many cases is Streptococcus zooepidemicus. We know that horses can develop immunity to this species of bacteria. However, we also know that this bacteria can be found in horses that are healthy without necessarily causing any harm. The reasons for this inconsistency are being investigated thanks to new research funded by the HBLB.

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ESPIRATORY disease affects a large proportion of young horses around the world, reducing performance with significant disruption to training and racing schedules. Inflammatory airway disease affects young horses in particular and it generally causes mucus in the trachea. Some estimates suggest that in British Flat racing yards, for every 100 horses, each month there will be nine cases.

Coughing and nasal discharge can last around eight weeks and some animals are affected again and again. All of which leads to significant cost to the racing industry. As a result, this problem has been a longstanding focus of attention for the Horserace Betting Levy Board’s (HBLB) veterinary research efforts.

Bacterial genetic code One reason why bacteria from the same species might affect horses differently is that there are different strains within a bacterial species. This is rather like different breeds of horses – a Falabella pony is the same species as a thoroughbred – but it looks and acts very differently. All living things, from human to single-cell algae in the ocean, have a genetic code written in DNA. Understanding this genetic code can reveal how organisms live and function.

An HBLB-funded collaborative team working in Dr Andrew Waller’s lab at the Animal Health Trust and Professor Josh Slater’s lab at the Royal Veterinary College have set out to unlock the genetic make-up of different strains of Streptococcus zooepidemicus in order to understand better if some strains of this bacteria cause disease while others are relatively harmless. The researchers also looked at how different strains of Streptococcus interact with the horses’ immune system. The ulitmate goal of this research is to gain the knowledge which will lead to new vaccines.

Left: S. zooeopidemicus colonies grown on a blood agar culture plate Below: The build up of mucus in the trachea (below) of infected horses found on endoscopy, which is typical of inflammatory airway disease. (Photos courtesy of Dr. Richard Newton, Animal Health Trust)

STREPS

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VETERINARY

Nasal discharge in a horse following infection with S. zooepidemicus. (Photo courtesy of Sigríður Björnsdóttir, Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST))

A global research effort The researchers started by developing a technique to produce a unique ‘genetic fingerprint’ with which to identify each different strain of the Streptococcus. They then tested samples from sick horses around the world and so far 318 different types of S. zooepidemicus have been identified with two particular strains being responsible for outbreaks of respiratory disease.

Insight from an ancient threat: Strangles The researchers had some clues about what they might find in the samples from horses with Streptococcus zooepidemicus infection because they already had extensive experience

in similar research in Strangles. Strangles is one of the oldest known, feared and most frequently reported infectious diseases of horses throughout the world. Typical signs of Strangles include abscessation of the lymph nodes in the head and neck, with swelling to such an extent that some horses are literally suffocated. It is caused by a relative of Streptococcus zooepidemicus, known as Streptotococcus equi. With Strangles, it is very clear that some recovered horses become carriers. Carriers show no outward signs and this hidden infection enables the bacteria to be spread around undetected.

Silent carriers lead to infection in youngsters In the same way as Strangles, a horse that has recovered from Streptococcus zooepidemicatus might no longer be outwardly affected itself but it may still carry the bug. For example, the particular strain responsible for the outbreak of respiratory disease in Sweden was found in a healthy horse eight months after the horse made a full clinical recovery.

This persistence of S. zooepidemicus in thoroughbred racehorses that have recovered from respiratory disease allows transmission to susceptible animals and can occur when, for example, older recovered horses are mixed with the next year’s intake of young horses. It is likely that immunity to one strain of Streptococcus does not fully protect a horse from all the other strains, so young horses can often succumb to a succession of respiratory infections as they gradually build up immunity to mix of Streptococcus zooepidemicus strains that persist in that particular yard.

Bacterial balancing acts In order to be able persist in recovered horses Streptococcus zooepidemicus must be able to survive despite the fact it is being attacked by the horse’s immune response, and at the same time, the bug must be ready to infect a susceptible animal should the opportunity arise. S. zooepidemicus strains have proteins on their surface and some of these proteins

Submandibular lymph node abscess caused by S. equi, the causative agent of Strangles, that is actually a type of S. zooepidemicus. (Photo courtesy of Nick Parkinson, University of Maryland, USA)

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inactivate the horse’s immune response. Other proteins enable the bacteria to stick to the internal surfaces of the horse in order to establish the infection, almost like an ice climber clinging to the surface of a glacier with the crampons on his boots. If he looses his crampons, he is in big trouble.

Thus, these surface proteins play key roles for the bacteria, but they are also a vunerable point and can be targeted by the horse’s immune response to disable the bacteria.

Therefore, balancing the array of surface proteins displayed with the particular requirements of the bacteria at any given time is critical if the bacteria are to successfully establish an infection and transmit to a new susceptible animal.

The bacteria places its bets The Waller and Slater team noticed that a short string of DNA could flip around such that 80% of bacteria in the population contained this region in one direction, whilst the remaining 20% contained the DNA in the reverse orientation. Through funding from the HBLB, the scientists were able to show that this region of DNA acts as a switch, controlling the cell surface proteins. This switch enables the population to hedge its bets as to which precise proteins be beneficial or not depending on the particular environment in which the bacteria finds itself. So the bacteria can immediately exploit a change in environment, such as entry into a susceptible young animal or the avoidance of an immune response in a less susceptible horse.

What might the future bring?

This HBLB funded work has provided important fundamental understanding of a cellular mechanism which allows Streptococcus zooepidemicus to exploit its environment. The next step will be to establish whether other S. zooepidemicus proteins are regulated in this way and whether any of these proteins can be used in new vaccines to reduce the impact of inflammatory airway disease on the health and performance of racehorses. n

Electron microscopy images of the surface of tracheal explants grown in the laboratory before and after infection with Streptococcus zooepidemicus. In the healthy tissue, the surface of the cells are covered with cilia, which are tiny hair-like structures which continuously sweep mucus, bacteria and dust particles from the airway. In the tissue infected, the cilia have been destroyed allowing mucus build up. (Photos courtesy of Professor Josh Slater, Royal Veterinary College)

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RACING

TONGUE-TIES

Their place in racing in 2014 The use and efficacy of tongue ties has spawned much debate and in 2009 veterinarians at the University of Edinburgh led by Safia Barakzai conducted extensive research, which was published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, to evaluate the use of tongue ties on racing performance in thoroughbred racehorses. A second study published in the same publication in 2013 from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada aimed to assess whether tongue-ties contribute to upper airway stability and therefore allow horses to breathe easier.

“

T

WORDS: THOMAS O’KEEFFE PHOTOS LEWiS SMiTH/ROSSDALES, SHUTTERSTOCK, GETTY iMAGES

HAT horse is making a noise” is an expression when heard around an exercising horse that sends shivers up the spine of anyone connected to the individual concerned.

Tongue-ties (strips of material passed through the horse's mouth over the tongue and tied under the jaw) have been used for generations on racehorses worldwide. The rider has utilized a tongue-tie as a method to keep a horse from putting its tongue over the bit and thus avoiding loss of control.

Additionally, when tongue-ties are used in an attempt to prevent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP), anecdotal reports as well as some clinical research have indicated this procedure is effective on some horses and ineffective on others.

Tongue ties or “attache-langues” in the lexicon of Longchamp and Deauville are used in training establishments in North America and Europe on a daily basis and this article aims to explore this common practice.

Welfare Concerns Applying a tongue-tie involves pulling the tongue as forward as possible and tying it close to its base around the lower jaw with a nylon strap with the tongue then pulled out to the side of the horse’s mouth. This practice of tongue-tying, however, has led to significant welfare debates, and in some countries the practice is illegal during the winter months because of the risk of frostbite to the tongue. In

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Switzerland, tongue tying is illegal all year around. It must be stated that the practice of tongue tying does not appear to cause the horse stress or pain and stimulates little reaction from the horse while their tongue is being manipulated. Obviously common sense must apply and tongue ties must not be fitted in times of inclement weather but this decision should be left in the hands of the horse’s handlers and in my opinion does not warrant further regulation.

The Edinburgh Study Records were obtained from the Racing Post online database for case horses, which were defined as those that had raced while wearing a tongue-tie, and control horses, those that had never raced while wearing a tongue-tie. The case horses had to meet the following criteria: have at least five race starts before wearing a tongue tie in a race; had not raced during the 18 months prior to August 1, 2008 so as to ensure that their training and racing careers

“Tongue-tying has led to significant welfare debates, and in some countries the practice is illegal during the winter months because of the risk of frostbite to the tongue”

were finished; and had not raced before January 1, 1999 because the use of tongue ties was not recorded before that date. Each case horse was matched by gender and age with one or two unexposed horses if such matches could be found. The lifetime record for each control horse was examined to ensure that it had never raced with a tongue-tie and had started in at least five races before the date when its matched exposed horse raced with a tonguetie.

Performances of all the study horses were analysed in three groups. Group 1 was made up of all case horses that wore a tongue-tie at least once, plus their matched controls. Group 2 was made up only of case horses that ran with a tongue-tie in place for three or more consecutive races after the first race in which a tongue-tie was used, plus their matched controls. Group 3 was made up only of case horses that ran with a tongue-tie in place for five or more consecutive races after the first race in which a tongue-tie was used, plus their matched controls.

The researchers gathered data on the total number of lifetime starts before and after the date of the first race where a tongue tie was used as well as total race earnings for the five starts before and five starts after a tongue tie was introduced. Data collected included age, number of starts prior to the first race using a tongue-tie, number of starts within 12 months after beginning to use a tongue-tie, and lifetime starts after beginning to use a tongue-tie.

Case horses tended to have fewer race starts than control horses before the first race using a

TONGUE-TIES

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RACING their next five races after the date when a tongue tie was used.

What does this tell us about the use of tongue-ties in racing thoroughbreds?

tongue-tie. After the date when a tongue-tie was first used, horses in each set had about the same number of starts. However, case horses in groups 2 and 3 had significantly more starts than control horses in the 12 months following the first race using a tongue-tie.

For group 1, case horses were 1.85 times more likely than control horses to have improved earnings in their next three races after the date when a tongue-tie was first used.

A dynamic scope being used on the gallops in front of the Rowley Mile

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For group 2, case horses were 3.6 times more likely than matched control horses to have improved earnings in their next three races after the date when a tongue tie was first used.

For group 3, case horses were 4.24 times more likely than matched control horses to have improved earnings in their next three races after the date when a tongue-tie was used, and 5.05 times more likely than matched control horses to have improved earnings in

Though previous research has shown inconclusive results regarding the efficacy of tongue-ties, this study seemed to indicate an advantage when certain groups of horses wore the device. The authors state, "The data here appear to show that tongue tie use has a beneficial effect on racing performance in selected horses that are perceived by their trainer to be afflicted with DDSP or which are run with a tongue tie in place to improve jockey control, and that this beneficial effect on racing performance is particularly marked for horses that run in at least three or five consecutive races wearing a tongue tie."

No attempt was made in this study to distinguish between horses with suspected or confirmed DDSP and horses that had a training or control problem.

The authors commented that while use of a tongue-tie appeared to enhance performance in some horses, the results of the study should not be seen as a promotion of tongue-tie use for normal horses as a performance enhancing aid.

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

TONGUE-TIES Stewards in the build up to the Belmont Stakes requesting permission to use nasal strips on the horse whilst competing in the race. In a Stewards house rule, nasal strips had previously fallen under the broad catch-all of a non approved device and was thus banned from use in New York, in sharp contrast to the policy in California where nasal strips can be and are used commonly within the rules of racing.

As the debate intensified, eminent North American veterinarian Dr. Scott Palmer was quoted “I recommend that the stewards at Statebased thoroughbred racetracks discontinue their ban on equine nasal strips. Equine nasal strips do not enhance equine performance nor do they pose a risk to equine health or safety and as such do not need to be regulated.

“While there is research to indicate that equine nasal strips decrease airway resistance in horses and may decrease the amount of bleeding associated with EIPH to some degree, I am unfamiliar with any research indicating that equine nasal strips enable a horse to run faster with nasal strips than without them.

“In other words, there is no evidence they have a performance enhancing effect. Equine nasal strips do not pose a welfare or safety risk to the horse. They are applied to the top of the nose and anyone can see their use prior to a race. If improperly applied, equine nasal strips cannot interfere with performance. In my opinion equine nasal strips fall into the same category as tongue-ties.” The stewards

“Equine nasal strips do not pose a welfare or safety risk to the horse.

They are applied to the top of the nose and anyone can see their use prior to a race” Dr. Scott Palmer considered Dr. Palmer’s advice and thus determined to allow the unregulated use of the nasal strips.

It is clear that for ease of regulation that tongue ties and nasal strips were grouped together, however, they are very different devices and have no direct relationship with one another. Barakzai’s study showed that tongue-ties could have a performance enhancing effect on the racehorse, most likely in undiagnosed cases of palatial instability whereas the effect on performance of nasal strips is not scientifically proven to date.

The Canadian Study Dr. Chalmers, Professor of Radiology at the University of Guelph, and her colleagues investigated 12 standardbred racehorses with

and without tongue ties at rest. The team applied the tongue ties using a standard industry procedure, and then acquired ultrasound images of five different regions of the upper respiratory tract, including the positions of several bones and cartilages responsible for supporting the upper airway, attaching the windpipe to the back of the throat, and joining the tongue to the skull.

They measured these structures' positions and their relationship to each other using an ultrasound technique that Chalmers developed in earlier work. The study showed that when the horses' tongues were tied, the upper respiratory structures' positions were more compatible with upper airway stability and previous research by Chalmers and others suggests that the structural positions achieved by tongue-tying allow the horse to breathe better.

Better diagnostics, better results?

The key to improving the performance of our racehorses regardless of what device is used is an accurate diagnosis of the horse’s respiratory function. A study published in 2011 by Swiss surgeon Stefan Witte concluded that diagnosis of upper respiratory conditions based on owner-reported noise and performance history may result in an incomplete diagnosis.

This fact and the development of a technology which is non invasive, safe for both rider and horse, and highly informative, has led

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RACING to the rapid increase in the amount of horses undergoing overground dynamic endoscopic examination as part of a complete evaluation of a horse’s upper respiratory tract. The dynamic overground endoscope involves a tiny camera that is inserted into the horse’s throat via his nose and the accompanying mechanism, which fits inside the horse’s bridle and saddle pad and transmits readings to a remote tablet. The equipment is lightweight, relatively unobtrusive and allows the use of the horse’s own tack making it quick and easy to fit to the patient.

Overground endoscopy is a highly useful tool as the relationship between the standard endoscopic examination of the horse at rest and how the horse’s larynx performs at exercise holds many variables. Many horses will show some laryngeal abnormalities on an endoscopic examination at rest but during exercise will have normal function and other conditions of the equine larynx only become apparent when the horse is fatigued and there is a change in exercise intensity, factors that can only be created while the horse is being examined while exercising.

In March 2013, the Equine Veterinary Journal published the results of a study conducted by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with a large thoroughbred training centre in the UK comparing the results of resting and dynamic endoscopy on a group of yearlings. Resting (pre- and post exercise) and exercising

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“The work done by veterinary scientists has validated the long-held view that the application of a tongue-tie can improve racing performance” endoscopy was performed on 57 thoroughbred yearlings at a single training yard. Their conclusions were that there were significant variations in the results of endoscopy at rest and during exercise, which shows in an evidence based evaluation that resting endoscopy may not be sufficient to predict the occurrence of pathology during exercise.

Respiratory conditions that may be accurately diagnosed by dynamic endoscopy include dorsal displacement of the soft palate, laryngeal hemiplegia, aryepiglottal fold impingement and a plethora of other conditions, which may produce similar respiratory noises and are therefore typically difficult to differentiate by a traditional endoscopic examination. Performing exercising overground endoscopy examination in horses

must also be viewed as a more cost effective option in comparison to treating a horse incorrectly without an accurate diagnosis. Dr Brett Woodie, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Kentucky and a world recognized expert in respiratory surgery, was recently quoted at the Annual American Surgery Convention stating that “more diagnoses are missed by not looking than not knowing” and thankfully with the development of overground endoscopy and its ease of use there is no longer reason for this to be the case.

Conclusion The work done by veterinary scientists in Europe and North America has validated the long held view of horsemen that the application of a tongue-tie can improve racing performance in some cases. However, as with all medical conditions which are performance limiting and impact upon the health of the racehorse, an accurate diagnosis is crucial in ensuring our athletes are performing at their optimal level.

Thankfully with the development of a safe, non-invasive method of examining a horse’s wind, while it performs the discipline over which it will compete, trainers and veterinarians can allow our racehorses to fulfill their athletic potential by using the latest technology and research to practice evidence based medicine in appropriately selected cases.n

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Trainer on the up

a

Harry Fry

FTER four years working as assistant to champion National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls, Harry Fry took the plunge and set up his own operation with the backing of his mentor and landlord Richard Barber in 2012.

Harry was lucky that his career was kick started by the success of hurdler Rock On Ruby who Harry had been closely involved with during his time assisting at the Ditcheat Academy.

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

this in his second year with 34 winners and another excellent strike rate of 29%.

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

MAIN PHOTO: FIONA CrAwFOrd PHOTOgrAPHy

Who has been your greatest influence as a trainer?

Richard Barber and Paul Nicholls. Both Richard and Paul have taught me that fit horses win races; also never over complicate things the simple approach is usually the best way.

What has been the most useful and advantageous piece of advice given to you with regards to training?

Keep things simple!

Henryville on the way to victory at Newton Abbot

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What advice would you give to a trainer starting out on their own?

most reliable stallion at the moment?

Have a very good team behind you, it’s impossible to do it all by yourself. It is a very tough game and when things don’t always go to plan you need a good support network behind you.

Oscar has been very lucky for us. We would fill the yard up with them if we could. They may not always be the most beautiful but they are tough and genuine and will always try for you.

What is your favourite racecourse?

If you could spend the day with any other trainer, who would it be?

Newbury, as it is big galloping track that seems to suit our horses.

Aidan O’Brien, he is a true professional. I especially admire how he and his team deal with the press.

What is your proudest training achievement?

What piece of training equipment could you not live without?

Unofficially winning the champion hurdle with Rock On Ruby…

The horse walker is a vital piece of equipment for warming up and down.

I do not know how trainers coped without them in the past.

Does technology feature in your training regime?

What is the main quality in a horse you look for when buying?

What do you do to go that extra mile with regards to your horses’ wellbeing?

Size and scope. We like to buy big scopey horses. It does require patience from the owners but a lot of our horses progress from the point-to-point field, we believe this to be an ideal nursery school for these future chasers.

I treat each one as and individual, it is vital to know the likes and dislikes of each and every one. What suits one horse doesn’t necessarily suit another. Ciara, my fiancée and assistant trainer, is always on the yard and feeds every day so she is always on top of any issue that may arise. It is also very important to keep bugs and viruses out of the yard, as soon as one shows any sign of illness they are isolated immediately. n

Looking at genetic traits and temperament, who is your

Apart from the BBC weather, no!

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SHUNTED HEELS

SHUNTED HEELS

Avoiding cracks with proactive management Functionally adapted for speed and efficient use of energy, the thoroughbred foot is thin-walled and light compared to other breeds.

This adaptation for speed renders the hoof more susceptible to hoof capsule distortions, or shape changes that interfere with the normal function of the foot, which are: support, traction, shock dissipation, and proprioception. Examples of hoof capsule distortions are under run heels, collapsed heels, contracted heels, flares, cracks, and shunted heels.

D

WORDS: ScOtt E. MORRiSOn DVM phOtOS: cAROLinE nORRiS, ScOtt E. MORRiSOn DVM

ISTORTIONS are a result of either overloading a healthy structure, causing it to collapse or bend, or can be the result of under loading a structure, such as the case of a contracted heel on a clubfoot.

In these cases the heel is under loaded and the toe is overloaded, causing the heel to contract and the toe to flare or dish. Distortions can also result from disease processes, such as laminitis, where the hoof wall in the toe region is separated and flares or dishes.

Fungal infections or white line disease can also cause weakening of the hoof and subsequent distortion. In the case of the thoroughbred racehorse, we have a healthy structure that is put under repetitive high loads.

The combination of a lighter hoof with thinner hoof wall and sole depth combined with rigorous speed training makes the thoroughbred hoof susceptible to distortion.

The heel region of the hoof is softer and more pliable than the toe and is designed to dissipate shock. It houses such structures as the collateral cartilages, digital cushion and an abundant vascular system, all designed to absorb shock.

The toe is more rigid, designed to penetrate the

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

Speed training puts high force on the heels, which lowers the hoof angle over time. As the angle gets lower, more force is placed on the heel creating a vicious cycle that can be difficult to manage while the horse is in full work. Heel distortions can predispose the racehorse to many problems, such as chronic bruising, heel/quarter cracks, pedal bone wing fractures and osteitis.

Many heel problems tend to be recurring.

This is because the primary problem has not been effectively corrected. Having knowledge of the etiology of a foot problem will help formulate a successful treatment plan to heal the condition, prevent recurrence and improve the longevity and wellbeing of the horse.

One problem that is common all over the world is the recurring quarter crack. Quarter cracks rarely occur out of the blue. Almost always they are preceded by a hoof capsule distortion known as the shunted heel, also called a sheared or displaced heel (Figure 1).

Shunted heels occur as one side of the heel is loaded more heavily than the other, causing it to displace upward. As the heel bulb and hoof wall

Figure 1

in the heel and quarter regions get pushed up, the wall reaches its limitation on elasticity and as the heel expands during loading, the wall will crack at the hairline, creating a bleeding, painful quarter crack. As long as the heel is allowed to stay in the shunted position the foot is at high risk of cracking again. Sheared heels are

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VETERINARY Figure 2

believed to be the result of a conformational fault that causes overloading of one region of the foot, typically the medial (inside) heel of a front foot but can be seen on hind limbs and laterally as well.

The conformation that has historically been recognised to predispose the shunted medial heels is outward rotation of the front limbs.

Most horses with outward rotation don't move efficiently and they typically interfere as well. I see many severe sheared heels in racehorses.

However, I see very few with this severe outward rotation conformation.

Most racehorses I see with sheared heels seem to have fairly good conformation. When I evaluate them at the walk they seem to track well, without any significant conformational problems. This led me to study these horses a little closer. Are shunted heels the result of foot imbalance from the manner in which they are trimmed? Are shunted heels the result of conformation?

Since 2010, we examined 72 sheared heels and recorded the conformation of each horse with photographs. We also took radiographs of the feet from the front and side to evaluate foot balance. Of the 72 sheared heels on front feet, 70 were medial and two were lateral. Both cases with lateral sheared heels were fetlock varus.

Of the 70 medial sheared heels, 60 had a combination of carpal valgus and inward rotation of the distal limb, eight had the classic outward rotation of the limb, one had fetlock valgus and one had normal conformation (i.e. no major conformation fault).

Using the radiographs, we investigated the relationship of medial to lateral imbalance and sheared heels. We measured the vertical distance from the medial and lateral wings of

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the pedal bone to the ground surface on standard horizontal front views of front feet.

We were able to detect a significant difference between the normal and sheared heel cases. The sheared heel feet were out of balance medial to lateral, with the medial heel being lower.

(Morrison, Beasley and Morell, unpublished data) The most common conformation that predisposes to a sheared heel is the carpal valgus and inward rotation of the digit. This conformation is very common in well-bred

“Sheared heels are believed to be the result of a conformational fault that causes overloading of one region of the foot, typically the medial heel of a front foot” thoroughbreds and has interesting effects on the foot (Figure 2 and Figure 3). The rotation usually occurs as a result of a spiral deformity of the metacarpus (cannon) or pastern bones. As the digit rotates inward, it places the medial heel bulb directly below the boney column or vertical line of force.

The medial heel bulb therefore receives more force, causing it to collapse inward and be shunted upward. As the medial wall is overloaded, the vessels are compressed, slowing hoof wall and sole growth on the medial regions of the foot. As medial hoof growth is slowed

Figure 3

down and other regions of the foot maintain normal growth, the hoof becomes out of balance or low on the medial side. This in turn causes more inward rotation of the digit.

Previous studies show that if you lower the medial hoof or raise the lateral aspect of the hoof the digit rotates inward. This sets up a cycle of overload imbalance and more overload.

Since we cannot change the conformation of the limb, we must address the balance and medial wall overload. But first, let’s take a closer look at how the hoof accommodates load: The hoof capsule is made up of hoof wall, frog and sole. All of these structures in a healthy foot are designed to receive some portion of the load. Another mechanism to receive large loads and dissipate shock is the extensive blood flow to the foot.

As the horse is galloping and the foot is swinging through the air, the vessels of the foot are fully perfused with blood. Then as the foot hits the ground, loaded, blood is pushed out of the foot and not allowed to return until the foot is unloaded again. This is largely due to oneway valves in the veins, compressed soft tissue and clamping off the arteries – basically functioning as a hydraulic shock absorber and tissue support system.

This fluid held in closed spaces helps support the foot on impact and then is moved out of the foot to dissipate shock. Additionally, as the foot impacts the ground, the footing (turf, dirt, synthetic) packs into the sole creating sole/arch support. Racehorses at speed can accommodate tremendous loads with the aid of all these mechanisms.

In my opinion, hoof capsule distortions occur to a large extent when the horse is standing around or on stall rest. It is during this

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VETERINARY Figure 4

time that the foot is largely dependent on the perimeter hoof wall and its composition for support. The feet are generally cleaned out and the horse is put into a stall with straw or shavings with very little arch/sole support.

Yes, most trainers pack the feet with poultice or mud to draw out inflammation and heat but these products don’t provide adequate sole support.

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

The hoof then slowly and gradually distorts and the sole arch flattens. Even though the foot can accommodate large sudden impacts during exercise, it is less able to accommodate long periods of low-intensity abnormal loading.

Management of the shunted heel: There are several effective foot management strategies to manage this problem. The first element is the trim. The hoof needs to be trimmed for balance or even sole depth beneath

Figure 6

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Figure 5

the pedal bone. As discussed earlier, the shunted heel case is typically lower on the shunted heel side. Therefore these feet need to be trimmed lower on the side opposite the shunted heel. The goal is to trim the foot so that the solar surface is perpendicular to the pastern.

Often a “T� square can be used to help establish the proper trim.

The second component of effective treatment is support (Figure 4 and Figure 5). This can be provided in several ways. A heart-bar or stabiliser plate is a very effective way to provide frog support and to redistribute weight off of the hoof capsule in the heel region. Heart-bars and stabiliser plates can be used for training and then switched to normal race plates a few days before racing. This is an effective way to rehabilitate a shunted heel and still be able to compete with normal shoes.

Many trainers do not like bar shoes such as heart-bars and stabiliser plates because it can add weight, decrease traction and affect the overall movement; some horses will travel

differently in these types of shoes. Another way to tackle the problem is the use of temporary orthotics. Orthotics are sole/arch supports custom made for each horse. The orthotic is worn only while the horse is in the stall and removed for training. Orthotics can be bandaged to the hoof with vet wrap or elastic adhesive tape. Orthotics provide arch support 20+ hours a day when support is most needed.

Most feet improve with correct trimming, heartbars/stabilizer plates, or orthotics (Figure 6 and Figure 7).

Shunted heel cases should be trimmed and reshod every three weeks. As the hoof grows unevenly it becomes most out of balance towards the end of the shoeing cycle, putting the foot at the most risk of injury. In fact, most quarter cracks occur towards the end of the shoeing cycle.

With diligent management and special attention to the etiology and cause of sheared heels, many quarter cracks can be prevented and sheared heels improved or resolved. n

Figure 7

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RACING

TO WATER...

OR NOT TO WATER? 56 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

WATERING COURSES

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RACING

The watering of tracks is a contentious issue, even though, depending on the view you take, it’s an essential blessing/evil for grass growth. Everyone wants to see a good covering of grass on a racecourse but thereon in opinion is split as to whether natural firm summer ground should prevail or whether artificial watering should ensure good ground. Much of that opinion rests on whether you have a firm or good ground specialist!

B

WORDS: LISSA OLIVER PHOTOS YORk RAcEcOuRSE, LEOPARDSTOWn RAcEcOuRSE, SHuTTERSTOck, SAInT-cLOuD RAcEcOuRSE

RITISH-BASED trainers Hughie Morrison and Mark Johnston and jockey Richard Hughes have each added their voice to the in-print debate about whether racecourses should water turf to obtain artificially good ground, in opposition, but ultimately it comes down to the Racecourse Manager, the Clerk of the Course and their team of groundsmen. Their concern is not for a particular horse but for the quality of their track and the safety of horses and jockeys.

Nor is it a matter of personal choice. The Racecourses Organisation of Britain (RCA) requires that to ensure consistency and a measured level of expertise, all racecourses must retain the services of a turf consultant and are to produce annually, by the end of October, the turf consultant’s report on the condition of the course.

While the season at Roscommon in Ireland may only run from May to September, the weather variations can often be extreme and natural rainfall is a continual problem. Manager Michael Finneran sums up perfectly the problems faced by groundsmen everywhere.

“One thing that everyone has to realise is the

totally different soil structures,” he explains.

“The soil structure on one side of Ireland, for example, is totally unlike that on the other side of the country. Hence we have winter racing in different areas to summer racing.”

Given the high levels of rainfall, watering at Roscommon isn’t the greatest of Finneran’s concerns. “Our biggest problem is drainage, but since investing in a drainage system, our worst areas of the past have now become our driest areas. It takes a few years for any system to kick in properly,. The soil here took a year or two to really dry out thoroughly and we were still struggling. The addition of sand slits, to collect the water in the soil, was a tremendous improvement.”

Like everyone else, Finneran and his fellow racecourse managers are always at the mercy of weather forecasts. The promise of rain that never materialises can catch many a manager out and, as Finneran says, they would need to be on site from dawn to midnight in order to really do their best for the ground. More importantly, there is only one priority when it comes to track condition and it isn’t attracting the best horses.

“We water for the safety of horse and jockey,

York racecourse had to cope with the wettest summer on record in 2012 and the heat wave of July 2013

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that is our main priority,” insists Finneran. “Our main aim is to provide safe ground for horse and jockey and any water we put down for that reason also promotes grass growth. We do our best not to interfere with nature, but to help it.”

Working with so changeable a mistress as Mother Nature can’t be easy and the British Racecourses Association (RCA) publication ‘The Racecourse Training Manual’, freely downloadable, illustrates just what a highly technical and complex job it is. Moreover, it clearly states: “Through good management practices National Hunt courses should aim to provide good ground (and no firmer than good to firm) whilst Flat courses should aim to provide good to firm ground.”

Controversially, some might argue, the Manual also states: “Comprehensive records compiled by the Racecourse Department over a ten year period show that the risk of injury to horses is minimised when the extremes of going are avoided.” Some of these figures have been questioned due to often subjective going

WATERING COURSES

Watering at Leopardstown

descriptions, individual track variations and not all horses having an equal risk of fracture.

“Horses know when it is firm and they look after themselves but, when they let themselves go on ground that is soft on top and firm underneath, that’s when you have problems,” Hughie Morrison told the Daily Star last July during a furious outburst against unnecessary watering.

Clonmel, which stages racing all year, made the headlines earlier this summer for a large number of horse fatalities at a single NH meeting but ground conditions, officially goodto-firm, were not to blame. Five horses died at an evening NH meeting in July, however Irish officials did not call for extra watering, satisfied that the injuries could not be attributed to either the track or the going. Only one of the five horses to suffer fatal injuries did so as a result of a fall and two were injured in a bumper. None of the jockeys or trainers of the horses involved attributed the fatalities to the track or the surface.

“Obviously when there’s five fatalities at a particular racecourse on a particular day, you have to look at everything to see if there is a common thread, but there isn’t,” said Denis Egan, Chief Executive of the Turf Club.

“Everybody was happy with the ground. I even

“In Britain, the BHA instructs jumps courses to aim to stage racing on ground no faster than good, and watering the track when necessary to achieve this, but this is not a policy adopted by Ireland”

had an email from a leading trainer who had runners there to say that he had no problem with it. He had five runners on the night and they all returned sound.”

In Britain, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) instructs jumps courses to aim to stage racing on ground no faster than good, watering the track when necessary to achieve this, but this is not a policy adopted by Ireland. “We’ve had this debate time and time again about whether the ground should be altered and the view of a lot of trainers is that if that is what the weather is, then provided the ground is safe, they are happy to run,” said Egan. “It doesn’t need to be on the slow side of good to be safe.

If the track is level with a good covering of grass and if the jar is taken out of it, the ground is safe.”

Of course, echoing Finneran’s reminder about soil structure, avoiding firm ground might not only be for the good of the horse. Soil structure is determined by the amount of organic matter and airspace within the soil and

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 59

RACING in its natural state earthworm activities create fissures, enabling aeration of the soil, which in turn promotes root, grass growth and mineral uptake. Racecourses, however, are subjected to high compactive forces from horses and maintenance equipment, forcing out the air and compacting the soil. This results in poor drainage, poor root development, less vigorous grass growth and, in dry conditions, an unyielding surface. Has modern equipment played a role in sounding the death knell for firm going?

That may have once been the case but lighter machinery is turning that theory around. “A lot of tracks are now using umbilical machinery and it’s not as heavy as the old water tanks,” says Lorcan Wyer, Clerk of the Course at nine Irish racecourses, including Leopardstown, Thurles and Clonmel, where racing continues throughout summer and winter, as well as Galway. “The verti-drain machine is wonderful and acts as decompaction. Where there is no winter racing, we graze sheep on the course, at Galway and Roscommon, throughout the winter and that’s the best ever maintenance.”

It’s very easy for jockeys and trainers to condemn ground conditions or the choices made by course clerks but 16 detailed pages of what is no more than a basic summary of ground care provides an illustration of how tough the actual task is. And firm ground is definitely not a welcomed aim.

The majority of racecourse groundsmen in Britain are members of the Institute of

60 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

“Where there is no winter racing, we graze sheep on the course, at Galway and Roscommon, throughout the winter and that’s the best ever maintenance” Lorcan Wyer Groundsmanship, membership being very actively encouraged by the RCA, and to maintain that accreditation they must complete a minimum of 35 hours of Continuous Personal Development training each year. Watering might be an age-old battle but maintaining a good racing surface is a modern and forwardthinking occupation, with the latest studies and innovations to hand.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that grass typically needs 20-30mm of rain per week during the summer for growth, nutrients and ideal soil conditions. Surprisingly, drought occurs in Britain on average every three to four years out of ten. Regionally, this increases from one to three years out of ten in the north of England and Scotland to as much as seven to eight years out of ten in parts of the South East.

At these times the water deficit in grass is more than 150mm during April to September.

There is, of course, a further side to the dilemma. It isn’t just a question of watering during the summer for safety reasons or for pandering to the needs of elite horses. Whether for right reasons or wrong reasons, does summer watering affect the ground conditions come winter? The hue and cry about ethics on a big race day at the height of the Flat season are quickly irrelevant and forgotten, but the repercussions could possibly be faced by winter performers just a few months down the line.

Chris Gray BSc(Hons), MSc, PGDTech, DipGeogEnv, DipIT, NDT, FinstG, Head of Education at the Institute of Groundsmanship, dismisses this suggestion. “Excessive watering during the summer will not affect ground conditions during the winter,” he insists. “The reason is that the residence time of water in a soil is relatively short due to the natural processes of drainage and evapo-transpiration, with the latter process being especially prevalent during the summer. Even if soils are temporarily flooded in the summer, they will drain naturally once the flood conditions have ceased. If a clay soil, however, had been especially prepared to retain water, such as for a natural pond, then the outcome would be different, but this is not applicable for any form of racecourse.

“There are many factors which impact on the going status of any racecourse, however summer watering, even if excessive, will not be

WATERING COURSES a factor in the winter,” he adds. “A significant majority of racecourse groundstaff are members of the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG); this is primarily due to the positive and pro-active approach taken by the Racecourse Association (RCA), who we consider an outstanding example of an organisation that advocates education and training for their industry.”

However, out on the coalface, there are groundsmen and Clerks who will disagree.

“There is some truth in the suggestion that summer watering damages winter going,” Wyer argues. “If you have a dry summer it can be problematic,” he explains. “For example, at Leopardstown, where we have a wonderful track with staff to match, we use irrigation to maintain safe ground throughout the summer.

To arrive at that we have to water on a weekly basis. When you walk along the watered area, midway between the Steeplechase Course and the Champion Hurdle Course, essentially the middle section of the racecourse, it’s quite noticeable – the summer-watered ground can hang on to the moisture and can ride slower in the winter.

“But there are ways you can help, we use a verti-drain machine, which is excellent. The grass root can get a bit lazy with irrigation, so draining and a little light top dressing helps the root to get down and work properly. The type of sand used in the dressing is key – beach sand, with sea shell type quality, really encourages worm activity.”

Of course, another problem Wyer faces in

Saint-Cloud racecourse

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

Ireland is the mixed card of both Flat and NH. “We’re trying to get ground that is ideal for a seven furlong two-year-old and a staying chaser on the same card. Galway can be very problematic, with a Listed seven furlong race for fillies and a staying chase in the one day, but over all I think we managed to keep everyone happy.”

One man who must also consider this at all times is award-winning Head Groundsman at Huntingdon racecourse, Shaun Reilly. Reilly was awarded the Institute of Groundsmen John Deere Professional Horse Racing Groundsman of the Year in 2012.

“We are faced with two challenges,” he says of Huntingdon. “In the summertime you are watering for the going, keeping the ground as good as possible to produce nice racing, and in the winter you are at the mercy of the weather.

It’s either raining or it’s freezing cold. But we’re quite lucky here because we have a decent drainage system and a nice racing surface.”

Even though last year’s Award recipient, Adrian Kay at York racecourse, deals only with Flat racing from May to October, he and his groundstaff have had to cope with the wettest summer on record in 2012 and the heat wave of July 2013, so year-round weather extremes are not only a headache for courses with year-round racing.

Course Director Jean Guillaume d’Orglandes, at Saint-Cloud, faces these same problems shared by most racecourse managers. He has found a new solution in the latest equipment available, in the case of Saint-Cloud the Imants ShockWave, which will also be used at the other France-Galop tracks of Longchamp and Auteuil. “We wanted to maintain the excellent condition of the soil structure and root zone without causing damage or leaving deep impressions on the surface of the track,” he announced. The Imants ShockWave is a linear decompactor, which revitalises heavy wear areas by relieving soil compaction, improving

aeration and removing surface water.

The timing of meetings, as at many courses, does not leave d’Orglandes with enough time to ideally complete cultivation and the ShockWave, coupled with its lightness, has been of huge benefit, even though Saint-Cloud suffers few drainage or compaction problems.

Susanne Putensen, Manager at Hamburg racecourse, does not have to comply with any official requirement for going, but points out, “We have a special situation because there are six or seven days of mixed racing within ten days in July. The meeting traditionally ends with the German Derby (Group I).

“We have two turf courses, the main course (only for flat racing) and a slightly smaller one which may also be used for hurdle races. Both can be watered, the course for steeplechases (one or two during the meeting) cannot be watered. Parts of the courses are drained in consequence to very severe weather in 2007.

“The courses are watered depending on weather pattern and forecast, not only to help the grass but to keep the going permeable,” Putensen continues. “Hamburg is well known for its ‘British’ climate and heavy showers. The aim is to keep the going on the firm side of good to be always prepared for bad weather.”

And so we have a situation in Germany where Group One class horses, steeplechasers and hurdlers alike are all racing on firm summer ground, at times unwatered due to threat of heavy rainfall. It would appear to concur with the current view of many British trainers – more arguments arise from artificially watered good ground than from natural firm ground.

“Keep it simple,” concludes Lorcan Wyer.

“Our aim is to grow good grass and have good ground. There is a huge variety of soil structure and composition and we all strive for an Axminster carpet!”

You cannot please all of the people all of the time, but Europe’s groundsmen are certainly going a long way to prove that theory wrong. n

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 61

BOOK REVIEW

Valuable veterinary information at your fingertips The thoroughbred racing industry is now more than ever a global affair, with technology, transport and communication links having a profound effect on racing and breeding activities, as well as the veterinary advances that support them. In his new book, The Racehorse: A Veterinary Manual, by leading equine veterinary practitioner, Pieter H L Ramzan, BVSc(Sydney), MRCVS provides a practical and objective source of veterinary information, pertinent to the thoroughbred racehorse, that is accessible not only to the racehorse clinician but also others within the industry, who will find it a useful, if not indispensable, reference work.

W

WORDS: HARRIET SCOTT

HILE there are several excellent texts available on equine orthopaedics and sports medicine, information relating to the racehorse is fragmented and often contradictory, failing to take into account the practicalities of management peculiar to the racing industry.

Ramzan has consciously created a text based more on evidence than anecdote.

However, as much of what the equine clinician does is derived empirically, there is often no scientifically validated ‘best way’ to treat conditions.

Here, rather than simply transcribe the received wisdoms of Newmarket racing practice, every effort has been made to build a reference manual from a scientific base by reviewing not just the published equine and human sports medicine literature but also incorporating shared experience accumulated over generations in equine veterinary practice.

As far as possible the text has been made relevant to all major racing jurisdictions, not just the United Kingdom and Europe.

62 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

This work draws together those conditions that might reasonably be encountered in the day-to-day management of a racing yard in a clear, well-illustrated format. Orthopaedic injury necessarily accounts for the major part of the book, however, topics as diverse as rehabilitation periods and prognosis, respiratory medicine, exercise physiology and ‘herd health’ adds to the wealth of information included, spanning the full range of fields relevant to the clinician, trainer and owner.

With the sales upon us, we have taken an excerpt the ‘Selection of a racehorse’, covering every possible problem or condition that a buyer may encounter, whether as a yearling or two-year-old.

Selection of a racehorse Pre-purchase examinations vary in content with type of animal, intended purpose and client demands, and may comprise any combination of physical inspection, assessment of airway function, radiographic and ultra-sonographic imaging and blood analysis. Examination of horses for private sale typically follows the recognized standard

of ‘five-stage’ inspection encompassing preand post-exercise phases (+/- supplementary diagnostic imaging), while examination in the context of public auctions typically has a curtailed examination depending on type of horse and circumstances of sale.

Pass or fail?

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

Criteria for horses purchased (‘pinhooked’) specifically for public or private resale at a future date must necessarily be more stringent than for horses bought primarily for racing.

Acceptability of orthopaedic conditions that require some patience in handling or that may necessitate medication to maintain soundness is determined largely by the client’s requirements. It is therefore important for the clinician to establish clearly the purpose for which the horse is being bought and the level of acceptable risk. Significance of clinical and

BOOK PREVIEW imaging findings can vary markedly depending on the age of animal, stage of training and intended purpose.

Expectations Purchasing an unbroken yearling is a highrisk investment when considering the likelihood of racetrack or resale earnings providing a return over and above the combined cost of purchase and training. This risk is considerably lower for the horse in training that has typically been selected for examination on the basis of demonstrable athletic ability. Expectations of athletic potential for a yearling should be considered in the context that only 40–50% of horses will race at two years old, and around 20% of horses will not have started a race by the end of their three-year-old season.

Conditions of sale at public auction Conditions of sale at public auction differ between sales companies and types of sale.

Most have clauses regarding return of lots due to undeclared infirmity of wind, stable vices and use of anti-inflammatory drugs, and it is important to be familiar with the relevant

“Every effort has been made to build a reference manual from a scientific base but also incorporating shared experience accumulated over generations in equine veterinary practice” conditions when undertaking pre-bid inspections. Legislation in some countries permits the return of animals with latent defects far beyond the scope of published conditions of sale; however, preventing such situations arising in the first instance through competent examination is always preferable.

THE VETTING PROCEDURE Preliminaries Establish the intended purpose for which the horse is being examined; imaging requirements and relevance of findings differ between jurisdictions. l Communication with vendor prior to examination regarding level of exercise required/recent medication. l Verbal or written statement from vendor regarding stable vices and history of previous surgery, EIPH or any other significant veterinary intervention. l Establish recent racing form. l Verify identification from passport and l

record vaccination history. Physical examination: summary l Condition and conformation: apparent fitness, overall health and obvious conformational faults. l Eyes: horses with severely impaired vision can function seemingly normally in training with few or no behavioural irregularities. Gross assessment, direct ophthalmoscopy and evaluation of ocular reflexes. Menace reflex is reasonable test of vision (requires intact sensory and motor pathways), unlike pupillary light reflex. l Heart: rate, rhythm and murmurs.

l l

l

l

Auscultation from both sides of chest at rest and immediately following exercise.

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

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

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

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

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 63

BOOK REVIEW

“Purchasing an unbroken yearling is a high-risk investment when considering the likelihood of racetrack or resale earnings providing a return over and above the combined cost of purchase and training” respiratory obstructions and propensity for EIPH can be assessed. l Second examination at walk and trot following cooling-off period.

Flexion tests Flexion tests are non-specific and response varies between horses. l May exacerbate subclinical lameness. l Force and duration of flexion can strongly influence results; important that a standardised approach is used and ‘positive’ responses (obvious lameness which persists for ≥3 strides) are compared against the opposite limb and interpreted with caution. n l

The Racehorse: A Veterinary Manual, published by CRC Press is available to readers of European Trainer Magazine for the special price of £71.10 inclusive of P&P (published price £79.00). and vulval conformation (fillies).

Limbs: palpation weight-bearing and with limb in flexion. l Feet: foot symmetry, balance, hoof quality and type of shoeing. l

Action l Examination at walk and trot in hand before

exercise. l Exercise component should ideally incorporate fast work so that dynamic

European Trainer Suppliers’ Guide

64 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

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ADVERTORIAL

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Historically, stem cells were obtained from the fat or bone marrow of the horse to be treated and then injected as a crude product into the injured site immediately or after a 2-3 week delay needed to produce sufficient cells.

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This development has attracted standardised and less subject to the vagaries

66 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

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In addition, intense training regimes and regular travel can lead to high stress levels.

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The imbalance of a stomach expecting a supply of food 24/7, but in reality receiving discrete meals throughout the day, leads to an excess of gastric acid which can cause discomfort.

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ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 67

STAKES SCHEDULES

STAKES SCHEDULES 2014 RACES Races are divided by distance and the relevant surface is indicated as follows: AWT - All Weather Track D - Dirt T - Turf Counties covered in this issue are: France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.

Races highlighted in purple indicate the race is a Breeders’ Cup "win and you’re in" race.

CLOSING DATES Closing dates for all Irish races are set for domestic entry dates. Please check International entry dates with the relevant issue of The Racing Calendar. The Italian authority (UNIRE) do not publish closing dates for Listed races but we have been

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

COPYRIGHT Under Copyright law, no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means. This includes but not limited to; photocopying for commercial redistribution and or facsimile recording without the prior permission of the copyright holder, application for which should be addressed to the publisher.

DISCLAIMER Whilst every effort has been made to publish correct information, the publishers will not be held liable for any omission, mistake or change to the races listed in all published indexes.

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 Country Track

Race Name & (Sponsor)

Breeders’ Cup

GB FR ITY GB ITY IRE FR UAE UAE

Ascot Longchamp Milan Newmarket Milan Dundalk Longchamp Meydan Meydan

Rous (Albert Bartlett) Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (Qatar) Cancelli Cornwallis St (Dubai) Premio Omenoni Mercury St Criterium de Vitesse Meydan Sprint Al Quoz Sprint

FR USA USA USA USA

Chantilly Santa Anita Santa Anita Los Alamitos Los Alamitos

Bonneval BC Juvenille Fillies Championship BC Sentinent Jet Juvenile Starlet Los Alamitos Futurity

GB GB GB USA JPN FR GB IRE GB GB ITY GB USA FR FR GB ITY GB FR FR JPN JPN UAE UAE UAE

Newmarket Redcar Ascot Santa Anita Niigata Chantilly York Curragh Newmarket Doncaster Rome Newmarket Santa Anita Maisons-Laffitte Maisons-Laffitte Doncaster Rome Lingfield Park Fontainebleau Fontainebleau Kyoto Nakayama Meydan Meydan Meydan

Boadicea St (EBF) Two-Year-Old Trophy Bengough St (John Guest) The Santa Anita Sprint Championship (Ancient Title S) (Prov date) Sprint Sprinters St Eclipse Rockingham (Coral.co.uk) Waterford Testimonial St Middle Park St (Vision.ae) Doncaster Ubaldo Pandolfi Bosra Sham St (EBF) BC Xpressbet Sprint Championship Seine-et-Oise Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte Wentworth St (Betfred) Premio Carlo & Francesco Aloisi (Ex Umbria) Golden Rose St Contessina Zeddaan Keihan Hai Capella St Al Shindagha Sprint Mahab Al Shimaal Dubai Golden Shaheen

USA

Santa Anita

BC Turf Sprint Championship

Class

Race Date

Value

L Gp 1 L Gp 3 Gp 3 L L L Gr 1

5-Oct-2014 6-Oct-2014 6-Oct-2014 18-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 25-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 8-Mar-2015 29-Mar-2015

£45000 € 350000 € 41800 £37000 € 61600 € 40000 € 55000 $175000 $1000000

5f (1000m) Age

Surface

3+ T 2+ T 3+ T 2 T 3+ T 2+ AWT 2 T NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ T NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ T

Metres

1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000

Visit www.trainermagazine.com L Gr 1 Gr 1 Gr 1 Gr 1

7-Oct-2014 2-Nov-2014 8-Nov-1014 14-Dec-2014 21-Dec-2014

5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 6-Oct-2014 11-Oct-2014 12-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014 18-Oct-2014 26-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 1-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 5-Nov-2014 5-Nov-2014 9-Nov-2014 10-Nov-2014 16-Nov-2014 21-Nov-2014 21-Nov-2014 1-Dec-2014 15-Dec-2014 13-Feb-2015 8-Mar-2015 29-Mar-2015

3+ 2F 2 2F 2

T D D D D

1100 1100 1100 1100 1100

2-Nov-2014

3+ F&M T 2 T 3+ T 3+ D 3+ T 3 T 2 T 3+ T 2C T 2 T 2F T 2F T 3+ D 3+ T 2 T 3+ T 2+ T 3+ AWT 3+ T 2 T 3+ T 3+ D NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ D NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ D

1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200

$1,000,000

Cologne Newmarket Redcar Ascot Longchamp Longchamp Chantilly Dundalk

Kolner Herbst Preis Oh So Sharp St Guisborough St October St (Miles & Morrison) Prix de la Foret (Qatar) Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-Grand Criterium Herod Star Appeal EBF St

68 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

Mile Juv Turf

L Gp 3 L L Gp 1 Gp 1 L L

4-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 6-Oct-2014 6-Oct-2014 7-Oct-2014 11-Oct-2014

12-Oct-14 19-Sep-14 19-Oct-14 18-Oct-14 03-Mar-15 17-Jan-15

5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5

30-Sep-14 21-Oct-14 21-Oct-14

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

30-Sep-14 30-Sep-14 30-Sep-14 26-Sep-14 20-Aug-14 25-Sep-14 07-Oct-14 07-Oct-14 30-Jul-14 21-Oct-14 26-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 16-Oct-14 16-Oct-14 04-Nov-14 10-Oct-14 11-Nov-14 13-Nov-14 13-Nov-14 15-Oct-14 29-Oct-14 10-Feb-15 03-Mar-15 17-Jan-15

6.5f (1300m) 3+

T

1300

Visit www.trainermagazine.com GER GB GB GB FR FR FR IRE

Closing

30-Sep-14 28-Aug-14

6f (1200m) £40000 £150,000 £70000 $250000 $930269 € 80000 £45000 € 40000 £170000 £27000 € 41800 £30000 $1,500,000 € 80000 € 190000 £40000 € 61600 £37000 € 52000 € 55000 $371285 $342015 $200,000 $200,000 $2,000,000

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 Gr 1

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

5.5f (1100m) € 52000 $2,000,000 $2,000,000 $350000 $500000

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore L L Gp 3 Gr 1 Gr 1 Gp3 L L Gp 1 L L L Gr 1 Gp 3 Gp 2 L Gp 3 L L L Gr 3 Gr 3 Gr 3 Gr 3 Gr 1

Furlongs

6.5

21-Oct-14

7f (1400m) € 25000 £40000 £40000 £40000 € 300000 € 350000 € 55000 € 47500

3+ 2F 3+ 3+ F&M 3+ 2 CF 2 2

T T T T T T T AWT

1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

24-Sep-14 30-Sep-14 30-Sep-14 29-Sep-14 28-Aug-14 28-Aug-14 30-Sep-14 05-Oct-14

STAKES SCHEDULES Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore Country Track

Race Name & (Sponsor)

FR GB GB GB GB IRE GER GER IRE USA ITY JPN FR JPN JPN FR JPN UAE UAE

Saint-Cyr Challenge St Dewhurst St Radley St Horris Hill St (Worthington Highfield Social Club) Killavullan St Neue Bult Youngster Cup Neue Bult Stuten Sprint-Preis Knockaire St BC Draftkings Filly & Mare Sprint Championship Premio Chiusura Swan St Miesque Fantasy St Keio Hai Nisai St Ceres Hanshin Cup Al Fahidi Fort Meydan Classic

Longchamp Newmarket Newmarket Newbury Newbury Leopardstown Hannover Hannover Leopardstown Santa Anita Milan Kyoto Maisons-Laffitte Kyoto Tokyo Fontainebleau Hanshin Meydan Meydan

Breeders’ Cup

7f (1400m)

Class

Race Date

Value

L Gp 2 Gp 1 L Gp 3 Gp 3 L L L Gr1 Gp 3 Gr 2 Gp 3 Gr 3 Gr 2 L Gr 2 Gr 2 L

18-Oct-2014 18-Oct-2014 18-Oct-2014 26-Oct-2014 26-Oct-2014 26-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 2-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 5-Nov-2014 9-Nov-2014 9-Nov-2014 21-Nov-2014 28-Dec-2014 23-Jan-2015 27-Feb-2015

€ 55000 £100000 350000 £25500 £37000 € 47500 € 25000 € 25000 € 40000 $1,000,000 € 61600 $558092 € 80000 $274148 $352473 € 55000 $635085 $250,000 $125000

Age

Surface

3F 3+ 2 C&F 2F 2 C&G 2 2F 3+F 3+ 3+ F & M 2+ 3+ 2F 2F 2 3F 3+ NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+

T T T T T T T T T D T T T T T T T T T

Metres

1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 IRE

Tipperary

Concorde St (Coolmore Stud Home of Champions)

Gp 3

6-Oct-2014

€ 65000

Rome Pisa Deauville Deauville

Criterium Femminile Criterium di Pisa Luthier Miss Satamixa

L L L L

3-Nov-2014 8-Dec-2014 14-Dec-2014 29-Dec-2014

3+

T

1490

Longchamp Newmarket Belmont Park Belmont Park Keeneland Keeneland Longchamp Saint-Cloud Chantilly Newmarket Cologne Curragh Milan Newmarket Ascot Cork Baden-Baden Baden-Baden Naas Milan Milan Pontefract Deauville Nantes Doncaster Tokyo Saint-Cloud Saint-Cloud Lingfield Park Santa Anita Santa Anita Santa Anita Dundalk Santa Anita Newmarket Newmarket Tokyo Frankfurt Rome Compiegne Toulouse Kyoto Tokyo Kyoto Chantilly Chantilly Hanshin Hanshin Meydan Meydan Meydan Meydan Meydan Meydan Meydan

Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Qatar) Sun Chariot St (Kingdom of Bahrain) Champagne St Frizette St First Lady S Shadwell Turf Mile Prix Marcel Boussac Thomas Bryon Ranelagh Autumn St Preis des Winterfavoriten Silken Glider (Staffordstown) St Gran Criterium Fillies’ Mile (Dubai) Queen Elizabeth II St (Quipco) Navigation St Winterkonigon Preis der Winterkonigin Garnet EBF St Premio Dormello Del Piazzale Silver Tankard St (EBF) Reservoirs (Haras d’Etreham) Sablonnets Trophy (Racing Post) Saudi Arabia Royal Cup Fuji St Criterium International Perth Fleur de Lys St (EBF) BC Juvenille Turf Championship BC Dirt Mile Championship BC Juvenile Fillies Turf Championship Cooley EBF St BC Mile Championship Ben Marshall St Montrose St (EBF) Artemis S Hessen-Sprint Premio Ribot Isola-Bella Criterium du Languedoc Daily Hai Nisai St Musashino St Mile Championship Tantieme Isonomy Hanshin Juvenile Fillies Asahi Hai Futurity St Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 1 Cape Verdi UAE 1000 Guineas Firebreak St UAE 2000 Guineas Zabeel Mile Burj Nahaar

Juv Juv F Mile Juv F Turf

Gp 2 Gp 1 Gr 1 Gr 1 Gr 1 Gr 1 Gp 1 Gp 3 L Gp 3 Gp 3 L Gp 1 Gp 1 Gp 1 L Gp 3 Gp 3 L Gp 3 Gp 3 L Gp 3 L Gp 1 Gr 3 Gp 1 Gp 3 L Gr 1 Gr 1 Gr 1 L Gr 1 L L Gr 3 L Gp 2 L L Gr 2 Gr 3 Gr 1 L L Gr 1 Gr 1 Gr 2 Gr 2 L Gr 3 Gr 3 Gr 2 Gr 3

5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 6-Oct-2014 10-Oct-2014 11-Oct-2014 12-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014 18-Oct-2014 19-Oct-2014 19-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 21-Oct-2014 23-Oct-2014 26-Oct-2014 26-Oct-2014 26-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 31-Oct-2014 31-Oct-2014 1-Nov-2014 1-Nov-2014 1-Nov-2014 1-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 3-Nov-2014 3-Nov-2014 4-Nov-2014 12-Nov-2014 16-Nov-2014 16-Nov-2014 24-Nov-2014 26-Nov-2014 26-Nov-2014 15-Dec-2014 22-Dec-2014 9-Jan-2015 30-Jan-2015 6-Feb-2015 13-Feb-2015 13-Feb-2015 27-Feb-2015 8-Mar-2015

Closing

10-Oct-14 17-Sep-14 30-Jul-14 21-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 15-Oct-14 15-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 03-Oct-14 17-Sep-14 16-Oct-14 01-Oct-14 01-Oct-14 13-Nov-14 12-Nov-14 20-Jan-15 24-Feb-15

7.4

28-Aug-14

7.5f (1500m) € 41800 € 41800 € 52000 € 52000

2F 2 3+ 3+

T T AWT AWT

1500 1500 1500 1500

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore FR GB USA USA USA USA FR FR FR GB GER IRE ITY GB GB IRE GER GER IRE ITY ITY GB FR FR GB JPN FR FR GB USA USA USA IRE USA GB GB JPN GER ITY FR FR JPN JPN JPN FR FR JPN JPN UAE UAE UAE UAE UAE UAE UAE

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

7.4f (1490m)

Visit www.trainermagazine.com ITY ITY FR FR

Furlongs

7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5

8f (1600m) € 200000 3+ T £160000 3+ F T $400000 2 D $400000 2F D $400000 3+ F&M T $750000 3+ T € 300000 2F T € 80000 2 T € 52000 3+ T £40000 2 T € 155000 2 T € 42500 2F T € 209000 2 C&F T £170000 2F T £1,000,000 3+ T € 40000 3+ T € 105000 2F T € 105000 2 T € 50000 3+ F&M T € 88000 2F T € 61600 3+ T £40000 2 T € 80000 2F T € 55000 2 T £200000 2 C&F T $391680 3+ T € 250000 2 CF T € 80000 3+ T £40000 3+ F&M AWT $1,000,000 2 T $1,000,000 3+ D $1,000,000 2 T € 50000 3+ F&M AWT $2,000,000 3+ T £37000 3+ T £30000 2F T $274148 2F T € 25000 3+ T € 104500 3+ T € 52000 3+ F T € 55000 2 T $351753 2 T $362311 3+ D $976929 3+ T € 52000 3+ T € 55000 2 T $635154 2F T $683899 2 No G T $250000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D $200,000NH F&M 4yo+ SH F&M 3yo+ T $250000 NH 3F SH 3F D $200000SH-bred 3+ & NH-bred 4+D $250,000 NH 3yo SH 3yo D $250,000 NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ T $200,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D

1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

28-Aug-14 23-Jul-14 21-Sep-14 21-Sep-14 17-Sept-14 18-Sep-14 28-Aug-14 25-Sep-14 03-Oct-14 07-Oct-14 CLOSED 07-Oct-14 12-Sep-14 23-Jul-14 06-Aug-14 14-Oct-14 CLOSED CLOSED 14-Oct-14 19-Sep-14 19-Sep-14 15-Oct-14 09-Oct-14 18-Oct-14 13-Aug-14 17-Sep-14 09-Oct-14 16-Oct-14 25-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 26-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 28-Oct-14 28-Oct-14 17-Sep-14 22-Oct-14 03-Oct-14 28-Oct-14 04-Nov-14 01-Oct-14 01-Oct-14 01-Oct-14 18-Nov-14 18-Nov-14 29-Oct-14 12-Nov-14 06-Jan-15 27-Jan-15 03-Feb-15 10-Feb-15 10-Feb-15 24-Feb-15 03-Mar-15

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 69

STAKES SCHEDULES Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 Country Track

Race Name & (Sponsor)

Breeders’ Cup

UAE

Meydan

Godolphin Mile

USA USA GER GER CAN USA

Keeneland Keeneland Dusseldorf Krefeld Woodbine Aqueduct

Darley Alcibiades S Claibourne Breeders’ Futurity Landeshauptstadt Dusseldorf Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen Kingarvie S Alex M. Robb H’cap

USA FR USA JPN GB JPN FR FR IRE ITY USA ITY FR JPN JPN USA JPN UAE UAE UAE

Keeneland Maisons-Laffitte Keeneland Tokyo Newmarket Tokyo Longchamp Longchamp Leopardstown Rome Santa Anita Milan Marseille Borely Kyoto Tokyo Churchill Downs Hanshin Meydan Meydan Meydan

Juddmonte Spinster S Le Fabuleux Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S (by invitation only) Mainichi Okan Darley St Fuchu Himba St Casimir Delamarre Conde Eyrefield St Premio Guido Berardelli BC Distaff Championship Campobello Delahante Miyako St Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai St Clark H’cap Challenge Cup Al Rashidiya Jebel Hatta Dubai Duty Free

FR FR FR UAE UAE UAE UAE

Bordeaux Deauville Deauville Meydan Meydan Meydan Meydan

Grand Criterium de Bordeaux Lyphard Petite Etoile Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 2 UAE Oaks Al Bastakiya UAE Derby

FR SWE

Longchamp Taby Galopp

Prix Dollar (Qatar) Stockholm Fillies And Mares St

FR GER JPN FR FR GB GER ITY SWE FR IRE GB CAN GER JPN IRE ITY ITY USA USA GB ITY JPN FR FR GB FR ITY GB JPN JPN JPN JPN UAE UAE GER

Chantilly Hoppegarten Hanshin Longchamp Saint-Cloud Newmarket Munich Milan Taby Galopp Lyon-Parilly Dundalk Ascot Woodbine Baden-Baden Kyoto Leopardstown Rome Rome Santa Anita Santa Anita Newmarket Rome Tokyo Saint-Cloud Saint-Cloud Doncaster Marseille Borely Rome Lingfield Park Fukushima Kyoto Chukyo Chukyo Meydan Meydan Krefeld

Charles Laffitte Preis der Deutschen Einheit Sirius St Prix de l’Opera (Longines) Dahlia Pride Nereide-Rennen Premio Verziere (Memorial A. Cirla) Songline Classic Andre Baboin Carlingford St Champion (Quipco) E P Taylor S Baden-Wurttemberg-Trophy Shuka Sho Trigo St Conte Felice Scheibler Premio Lydia Tesio BC Filly & Mare Championship BC Classic Championship James Seymour Premio Roma Tenno Sho (Autumn) Solitude Criterium de Saint-Cloud Gillies St (EBF) Grand Prix de Marseille G, Valiani (ex Buontalenta) Churchill St Fukushima Kinen Radio Nikkei Hai Nisai St Kinko Sho Aichi Hai Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 3 Dubai World Cup Niederrhein-Pokal

IRE FR FR FR

Dundalk Saint-Cloud Croise-Laroche Toulouse

Diamond St Flore Grand Prix du Nord Fille de l’Air

GER GER JPN GER

Hannover Hannover Kyoto Dresden

Neue Bult Stuten-Steher-Cup Herbst Stuten Steher-reis Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup Grosser Dresdner Herbstpreis

Class

Race Date

Gr 2

29-Mar-2015

Value

8f (1600m) Age

Surface

$1,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D

Metres

1600

Visit www.trainermagazine.com Juv F Juv

Gr 1 Gr 1 Gp 3 Gp 3 S S

4-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 6-Oct-2014 10-Nov-2014 7-Dec-2014 1-Jan-2015

Gr 1 L Gr 1 Gr 2 Gp 3 Gr 2 L Gp 3 L Gp 3 Gr 1 L L Gr 3 Gr 3 Gr 1 Gr 3 Gr 2 Gr 1 Gr 1

2F 2 3+ 2 2 3+ (NY Bred)

D D T T AWT D

1700 1700 1700 1700 1700 1700

6-Oct-2014 8-Oct-2014 12-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014 18-Oct-2014 19-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 1-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 10-Nov-2014 10-Nov-2014 25-Nov-2014 29-Nov-2014 14-Dec-2014 30-Jan-2015 8-Mar-2015 29-Mar-2015

D T T T T T T T T T D T T D T D T T T T

1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800

5-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014

1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900

F&M Turf

2-Oct-2014 4-Oct-2014 5-Oct-2014 6-Oct-2014 10-Oct-2014 12-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014 15-Oct-2014 18-Oct-2014 19-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 20-Oct-2014 26-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 2-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 2-Nov-2014 3-Nov-2014 3-Nov-2014 9-Nov-2014 9-Nov-2014 9-Nov-2014 10-Nov-2014 10-Nov-2014 16-Nov-2014 17-Nov-2014 30-Nov-2014 7-Dec-2014 21-Dec-2014 8-Mar-2015 29-Mar-2015 10-Nov-2014

3+ 3+F&M

T T

1950 1950

4-Oct-2014 31-Oct-2014 6-Nov-2014 12-Nov-2014

2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2050

70 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47

6-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014 17-Nov-2014 20-Nov-2014

18-Sep-14 30-Sep-14 03-Sep-14 12-Oct-14 03-Sep-14 11-Oct-14 09-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 26-Sep-14 21-Oct-14 01-Nov-14 01-Oct-14 15-Oct-14 13-Nov-14 29-Oct-14 27-Jan-15 03-Mar-15 17-Jan-15

9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5

01-Oct-14

03-Feb-15 24-Feb-15 03-Mar-15 17-Jan-15

9.75 9.75

28-Aug-14 03-Sep-14

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

23-Sept-14 06-Aug-14 20-Aug-14 28-Aug-14 02-Oct-14 07-Oct-14 03-Sep-14 12-Sep-14 09-Sep-14 25-Sep-14 12-Oct-14 06-Aug-14 02-Oct-14 27-Aug-14 03-Sep-14 21-Oct-14 26-Sep-14 21-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 28-Oct-14 03-Oct-14 17-Sep-14 01-Nov-14 23-Oct-14 04-Nov-14 01-Nov-14 11-Nov-14 01-Oct-14 15-Oct-14 29-Oct-14 12-Nov-14 03-Mar-15 17-Jan-15 CLOSED

10.5f (2100m) € 57500 € 80000 € 55000 € 80000

3+ 3+ F 3 3+ F

AWT T T T

2100 2100 2100 2100

€ 25000 € 55000 $879240 € 25000

3+F 3+ F M 3+ FM 3+

T T T T

2200 2200 2200 2200

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore L Gp 3 Gr 1 L

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

10f (2000m)

€ 55000 3F T € 85000 3+ T $342758 3+ D € 400000 3+ F T € 64000 4+ F T £37000 3+ F T € 25000 3+ F T € 61600 3+ F T SEK 400,000 3+ D € 80000 3+ T € 40000 3+ AWT £1,300,000 3+ T CAN500,000 3+ F&M T € 55000 3+ T $871592 3F T € 40000 3+ T € 41800 3 T € 209000 3+ F T $2,000,000 3+ F & M D $5,000,000 3+ D £37000 3+ T € 209000 3+ T $1292420 3+ T € 55000 3F T € 250000 2 CF T £40000 3+ F&M T € 60000 3+ T € 41800 3+ F T £45000 3+ AWT $390800 3+ T $312578 2 T $585958 3+ T $341958 3+ FM T $400000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D $10,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D € 55000 3+ T

Visit www.trainermagazine.com Gp 3 Gp 3 L Gp 3

17-Sept-14 18-Sep-14 13-Aug-14 20-Aug-14 20-Nov-14

9.75f (1950m) € 200000 SEK 400,000

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore L Gp 3 Gr 3 Gp 1 L L L Gp 3 L Gp3 L Gp 1 Gr 1 Gp 3 Gr 1 L L Gp 1 Gr1 Gr 1 L Gp 1 Gr 1 L Gp 1 L L L L Gr 3 Gr 3 Gr 2 Gr 3 Gr 1 Gr 1 Gp 3

8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5

9.5f (1900m)

€ 55000 2 T € 52000 3+ AWT € 55000 3F AWT $250000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ D $250,000 NH 3F SH 3F D $250,000 NH 3yo SH 3yo D $2,000,000 NH 3 SH 3 D

9-Oct-2014 3-Dec-2014 4-Dec-2014 6-Feb-2015 27-Feb-2015 8-Mar-2015 29-Mar-2015

Visit www.trainermagazine.com Gp 2 L

Closing

17-Jan-15

9f (1800m) $500000 3+ F&M € 55000 3 $400000 3F $607118 3+ £55000 3+ $519023 3+ FM € 55000 3F € 80000 2 € 40000 2 € 88000 2 $1,000,000 3+ € 41800 2 € 55000 2 $362311 3+ $312578 2 $500000 3+ $390663 3+ $200,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ $300000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ $6,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 L L L Gr 2 Gr 3 L Gr 2

8

8.5f (1700m) $400000 $500000 € 55000 € 55000 CAN125,000 $100000

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore Distaff

Furlongs

10.5 10.5 10.5 10.5

28-Aug-14 16-Oct-14 29-Oct-14 23-Oct-14

11f (2200m) 11 11 11 11

24-Sep-14 03-Sep-14 01-Oct-14 12-Nov-14

STAKES SCHEDULES Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 Country Track

Race Name & (Sponsor)

ITY

Unire

Naples

Breeders’ Cup

Class

L

11.25f (2250m)

Race Date

Value

Age

Surface

22-Dec-2014

€ 41800

3+

T

Visit www.trainermagazine.com ITY

Siracusa

Francesco Faraci

L

9-Dec-2014

Metres

2250

Ascot Longchamp Toulouse Curragh Kyoto Woodbine Longchamp Milan Nantes Newbury Santa Anita Munich Milan Kempton Park Lyon-Parilly Tokyo Toulouse Meydan Meydan

Cumberland Lodge St (BMW) Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Qatar) Panacee Finale St Kyoto Daishoten Pattison Canadian International Conseil de Paris Gran Premio del Jockey Club e Coppa d’Oro Grand Prix de la Ville de Nantes St Simon St (Worthington’s Champion Shield) BC Turf Championship Grosser Pries Von Bayern Falck G. Floodlit St Grand Camp Japan Cup Max Sicard Dubai City of Gold Dubai Sheema Classic

FR FR JPN FR

Longchamp Deauville Tokyo Saint Cloud

Prix Royallieu (Qatar) Vulcain Copa Republica Argentina Belle de Nuit

GB

Lingfield Park

River Eden St (EBF)

Gp 3 Gp 1 L L Gr 2 Gr 1 Gp 2 Gp 1 L Gp 3 Gr 1 Gp 1 L L L Gr 1 L Gr 2 Gr 1

€ 41800

3+

T

2300

5-Oct-2014 £60000 3+ T 6-Oct-2014 € 4000000 3+ CF T 11-Oct-2014 € 52000 3+ F&M T 13-Oct-2014 € 40000 3+ T 14-Oct-2014 $607118 3+ T 20-Oct-2014 CAN1,000,000 3+ T 20-Oct-2014 € 130000 3+ T 20-Oct-2014 € 209000 3+ T 26-Oct-2014 € 60000 3+ T 26-Oct-2014 £60000 3+ T 2-Nov-2014 $3,000,000 3+ T 2-Nov-2014 € 155000 3+ T 2-Nov-2014 € 41800 3+ F T 6-Nov-2014 £37000 3+ AWT 23-Nov-2014 € 52000 3+ T 1-Dec-2014 $2442708 3+ T 8-Dec-2014 € 60000 3+ T 8-Mar-2015 $250,000 NH 4yo+ SH 4yo+ T 29-Mar-2015 $6,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 4yo+ T

5-Oct-2014 23-Oct-2014 10-Nov-2014 14-Nov-2014

€ 250000 € 55000 $538502 € 52000

2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400

31-Oct-2014

T T T T

2500 2500 2500 2500

Saint-Cloud Ascot Milan Rome Meydan

Scaramouche Noel Murless St Leger Italiano Roma Vecchia Nad Al Sheba Trophy

L L Gp 3 L Gr 3

4-Oct-2014 4-Oct-2014 26-Oct-2014 10-Nov-2014 1-Mar-2015

3+ F&M

AWT

2600

Longchamp Kyoto

Prix Chaudenay (Qatar) Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger)

FR FR

Saint-Cloud Saint-Cloud

Prix Royal-Oak Denisy

UAE

Meydan

DRC Gold Cup

Gp 2 Gr 1

5-Oct-2014 27-Oct-2014

€ 52000 3+ T £37000 3 T € 61600 3+ T € 41800 3+ T $200000SH-bred 3+ & NH-bred 4+T

27-Oct-2014 14-Nov-2014

2800 2800 2800 2800 2800

€ 200000 $1091954

3 3 No G

T T

3000 3000

€ 250000 € 52000

3+ 3+

T T

3100 3100

29-Mar-2015

$1000000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ T

3200

Nakayama

Stayers St

Gr 2

7-Dec-2014

Longchamp Cologne

Prix du Cadran (Qatar) Silbernes Band des Rheinlandes

Gp 1 L

6-Oct-2014 13-Oct-2014

13

25-Oct-14

14 14 14 14 14

25-Sept-14 26-Sept-14 26-Sep-14 24-Feb-15

15 15

28-Aug-14 CLOSED

15.5 15.5

09-Oct-14 06-Nov-14

$585958

16

17-Jan-15

18f (3600m) 3+

T

3600

Visit www.trainermagazine.com FR GER

28-Aug-14 15-Oct-14 01-Oct-14 06-Nov-14

16f (3200m)

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 JPN

12.5 12.5 12.5 12.5

15.5f (3100m)

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore Gr 2

03-Mar-15 17-Jan-15

15f (3000m)

Visit www.trainermagazine.com Gp 1 L

31-Oct-14 15-Nov-14 15-Oct-14

14f (2800m)

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 FR JPN

30-Sep-14 15-May-14 03-Oct-14 07-Oct-14 09-Sep-14 02-Oct-14 09-Oct-14 19-Sep-14 18-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 13-Aug-14

13f (2600m) £40000

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore FR GB ITY ITY UAE

12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

12.5f (2500m) 3+ F 3 3+ 3+ F

Visit www.trainermagazine.com L

11.5

12f (2400m)

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 Gp 2 L Gr 2 L

Closing

11.25

11.5f (2300m)

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore GB FR FR IRE JPN CAN FR ITY FR GB USA GER ITY GB FR JPN FR UAE UAE

Furlongs

18

29-Oct-14

20f (4000m) € 300000 € 25000

4+ 3+

T T

4000 4000

20 20

28-Aug-14 01-Oct-14

ISSUE 47 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 71

DAVID CROSSE VIEW FROM THE SADDLE

Let TV continue to promote the positive in our sport

N

ATURALLY mistakes will occur and some decisions I make will be wrong but it’s very similar to driving your car as fast as it can possibly go through heavy city traffic, while negotiating ten others trying to do the same thing at the same time. See how mistakes can happen?

Across Europe, where newspaper coverage is falling, all major racing countries are increasing the TV exposure dedicated to horse racing. This is excellent for promoting the sport and a great opportunity to develop new fans.

Therefore it is vital to utilise this coverage in the most engaging way to appeal to a range of viewers.

However, from a jockeys perspective, certain coverage is more desirable than others. It is terribly frustrating when, from time to time, we are openly criticised for a wider audience to pull apart certain rides saying this jockey caused this horse to lose, that horse to fall and so on.

If anyone stands down by the last fence in a race you will see how committed each jockey is as they fire themselves at a fivefoot fence at 30 miles an hour in an attempt to win. I’m not so audacious as to say we do no wrong but it is very hard to see your efforts lambasted, especially by someone with no experience of physically doing the job of a jockey.

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

One of the hardest things about being a jockey is the constant split second decisions that have to be made. It’s part of what makes the game what it is but I can pretty much guarantee that the overwhelming majority of my decisions and those of my colleagues are made with the intention of winning or at least finishing closer in every race. chance and horses are not machines.

I do understand pundits and journalists have a job to do themselves and they need to comment objectively on a sport which so much of is hard to understand without experience.

However, they don’t necessarily have to be negative and controversial to be good.

On British TV an excellent example is Clare Balding, who is considering giving up commentating on racing as she is climbing the ladder so fast. It will be a massive loss to the sport if she goes. She is very knowledgeable and a top-class presenter who always shows racing in a good light and is a great anchor, presenting the facts as they are. There are enough contentious incidents in our game: we do not need other people involved in racing adding to it.

John Francome was a top-class presenter too. He always told it as it was.

Similarly, Ted Walsh for Irish viewers would be in the same bracket but the best bit about him is that he can come out with anything. Entertaining!

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

backgrounds and are entertaining characters. I firmly believe it is their passion and understanding of horses and the sport that makes them a fair presenter.

In my view, Attheraces still have a few good presenters and characters but the other channels can be dull viewing. Racing should not just revolve around the betting and exchanges – when a favourite gets beaten, the programme is dedicated to dissecting this race. Unfortunately this format is repeated day in, day out, and narrows the audience appeal.

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

In conclusion we have got to understand that the television is the window to the soul of our sport. We have also got to cherish the presenter who we remember for their style and charisma and their ability to relate to us. Racing is amazing, fast and beautiful. It sets the heart blazing on the coldest winter morning. Let’s keep promoting that – not whoever can ruffle the most feathers. n

“Racing needs to use its personalities to keep the sport alive – from the eccentric individuals to the consummate professionals who describe the sport in tremendous detail” 72 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 47