European Trainer - October to December 2016 - issue 55

European

ISSUE 55 – OCTOBER TO DECEMBER 2016 £6.95

The business of running an independent racecourse THE ART OF BUILDING FENCES Arabian racing Its growth across Europe

www.trainermagazine.com

NATIONA L HUNT SPECIAL The st

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NEW

GILES ANDERSON

Jump racing issues

W

ITH this issue of the magazine we are breaking with our tradition of profiling one individual trainer and are instead covering a topic that is pertinent to the training community across Europe.

In the hot seat for this issue is the world of jump racing, also known as steeplechasing and National Hunt racing, depending on where you are from. Some would argue that across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France, racing over fences is the most popular form of the sport. It is fair to suggest that at a top end fuelled by a desire to win some of the most iconic races on offer, life has never been better, whilst in other parts of Europe, the jumping branch of the industry has gone into a gradual demise.

But how is this sector of the racing world faring? What’s being done to support and promote the breeding and racing of jumping stock? What’s it like to own and run a small independent racecourse, servicing everyday horses rather than the household names who ply their trade round the likes of Cheltenham, Auteuil, or Fairyhouse? And what about the fences themselves? Have they become easier to jump thanks to a modernisation in the construction process?

Well, we find out the answers to these questions within these pages!

In this issue, you’ll also learn about another ‘form’ of racing in Europe – Arabian racing. At the least misunderstood by some and at the worst perhaps looked down upon by others, the Arabian is undoubtedly a growing part of racing that’s gradually becoming more and more mainstream at racecourses across Europe. But yet the rules that cover the basic raceday infrastructure are disjointed, so for Purebred Arabian racing to thrive, it needs to be recognised by and on a par with thoroughbred racing among all authorities across Europe. With betting markets crying out for more betting opportunities, could a greater integration of the thoroughbred’s progenitors provide the growth that is demanded, thus bolstering both the thoroughbred and Arabian industries with valuable funding?

Finally, I would like to finish by remembering a dear friend to the magazine, Brian Fillery. Brian lost a short but mercifully swift battle with cancer on August 9th. Recognised by many as one of the inventors of the hay steaming machine that we know as Haygain, Brian was without doubt one of life’s delightful characters. He was passionate about his work and sharing his knowledge, which resulted in us running some fascinating features in the magazine.

Words taken from his obituary in The Times summed Brian up beautifully: “A very special man whose eccentric humour and wild heart touched countless lives, and without exception enriched each one.” I’ll raise a glass to that!

Wherever your racing takes you this autumn – good luck. ■

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ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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Message from the Chair

CRIQUETTE HEAD-MAAREK

I

T’S frightening to see what havoc an unseasonably mild winter can do to a trainer’s string and show how much we now rely on the right vaccines to be available to combat strains of these weather-borne infections.

As the nights draw in, I’m also thinking ahead to our European Trainers’ Federation meeting, which will be held between December 9th and 11th in Cologne, Germany. As always, it’s important that we hear views from as many trainers as possible, and if you have an issue that you would like to have aired to a wider audience, now is the time to let your country representative know.

I’m sure that one item which will be discussed are the changes to the Weight for Age scale that will be coming into effect for next summer. Whilst I am of the opinion that these will be good for racing, I do urge many to be careful what you wish for. The combination of weight and speed is never a good mix and at some point, surely we will have reached the maximum weight that some horses will be expected to carry.

I also think that it is amazing that this is one of the

“

I write my words at the start of autumn, with the dark hours now greater than the light hours. I look back on what has been a frustrating season for many in major training centres across Northern Europe, and I wish for a harsh and cold winter to kill off all the bugs that have resulted in many of our horses seemingly suffering from a complex and somewhat head-scratching infection that has affected their respiratory tracts. few rules that is consistent across Europe and whilst not wishing to sound like a broken record, why can’t other rules be simplified to bring consistency across Europe?

They say you could write a book on the different rules relating to the use of the whip across Europe, and with every tweak to the rules being made an opportunity exists to exploit the system. An example of this is easily illustrated in Germany. A ‘foreign’ jockey’s first ride in Germany is a winning one and he’s involved in a driving finish in a big race, ahead of a local jockey.

However, the winning jockey uses his whip more than the local jockey, but the local jockey is the one who gets banned, as he may have totted up more excessive strokes over the season. But back at home, the foreign jockey has also totted up the same number and those aren’t taken into consideration by the German stewards. So, for the sake of fairness, wouldn’t it be for the best if all races were run with the same whip rules, giving everyone a level field to play on?

I’ll leave you to ponder on that thought.. ■

I’m sure that one item which will be discussed are the changes to the Weight for Age scale that will be coming into effect for next summer. Whilst I am of the opinion that these will be good for racing, I do urge many to be careful what you wish for 2

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Issue 55

CONTENTS 12 66

The state of National Hunt racing

Italians abroad

Lissa Oliver reports on the future prospects of jump racing across Europe.

Isabel Mathew writes about three Italian-born, French-based trainers, whose surnames all begin with the letter ‘B’.

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Running an independent racecourse

Arabian racing

A profile on Charles Enderby, whose great-grandfather was responsible in part for the resurgence of racing at Hexham racecourse, by Chris Dixon.

Comparing thoroughbred and Arabian racehorses, and how Arabian racing is regarded across Europe, by Lissa Oliver.

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Fence construction

Carl Evans with a primer on the fences at National Hunt courses, and whether birch is on its way out as primary fencing material.

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Equine flu

A history of the equine influenza virus, by Pablo R Murcia and John F Marshall.

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Alex Scott Scholarship

Stable staff

Lissa Oliver lays out the options available for all levels of furthering staff education and training.

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Dental infections

Dental infections in the racehorse,

by W Henry Tremaine and Miriam Casey.

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The 2015 recipients of the Alex Scott Assistant Travel Scholarship, in their own words.

Contributors

54

ETF members

A summary of the EMHF meeting of its executive council, including discussion of horseracing on the beach, by Paull Khan.

TRM Trainer of the Quarter

58

Product Focus

Dr Rhiannon Morgan reports from the recent seminar.

Stakes Schedules

Beach racing

Merial CPD Raceday

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barn of his father Joe, a former trainer on the Mid-Atlantic circuit.

K. T. Donovan travels domestically and internationally to cover racing through writing, television, and video, and markets farms, stallions, and events, while regularly working sales to make sure she can still put her hands on the horse, the center of it all. As a freelancer, she has written for most of the major racing publications around the world, and contributed in various capacities to live shows and documentaries on several American television networks, as well as for Sky, and RTE (Irish television). She is based in Lexington, Kentucky.

retiring in 2008.

for the Daily Express and Daily Mail before joining the nascent Racing Post at the end of 1985. He returned to the Daily Mail as Racing Correspondent at the end of 1988,

Dr David Marlin is a specialist in exercise physiology, thermoregulation, transport, and respiratory physiology. He has authored over 170 scientific papers and book chapters, and Equine Exercise Physiology. Marlin is International Board Chairman of the International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology, editor of John F. Marshall is avisiting Comparative Exercise Physiology, and holds surgeon with a PhD Professor positionsveterinary at the Universities of Bristol, in Physiology.

Heworks is a as Senior Nottingham, and Oklahoma State. He a University Clinician the consultant to the racing industry, the BritishatEquestrian of Glasgow Teams, the FEI, andUniversity the International League forWeipers the Centre Equine Hospital.

Protection of Horses.

CONTRIBUTORS

Editorial Director/Publisher North American Trainer is the official magazine of Giles Anderson

the California Thoroughbred Trainers. It is distributed Editor to all ‘Trainer’ members of the Thoroughbred Frances Karon Horsemen’s Association and all members of the Consignors and Commercial Breeders Association Designer Neil Randon

Editorial/Photo Management Eleanor Yateman Advertising Sales Giles Anderson, Oscar Yeadon Photo Credits Caroline Norris, Celia Marr, Debbie Burt Equine Creative Media, Dpd Photography, Gerry Weatherhead - Creative Eye, Giles Anderson, Ilka Gansera Lévêque, Isabel Mathew, Lauren Dobson - Hexham Racecourse, Nagroda Prezesa, Paull Khan, Scoop Dyga, Shutterstock, Watt Fences Cover Photograph Caroline Norris 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 £6.95 (ex P+P).

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any format without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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

06 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 20

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Miriam Casey graduated in 2004 and worked in BSc, mixed Dr Catherine Dunnett PhD, and equine for three R.Nutr. is anpractice independent nutritionist years before joining the team registered with the British Nutritionat Langford as has a clinical scholar Society. She a background in in equine Equineresearch, dentistry, funded in the field of by nutrition and exercise by physiology with the Horse Trust. This was followed Masters many and yearsComparative spent at The Animal degrees in Pathology Health Trust in Newmarket.

Prior to up her own Medicine, and then a PhD in setting Veterinary consultancy business, sheUniversity worked in the equine feedShe Epidemiology at the of Glasgow. industry on product development and technical is currently working in the United Nations’marketing.

Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Sid Fernando is president of

eMatings LLC and Thoroughbred Chris Dixon is aWerk horseracing Consultants, Inc. He is the former form analyst and TV pundit, bloodstock editor of Daily Racing regularly seen on the leading Form and also blogs about racing racing channel and breeding. Racing UK. Chris also manages two small racing partnerships and has enjoyed Frances J. Karon, is a native of over 20 winners as a part-owner since 2013.

Puerto Rico and graduate of Maine’s Colby College with a Bachelor of

Carl beenShe a operates ArtsEvans degree has in English. freelance racing journalist for Rough Shod LLC based in Lexington, and specializes in sales, 21Kentucky years, surviving by ‘getting research onpedigree every horse thatand comes recommendations. past the door’. As a result you will find him at Aintree or Royal Heller, Billfrom Heller,the Eclipse-Award Ascot one day, orBill reporting sales ring Bill Heller's 22nd book, "Above or a point-to-pointwinner the next.

He says: ‘Some It All; The but Turbulent Life to of Jose people study pedigrees, I prefer study Santos," was published in March, the people who make the pedigrees.’

2011. Heller, a member of the Harness Racing Hall of Fame DrCommunicators Paull KhanCorner, PhD. isis58 anand lives international in Albany, New York, just 30 miles horseracing south of Saratoga Race consultant.

He 22-year-old is SecretaryCourse, with his wife Anna and their son of the European & of Benjamin, a senior General honor student at the State University Horseracing New York at New Mediterranean Paltz.

Federation and Technical Advisor for Europe to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. His other clients include the British Horseracing Board.

Previously, Dr Khan held many senior roles at Weatherbys, including Banking Director and Racing Director.

Professor Celia Marr is Editorin-chief of Equine Veterinary Journal and also works as a Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine, based at Rossdales Equine Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Newmarket. Celia has published on a wide range of equine medical problems and is particularly interested in equine heart disease and intensive care.

IsabelMathew Mathew is is a freelance Isabel a freelance journalist based based in She works journalist in Paris.

Paris.

She for several differentpublications publications works for several coveringthe subjects related to the covering French Horseracing French Horseracing Industryfrom and Industry.

After graduating elsewhere.

After graduating the Darley Flying Start and from the Darley Flying Startshe andhas working working across different countries, in racing across many different countries, she has been been in France for nearly two and a half years. in France for nearly two and a half years.

DrDr.Rhiannon PhD Stacey OkeMorgan is a licensed MRCVS is and a Senior Clinical veterinarian freelance medical Training Scholar inaddition Large Animal writer and editor. In to Veterinary writing for Diagnostic various horse Imaging publications, atshe thealso Royal Veterinary College, contributes to scientific London, She completed journals, isUK. an editor of an an HBLB funded internationally-recognized, PhD focusing on equine peerreviewed journal,and creates materials osteoarthritis, hascontinuing worked education as an equine for both human and veterinary medicine, conducts ambulatory veterinary surgeon withand a special biomedical studies. interest in research equine orthopaedics and diagnostic imaging, which originated from an internship GaryHealth West isTrust, a sports columnist with based at the Animal Newmarket. the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a

formerR. president of is theaNational Pablo Murcia Doctor Turf Association.

Garywith has written in Writers Veterinary Medicine a about horse racing for more than 25 PhD in Virology. The Murcia years. laboratory at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research studies different aspects of equine influenza emergence, evolution and pathogenesis.

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.

Henry Tremaine is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol, and a specialist in Equine surgery and dentistry.

His interests are airway surgery and dentistry in horses and he consults at private clinics, has published widely and spoken internationally in these fields. He also attends race meetings and three-day events as a duty veterinarian.

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EUROPEAN TRAINER ISSUE 55 CONTRIBUTORS.indd 4

28/09/2016 23:50

J1512_

FIND THE NEXT LEGEND AT THE

IRISH NOVEMBER SALES

WHERE THOROUGHBREDS BECOME LEGENDS

+ 353 45 443000 INFO@ITM.IE WWW.ITM.IE

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 (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:

Vice Chairmanship:

Treasureship:

Max Hennau (Belgium) Tel: +32 (0) 474 259 417 Fax: +32 (0) 81 566 846 Email: mhennau@gmail.com

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

Michael Grassick (Ireland) Tel: +353 (0) 45 522981 Mob: +353 (0) 87 2588770 Fax: + 353 (0) 45 522982 Email: irishta@eircom.net

AUSTRIA

SLOVAKIA

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

NETHERLANDS

Jaroslav Brecka Email: jaroslav.brecka@gmail.com

CZECH REPUBLIC

Geert van Kempen Email: renstalvankempen@hetnet.nl

SPAIN

NORWAY

Mauricio Delcher Sanchez Tel: +34 (0) 666 53 51 52 Email: mdelcher@hotmail.com

Roman Vitek Tel: +42 (0) 567 587 61 Fax: +42 (0) 567584 733 Email: dr.romanrvitek@gmail.com

Annike Bye Hansen Email: annikebyehansen@hotmail.no

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

HUNGARY

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

Livia Prem Email: queen.quissisana@hotmail.com

TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 5455 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COMISSUE ISSUE

SWEDEN SOUTH Jessica och Padraig Long Email: jplong@live.se

www.trainersfederation.eu 88

Julian McLaren Tel: +46 (0) 709 234597 Email: jmclaren@hotmail.com

Looking for Classic winners… BBAG graduate ISFAHAN wins the German Derby, Gr.1

KNIFE EDGE leads home a 1-2 for BBAG graduates in the Group 2 German 2.000 Guineas, with DEGAS a close second.

October Mixed Sales Friday, 21st October and Saturday, 22nd October 2016

www.bbag-sales.de

Va Bank won the Group 3 Preis Der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe in Germany – the first Polish horse to win a Group race outside of Poland

Trainer of the Quarter

MACIEJ JANIKOWSKI

The TRM Trainer of the Quarter award has been won

by Maciej Janikowski. Maciej and his team will receive a selection of products from the internationallyacclaimed range of TRM supplements, as well as a bottle of fine Irish whiskey.

WORDS: DOminika WłODaRczy PHOTOS: nagRODa PRezeSa

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aciej janikowski has been training horses in Poland since 1969. after graduating from university – Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego – janikowski undertook an internship at Słu˙zewiec Racetrack and decided from there to become a trainer. He’s been running his stable in Warsaw for over 40 years now and has won the major races multiple times. The first success came in 1974, when czerkies won the Polish Derby and in the same season swept the Triple crown. in total, janikowski has trained four Derby winners and three winners of the Wielka Warszawska. in 2013, a yearling bay colt bred by airlie Stud was bought at Tattersalls in ireland to join janikowski’s stable. The son of archipenko from the family of dual Group 1 King’s Stand winner equiano had not drawn much attention at auction, selling for just ¤4,500. His co-owner janusz Zienkiewicz confirmed the horse was not more expensive because of the health issues he had throughout the sales.

Named Va Bank, the colt showed a lot of talent from the first day his hooves hit the track. as a two-year-old he won three races. He extended his unbeaten record, winning five races the next season. among his major wins at three were the Nagroda

Rulera, Polish Derby, St Leger (Polish Triple crown), and Wielka Warszawska. it was obvious there was no competition in Poland for the colt. Speculations about a possible start abroad began appear to by the end of 2015.

Va Bank began his 2016 campaign in Poland with victories in the 2,000-metre Nagroda Golejewka and the 2,600-metre Nagroda Prezesa Totalizatora Sportowego, both for four-year-olds and up; and the 2,000-metre Nagroda Kozienic, for threeyear-olds and up. His last win was so impressive that the trainer and the owners had no other choice but to send the horse to Germany. it was not an easy decision to take this route with Va Bank. The expectations were very high, and it was not only the horse that was about to be tested. Two weeks earlier, recent French-bred Polish Derby winner caccini ran in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and disappointed, finishing fifth out of six runners. caccini’s poor performance put the quality of Polish horses in doubt. But Va Bank did not disappoint.

He added a victory in the Group 3 Preis Der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe to his impressive resume and was rated 113. it was a historical win for Poland, as the undefeated colt is the first ever Polish-trained and -owned horse to

Maciej Janikowski with jockey Per-Anders Gråberg and co-owner Janusz Piotr Zienkiewicz

win a Group 3 event outside of the country.

His outstanding performance made him known in europe as ‘Polish Frankel’ and proved his trainer has the knowledge and ability to condition a horse with such talent and potential.

CALPHORMIN

Va Bank is now owned in partnership with Barry irwin, the ceO of the Team Valor international, who bought a half-interest after the win in Germany, and irwin has agreed that Maciej janikowski will continue to train the colt. n

TM

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RACING

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NATIONAL HUNT

NATIONAL HUNT RACING The health of the sport across Europe

ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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T’S a sobering thought and those in a more fortunate position need to be reminded of the phrase, “There but for the grace of God go I.” Even countries with a strong tradition of jump racing have seen cracks appearing, and the first stages of repair are being put in place. Is the restoration work necessary? Or only just coming in the nick of time?

Von der Recke is the first to acknowledge the great Flat trainers, André Fabre and Aidan O’Brien included, who hailed originally from a jumping background, and Vincent Cheminaud is a fine example among several jockeys who have switched from the jumps to the Flat, so the current lack of opportunity for young people coming into the sport in Germany is obviously a major concern.

“People still like jumping, it’s very popular, but the problem is the racecourses,” von der Recke reveals. “The racecourses don’t have the money any more and many of the good racecourses are taking out the jumping track and putting a golf course in the centre instead, because that is where they can make a lot of money.

“People are still looking for jumping, but it has sunk quite low. It’s such a nice sport and all the races we had this season were

RACING

German trainer Christian von der Recke has won the jumping (National Hunt) champion trainer title thirteen times, together with the Flat title on five occasions. It’s a good place to begin a look at the current health of National Hunt racing throughout Europe, when he tells us, “In my best season I won the National Hunt (jumping) title with 49 winners. This season I need only seven winners to claim the title.”

WORDS: LISSA OLIVER PHOTOS: CAROLINE NORRIS, SCOOP DYGA

very good. They will never close it down completely, but with so few opportunities now, where are the jockeys and horses going to come from? No young riders want to give it a go. If they do, they know they’ll have to go abroad. We are going to have trouble getting riders.”

Germany’s problem lies directly with the racecourses and lack of money, so a quick fix, or even a long-term solution, will be hard to find. Trainer Willie Mullins wonders if the UK and Ireland are in a fortunate position due to a positive presence in the EU parliament. “I think it was probably the VAT issue that ruined a lot of the racing industry in Europe,” he suggests. “They can’t seem to find a suitable way for owners to claim VAT back. We are very lucky in Ireland and the UK to have good lobbyists representing us Christian von der Recke saddling up at Cologne racecourse

at European level, which I don’t think other nations have.”

Elsewhere, measures are being adopted to address issues from the base up, with a heavy focus on improving the broodmare population to ensure a quality product for the years ahead. The breeders are providing the building blocks of the National Hunt industry, after all, and it is in everyone’s interest to ensure those blocks are solid.

Speaking at an international National Hunt seminar held in Ireland earlier this year, Bryan Mayoh of the British Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (TBA) reminded us that the best racehorses are consistently produced by the best racemares, while figures showed that high-class 10-to-12-furlong performers consistently sire the best National Hunt horses. Yet traditionally in the UK and Ireland there has been a reluctance to race the National Hunt-bred filly, which is now being rectified.

“The ITBA National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme has been very successful,” Shane O’Dwyer, manager of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, says of the incentive scheme introduced in Ireland in 2013. “When it was set up it was to encourage a better quality of broodmare, not just to show a win on the racecourse but to prove soundness. To date, the scheme has paid out well in excess of ¤500,000 and what is of great significance is that 63% of those receiving the Bonus have been ownerbreeders.

“What is now happily in the past is the lack of incentive to put a filly into training. What was tending to happen was a breeder would leave a filly out in the field and then cover her with a local stallion, and if she produced a filly, that would be kept and covered, too.

“

The racecourses don’t have the money any more and many of the good racecourses are taking out the jumping track and putting a golf course in the centre instead

”

Christian von der Recke 14

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NATIONAL HUNT

Whiteout jumps the last flight on her way to winning the Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown from Limini

Because of the ¤5,000 offered, people are willing to take a chance and put their filly into training – and that’s the big story of the scheme,” O’Dwyer acknowledges.

“As a result, it has provided a stimulus in the sales market and we are now seeing an increase in people buying fillies, including major owners who were not buying fillies in the past,” he continues. “While the figures show that the number of horses in training in Ireland has slightly decreased, the number of National Hunt fillies in training has increased a bit. A few years ago the number of races restricted to fillies and mares was down in the mid-70s, but we currently have 94 maresonly races.

“It’s not ideal and I personally wouldn’t be a great fan of self-help schemes, but in this instance it is a must and we have to continue to keep it going in order to help the market.

By introducing the ITBA National Hunt Fillies Scheme and getting fillies to the track it is improving the quality of the broodmare band. Nowadays the buyer is looking for quality and to see a mare proven sound of wind and limb.

“Across the board a race programme improving the opportunities for fillies and mares is better for everyone. Increased opportunities, particularly for younger mares, provides more of a chance for a young filly to get her win and then go to the covering shed.

It’s all positive.”

It isn’t all positive elsewhere, and incentive schemes need to be managed correctly if they are to accomplish their goal. Salvatore Bruno, who stands Tout Seul and Dr Devious at stud in Italy, tells us, “Here in Italy the situation is tragic for the horse. You cannot improve mares and you are unable to import stallions

“

Across the board a race programme improving the opportunities for fillies and mares is better for everyone

”

Shane O’Dwyer

of quality.” He blames the introduction of slot machines, which have depleted revenue from betting, and Italian breeders are receiving no help during a particularly difficult time.

“I cannot understand why there is added prize money for foreign stallions,” he questions. “The added premium should only be given to Italian sires and Italian mares. If you bring a mare and cover her abroad by a foreign stallion and then bring her back to Italy, that progeny takes the same added prize as the Italian-conceived horse, and I think that is wrong. In order to have the Italian added bonus, the stallion should have covered the mare in Italy. However it is not so.”

Ferdy Murphy, who has trained in Ireland, the UK, and France, is likely to sympathise with Italy’s plight, especially in regard to the slot machines. Having moved to France in 2013, he tells us, “The French jumping industry is very good. The prize money is fantastic, there are a lot of horses in training and we sell a lot to Ireland and the UK. Its strength comes from its prize money. The top stallion in France a few years ago covered 60 mares, but now covers 150. It hasn’t

quite got as commercial as Ireland and we still have the prize money there in place to support it. I wouldn’t like to see it go any more commercial, though.”

He is right to be anxious. He was one of many who saw the rapid decline of National Hunt racing in the north of England and knows exactly where to point the blame.

“I trained in the UK for a lot of years and bookmakers there have racing held hostage.

I’m grateful I’ve moved to France. The UK race programme is all about bookmakers and shareholders making money. They want 12-runner handicaps, the type that you could run 12 times with the same 12 horses and get 12 different winners. They dumbeddown racing in the north of England and decimated it.”

Willie Mullins poses the same question.

“Does betting have too much influence on the programme? There is a lot of low-grade racing. There is a certain amount of need for low-grade racing, but I would be concerned that most of the prize money seems to be in handicaps rather than the graded races England, and I don’t think that encourages people to go out and buy a young horse. You don’t aspire to win a handicap, you aspire to win a graded race and a handicap is just a consolation for the horses who can’t win at graded level. It’s not good for racing when all the prize money is in handicaps. I think English racing could be better structured.”

Mullins, too, has noticed the effect an increase of racing has had in the UK. “Would it be fair to say that with all the restructuring they’ve done in the north of England they have killed it?” he suggests. “In trying to improve one area, there is a risk it may have a negative effect elsewhere, which has seemed ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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Trainer Ferdy Murphy, above, believes there is too much low grade racing in the UK, while Henry Beeby (above right) acknowledges overproduction issues with a drop in average sales price at the major National Hunt sales

to happen in the north of England. There used to be a number of good trainers there and they have been forced out of business.”

This is an argument Murphy takes up, sparing no punches. “The BHA (British Horseracing Authority) hasn’t the courage to take on the bookmakers. The Jockey Club had a good model and was made up of people who had a history with the sport and understood the industry, but the BHA seems to lack that. The industry in the UK now is all about mass production,” he insists.

“Their problem is too much low-grade racing. Put on good racing and people want to bet on it and take an interest, but the type of racing the bookmakers want are the type punters just lose money on. Betting shops have to have racing on throughout opening times to get people through the doors. Once they’re in, they play the slot machines, but they won’t go in just to play the slots. It’s very clever, what the bookmakers do.

“The final nail in the coffin in the north of England was the introduction of 0-65 handicaps. Because of the larger numbers of low-grade runners, the class of horse running was actually 0-45 in previous years, horses that wouldn’t have been kept in training. The bookmakers are calling the shots.”

Prize money is, as we know, the lifeblood of the industry, and Horse Racing Ireland’s (HRI) attempt to support the smaller owner at handicap level is possibly backfiring, attracting instead the better horses in search of a good purse. In the UK, more races simply mean a thinner spread of already limited prize money. Murphy provides a telling example.

“I won a race in 1995 worth £5,400 to the 16

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“

The final nail in the coffin in the north of England was the introduction of 0-65 handicaps

Ferdy Murphy

”

winner. In 2013, I won the same race for the same owners, this time worth £1,130.”

Von der Recke has noticed this too, compounding currency fluctuations for foreign raiders. “I used to have a lot of runners in the UK, but the currency has dropped in value and the prize money has dropped, so France is the only alternative now,” he says.

We are repeatedly told that competitive racing increases betting revenue and attendance, and therefore an increase in the number of horses in training is necessary, but attendance and public interest increases with top class racing, and that rests solely on quality rather than quantity. “You can only have so many opportunities, there’s only so much of the cake and if you have more of one thing, you’ll lose another,” warns Mullins.

“When I see them leaning towards the UK model here in Ireland it worries me. There is no real incentive to keep a top class horse in training in the UK.” Many warned of the return to overproduction creeping back into the

industry, and it could be that we’re already beginning to see the warning signs at the major National Hunt sales. In his closing report on this summer’s Goffs Land Rover Sale, Henry Beeby noted: “It would be wrong not to acknowledge that the market is becoming more selective as foal crops and catalogue sizes grow again, as evidenced by the slight drop in average, although that was nearly inevitable with bigger numbers, whilst a clearance rate of 84% over the three days is very acceptable and it is pleasing that the median held steady.”

The Tattersalls Derby Sale also saw phenomenal trade, with managing director Roger Casey commenting: “The highest average and median ever recorded at the sale at ¤47,535 and ¤36,000 respectively, a record number of 32 lots sold for over ¤100,000 and 110 lots realised ¤50,000 or more. The top five store prices anywhere in 2016 and with UK purchasers again accounting for more than a third of the overall turnover. Part II, while more subdued, has still managed to produce an improved top price of ¤60,000, a healthy average of ¤12,338 and median of ¤10,500.”

There is clearly an appetite for the top level performer and what could boost it further is an international National Hunt programme.

Mullins has long expressed a view that the scope is there for National Hunt racing to broaden its horizon and introduce an international series, ideally for two-and-ahalf-mile hurdlers. He has warned that if it doesn’t internationalise, National Hunt racing could decrease in time and go the way of America, where there is now very little

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Champion Irish trainer Willie Mullins believes there is scope for an international jumping series

jump racing. “I hope owners would have an appetite for it,” he says of the idea, “but first of all prize money would need to be high enough to warrant travelling.

“I think American owners would love to come to England and Ireland. It would be harder to get the French, because they have their own good programme and better prize money, but we could go there. The Australians would love to have our runners, but probably with the intent of leaving them there and selling them on.

The Japanese races are worth a lot of money, but again the cost of travel is very high. There is a framework there, but it needs to be worked on. If there were enough prizes there, people would target them.”

While the introduction of an international series is a popular concept, Mullins would not like to see alterations to the domestic programme. “I think in Ireland we have the right model,” he says.

“I’ve heard people calling for a National Hunt champions Willie Mullins day, but I think we have our Festivals right and we can attract foreign runners, if prize money was enough to travel over for. Our Festivals fit well in the programme and I wouldn’t like to see changes made.”

“An international series is a good idea and there seems to be a willingness from trainers to participate,” agrees Peter Hockenhull of Shade Oak Stud. “Anything that increases jump racing in other countries has to be good for us. We’ve got to look to promote it and that would be great. I’m smiling over the idea!”

It meets with a favourable response from Coolagown Stud’s David Stack, too. “National Hunt racing definitely needs an international platform. Other than selling to Britain, Irish-bred horses have a one in 100 chance of selling anywhere else. Foals with a mediocre

“

“I hope owners would have an appetite for it, but first of all prize money would need to be high enough to warrant travelling

”

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RACING

Lord Villez in the Prix Moncourt at Auteuil for Ferdy Murphy

Flat pedigree will sell quicker than a good National Hunt pedigree. The National Hunt market is still so small,” he says.

“For all its faults, Italian National Hunt racing is thriving and Merano has a brilliant National Hunt track. There are good programmes in Poland and the Czech Republic, too. Establishing a linked international programme would be well worth the effort; anything that pushes forward the National Hunt horse has to be looked at favourably. If the sport is international, it will bring in more buyers.

Once we’ve got the product out there, we’ll grow a better product as a result. If we could get it up and running, anything that pushes National Hunt racing forward, the better,” Stack concludes.

Improving the overall product returns us to the incentives for National Hunt fillies and mares, and the industry appears to be unanimous in pronouncing such schemes a success. Hockenhull points out, “I’ve been on the TBA for four or five years and in those years I’ve seen the TBA have more influence than in previous times. If trainers will go along with us, it will change things for the better. In National Hunt breeding it has always been 50/50 whether you have a return or not, depending on whether you get a filly or a colt, and that is never a sound basis on which to build a business. Are we in a good state? No; but we’re going in the right direction.

“The fillies schemes are still in their infancy and it will be some time before they have an impact. The fillies racing programme has developed and is starting to make an impact, but we’ve a long way to go.

We’ve had centuries of not racing National 18

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“

The Grassroots Series in particular has been a huge boost and from an owner’s point of view they love to target a race

Jamie Snowden

”

Hunt fillies and we’re not going to turn it around in a few years.

“The problem we have in the UK is the number of broodmares is declining, and how we can encourage more breeders goes back to the fillies incentive schemes, making it a sounder business base and producing better fillies. France has a history of racing National Hunt fillies, while we’ve inherited a programme that hasn’t catered for fillies and we’re only reacting now, as we’re staring into the abyss. This is the crux of it.

“I am positively empowered to see things improving in my lifetime,” Hockenhull assures us. “The MOPS (NH Mare Owners’ Prize Scheme) is a definite positive and I hope the press get behind it. We will see the results from it in three or four years’ time.

We haven’t got enough mares racing and those that do achieve a win have a higher value and retire slightly earlier. As we advance the programme the racing will get more competitive and we’ll need to provide regular opportunities for all levels of filly.”

Hockenhull acknowledges this will be an evolving process, tailored as it goes. “It is difficult planning a mares programme and we’re looking to expand it. As more mares come into training the demand for particular categories of race will change accordingly, and the programme will continually evolve and improve. It’s not tweaking – this is fundamental if we’re to reach parity with the Flat. A National Hunt Oaks or Guineas equivalent would be the dream. Black type opportunities for fillies and mares at the major Festivals. If you don’t offer the dream, it dissuades people from giving it a go. It’s unlikely the National Hunt fillies programme will ever reach full parity with

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RACING the Flat, but 20/80 would be attainable.

I’d happily settle for that,” he says. “We’ll end up with a better broodmare band, which is where France does so well. The more winning mares we have, the better we can evaluate them. It’s better for the breed as a whole, no more unraced dams out of unraced dams.”

In Ireland, David Stack recognises equal benefits. “There have been plenty of initiatives, the industry is well aware of the problems and is doing its best to repair them and support the National Hunt industry in very valuable ways, but we won’t see any benefit yet for a couple of years. It will take time to trickle back down, but we are definitely going in the right direction,” he accepts.

“Willie Mullins has helped. The way he dominates the sport has done us all a favour.

He had big wins with fillies and made people aware of their potential. Before he started to win with fillies, no one wanted them and now even Gigginstown is buying them. That’s at the higher end, but it still hasn’t trickled down to the lower level yet. The fillies and mares programme is boosting the National Hunt filly in a huge way, but again not at grass roots level yet, but it will – maybe a year, maybe two years.

“Because the National Hunt market is so small it’s taking time to boost the value of fillies. On the Flat, a filly foal will make 80-90% of what an equivalent colt foal will make, but in National Hunt that’s nearer 1020%. People just won’t give a filly a chance.

The market still needs time to get its head around the concept that a filly is just as good as a gelding. The money is there to back up the people who are brave enough to take a chance on a filly and have a go. The industry is there in support, backing them, and if you have a nice filly she’ll be as valuable as a colt or gelding.”

While Ferdy Murphy agrees the fillies’ scheme has been a boost, he’s naturally wary of further changes to the National Hunt programme. “The fillies and mares schemes in place are very good for all concerned, but before changes to the programme are made they need a little bit of caution or it will become unbalanced. I don’t think the situation is going to change in the UK, regarding the influence of bookmakers, and that’s very sad,” he concludes.

UK trainer Jamie Snowden is on the National Hunt development committee and is ideally positioned to see the problems and solutions from all angles. “The beauty of the National Hunt development committee is that it brings together people from different walks of the industry and they are all able to put their hat in the ring. We are hearing from different angles and uniting the various groups towards the same rewards.

On the whole, the National Hunt industry is definitely going the right way and there are a lot of positives to be taken out of it right now, but that’s not to say things can’t improve further,” he acknowledges.

“The National Hunt MOPS introduced by the TBA last year, and the improvements 20

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David Stack of Coolagown Stud

“

Willie Mullins has helped, the way he dominates the sport has done us all a favour. He had big wins with fillies and made people aware of their potential

David Stack

”

made to the National Hunt programme and additional fillies and mares races, have been a big bonus to the whole industry and things are moving in the right direction. As a trainer I’ve definitely seen the benefits. When I started eight years ago there were not as many mares’ bumpers and hurdles or novice chases and that’s taking off quite well. I’m seeing a tangible benefit.”

Snowden also highlights another incentive scheme that is helping National Hunt. “The Grassroots Series in particular has been a huge boost and from an owner’s point of view they love to target a race. We all dream of Cheltenham or Aintree but can’t all reach that level, and the Grassroots Series allows an owner to target a certain series and gives an incentive to aim for and a climax to the season. I feel the series is a big boost and a very easy solution to helping things out. An international series could happen and would be of benefit, but that’s okay for the better horses, but a little bit different further down

the levels. There are probably bigger things to be concentrating on.”

One conflict of interest that regularly arises is the need to give the traditional National Hunt horse time to mature, but the need of the modern National Hunt owner for instant gratification. “Everything now is coming down to racing at four in point-to-points,” Stack observes, “but I feel a good National Hunt horse needs time to mature and isn’t really ready until maybe five, sometimes longer. The Irish horse was always a different breed to the French model.”

Where one finds success, others will follow, and that has been the case with the buying trends in National Hunt. Instant gratification can be found, often at a considerable cost, from the point-to-point field, and pointers are becoming the ‘new French’ for discerning Irish and UK owners.

Richard Pugh, founder of p2p.ie, told an audience at the international National Hunt seminar earlier this year: “The single reason for the success of the Irish point-to-point business is the Foot and Mouth outbreak. It created the autumn season and the autumn season allowed businesses to be structured.

Between the store horse sales in June and the autumn season we have a full year cycle and it has been a huge factor in keeping the stores sales going.”

Pugh also supplied interesting figures to reassure those who were concerned at the longevity of a prospective chaser started early in the point field. Of the 795 point-to-point horses to win four-year-old maidens at the time of his data collection, 510 (64%) of them won on the racetrack, 83% returned prize money, and only 4% didn’t run. Buying

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Hardwicke Stakes winner Telescope has covered 26 elite mares

a proven horse can be expensive, but clearly a more secure investment.

However, while owners seek an immediate return on their investment, the call to race the National Hunt horse sooner doesn’t appear to be as strong as the market suggests.

The introduction of autumn three-year-old bumpers are meeting expectations in the UK, but HRI report it is difficult to fill Ireland’s four-year-old bumpers, so the introduction in Ireland of three-year-old bumpers is less favourable.

“The mares’ schemes are good and are working, but we need to wait and see how the overall enhancements to the National Hunt Pattern programme in Ireland will work,” warns Mullins. “The weakest aspect in the UK is the low level of prize money.

I’m happy with the Irish model and think it works well for us, and we have a good basic standard of racing, a good mares’ programme and the novice system seems to be okay.

“I used to think it better if novices were allowed to run in novice chases off their hurdle mark, but the more I’ve seen it happen the more I see the detriment it has on novice chasers and I’m not so sure it’s a good idea.

When I see our novice system in Ireland, I think it’s just right. The French don’t have a novice system, but their model works well.

They have a better system of collecting funds that are put back into racing, which funds their model. I could live with that, and I can live happily with the Irish model, but I think the UK system is very hard on the people there and they are not being rewarded. We have less racing here, but more prize money per race. In the UK they have as much racing as possible, but if they did in the UK what we’ve done here, perhaps it would put some trainers out of business.”

France and Ireland appear to be sitting pretty, but the UK is attempting to keep up.

“The improvements in the racing programme

IFHA NATIONAL HUNT STATISTICS Great Britain France Ireland Italy Czech Republic USA Japan New Zealand Australia Poland Switzerland Slovakia Sweden Germany Norway Hungary Belgium

22

No. Races Flat 6,308 4,908 1,087 2,905 491 41,120 15,812 2,777 19,427 546 172 136 600 1,341 258 311 174

No. Races NH 3,797 2,258 1,402 173 163 156 125 98 84 40 35 24 22 18 8 6 4

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Runners Flat 10,684 10,439 2,813 3,780 900 51,398 22,825 5,333 36,407 820 324 402 1,178 2,275 563 500 410

Runners NH 8,497 5,412 4,473 286 522 385 507 255 268 139 62 104 69 50 33 20 37

Total Foals 4,328 4,621 7,999 470 175 20,300 6,884 3,561 13,306 263 25 17 178 748 46 126 12

show that we’re trying,” insists Hockenhull.

“We would like to do more, but are under serious financial constraint and there is not enough prize money to go round.”

That’s on the racecourse, but in the breeding shed, Britain has an even bigger problem. Hockenhull stands the stallion who received the most applications under the Elite Mares’ Scheme this year – new recruit Telescope, who covered 26 elite mares, the highest number to visit one stallion in a season. Despite this success, his tone is one of pessimism as he discusses the health of the UK’s National Hunt breeding industry.

“The number of National Hunt studs in Britain has decreased and there is a reluctance to go back in and re-invest. Even I felt reluctant to invest in Telescope,” he admits.

“The Elite Mares’ Scheme is part of the way Telescope has done so well. That was a great incentive and provided the impetus to think you may have a chance of launching a young stallion. It swings the balance.

“With a third fewer broodmares in the UK than in the past, it puts stallion owners numerically at a disadvantage. Kayf Tara shows it can be done, but it is depressing to think there are only three or four public National Hunt studs in the country. That’s how far we’ve gone, but at least we’ve rounded the bottom. We are very fortunate that what we have inherited is the legacy of top class horses and people like to follow them, year after year. We have mouth-watering clashes to look forward to and it could get better when we have fillies joining the mix.”

While business is booming in Ireland for the point-to-point people, that’s another downward curve for the UK. “The decline of point-to-points is another problem, which were always about the social side and where people could meet and gain an interest,” worries Hockenhull. “We have to be very careful we do not lose point-to-points in this country, as that’s where it all starts socially.

You can’t unpick the centuries of history; it all knits together and if one unravels, it all starts to unravel.

“Similarly, the whole fabric of racing can fall down if you don’t keep prize money at a good level, and it should at least cover costs.

That has to be addressed. If we have to start going over to France to race, it will shift the breeding, too. In my lifetime already we’ve seen a different type of National Hunt horse, less robust and more athletic. Before so many bumpers, there were more chasing types.

There is far more pressure to get them to the track earlier and to win with them and it has shifted the whole breed. We’ll see a further shift, as it becomes more important to breed proper robust fillies, because they’re having to run.”

Could it be that as one nation thrives, another must decline? If the various racing bodies came together as a team and worked towards a common goal, perhaps we could see smaller nations thriving on the back of others’ success. The bigger the National Hunt world, the bigger the National Hunt marketplace. ■

PROFILE

24

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CHARLES ENDERBY

CHARLES ENDERBY

The proud guardian of Hexham racecourse

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PROFILE

Although situated two miles south of the town centre, Hexham Racecourse is right at the heart of the local community, as is Charles Enderby – the man who has spent 30 years of his life working, managing, and improving the track. “I get great pleasure out of running a company and a business that worked and that produced the goods to a variety of people within a community that wanted us there,” he happily explains.

D

WORDS: CHRIS DIXON PHOTOS: HeXHam RaCeCOuRSe, LauReN DObSON

ESPITE being educated in the south, in the vicinity of a rather different type of racecourse – Ascot – Enderby was always likely to end up here, for it is a path that has been trod many a time before by his family. “The racecourse had dwindled and died in the 1860s,” he describes, “but my great-grandfather, Charles Henderson, came up from Durham following the sale of his company Durham Carpets and formed a committee of local gentry to re-start racing at Hexham. He loved racing, but like me wasn’t the right kind of build to be a jockey,” he chuckles.

It’s easy to assume that the racecourse ended up in the hands of Enderby as a result of being handed down through the generations, but his own path to custodian 26

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of the Northumbrian circuit was a passionfuelled mission rather than a fortunate inheritance. Following the death of his great-uncle, the shares in the company had dispersed far and wide, mostly into the hands of distant relatives in the USA. For someone who is “very keen on community affairs,” that was a situation he wasn’t happy with. “I returned to Hexham in 1985 and Kit Patterson, a huge figure in Northern Racing, took me under his wing,” Enderby recalls. “At this time my immediate family had no shares in the company, but the racecourse needs to be kept in the community, it was important that it came back to someone who had their heart in it,” he describes. “It’s a family orientated affair.

I felt a responsibility for it on behalf of my family and didn’t want it to go elsewhere,” he adds. So, over a period of time he gradually bought back 80% of the shares to

give him a controlling stake and safeguard the future of the racecourse.

His sense of pride and instinct to protect are well honed. Having spent time at Sandhurst he served as a Major in the 12th Lancers in Cyprus, held a senior position in the Queens Guard, and, whilst managing the racecourse, he also found the time to act as chairman of the bench at Tynedale Magistrates Court and chair the Parish Council. The qualities required and skills he fine-tuned in those endeavours have enabled him to successfully deal with the varied and evolving challenges of running a racecourse business.

“Enthusiasm, that’s the main thing you need to run a successful racecourse, and common sense with good business acumen, but the last two are worth very little without enthusiasm,” he states.

The enthusiasm for the business is clear as we tour the racecourse, firstly in the car via the service road that follows the inside of the circuit, and then through the buildings that have been added, renovated, and improved during his tenure. One bar, offering a fantastic panoramic view of the track, is furnished with a unique curlewprint carpet. “This must be the only track in the country where curlews nest,” Enderby claims. “We once had to omit a fence for a

CHARLES ENDERBY Hexham aims to produce competitve racing and to ensure owners, trainers and the paying public enjoy their visit

few meetings as there was a curlew nesting in it,” he laughs.

The fences are also unique, with impressive beech wings creating a beautiful approach to the obstacles. “My greatgrandfather planted those; it means we can’t move the fences, of course, but they really stand out.”

As does the lake in the centre of the course, put in by Enderby to combat the problem of the ground getting too quick.

“The rules changed and, quite rightly, you could not race on hard ground anymore. We had no watering system other than bringing up the farm muck-spreader to throw a bit of water on the home straight, and at 700 feet had no prospect of getting the water in from the mains, so we dug the lake. It holds six million gallons and we’ve got another that holds a million just in case.” That, he claims, is the most significant improvement he has made during his time at the helm as without it meetings would have been lost and the business would have been unsustainable.

Creating a sustainable business is clearly a priority, but alongside that Enderby believes a racecourse should have two main aims.

“Firstly we must put on competitive racing to give satisfaction to owners, trainers, and the general public, both on foot and the betting public. In addition, you have to take

in money to improve and maintain facilities, you have to roll on, you can’t stand still.

No small business can stand still,” he says.

It seems those aims have been met over the years. “We’ve rebuilt the racecourse entirely.

The public buildings, the weighing room, the changing rooms with the sauna, and the hostel for the staff that bring the horses – they’ve been rebuilt entirely.”

It’s a far cry from how the track looked until the mid-’80s, when “a few wooden buildings with blue and yellow gutters and windows” – the same colours as his greatgrandfather’s racing colours – overlooked the track.

However, in the days of the wooden buildings, the course would play host to

“

It’s a family orientated affair, I felt a responsibility for it on behalf of my family and didn’t want it to go elsewhere

”

Charles Enderby

a much larger number of racegoers. “You used to get 12,000 people at Hexham, now you get between 1,000 and 3,000 through the gates,” he observes. That may sound alarming, and those that bang the drum of racing having a declining audience would jump on the figure, but Enderby takes a different view. “The audience has changed; people can now watch in the betting shops, or from home, so the interest is still there, but people follow it in a different way.”

And with the way the sport is followed changing, the way courses get their income and make their profits has also changed.

“In 1989 we got £12,000 per year for the commentaries. The rest of our income was from the gate, but now we rely on the media deals. The media deals have allowed racing to go on, not only at Hexham, but at all small courses,” he states.

Ensuring the income from media payments has been maximised over recent years brings us back to one of his aims: putting on competitive racing. It may sound simple – put on the races for good prize money and people will turn up with their horses to ensure you get the competitive eight-plus runner fields required. Or perhaps not. “It’s not just about putting on good prize money. We put on a £40,000 race for a few years; that’s a lot of money ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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PROFILE

Enderby’s great-grandfather Charles Henderson set up a committee of local gentry to re-start racing at Hexham at the turn of the 20th century

for a small track, but it wasn’t supported by trainers. It never had more than five runners in it,” he recalls. “It doesn’t pay for us to have high-class races,” he adds. “We want races for local trainers and local people who want to run their horses against their equals, and that’s what the public want too – good, competitive races.”

Enderby believes the key lies in understanding your customers and finding a balance. “We try to put on competitive money for the grade, looking for the middle ground. Our prize money isn’t enormous, but we’ve had several nice comments about the prize money we offer for the grade of the race. We don’t really have the customers for big prizes. We try to put on the right prize money for the right grade and that will attract the right number of horses,” he explains, “and very few people seem to criticise, so over the years, broadly speaking, I think we’ve got these things right.”

It’s not hard to believe that Enderby is a man rarely on the end of criticism, as he clearly strives to please and see people happy.

“I love people. I love working with people.

I enjoy seeing people contented,” he lists.

He certainly seems to be succeeding in keeping people contented. The small team 28

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in the racecourse office have rarely worked anywhere else and greet you with a warm smile. The groundsman, Mark Cameron, whom Enderby describes as “the best in the country,” has been there for a lifetime, while the more casual race day staff, who are treated to a lunch with entertainment each year as extra reward for their service, “usually stay with us for years and bring great enthusiasm and knowledge, which is very important in giving the customers a good experience.”

Providing a good customer experience

“

It doesn’t pay for us to have high-class races.We want races for local trainers and local people who want to run their horses against their equals

”

Charles Enderby

is not an easy task, given the wide-ranging spectrum the term relates to when running a racecourse. “We have to consider the needs and wishes of a variety of customers: the owners and training fraternity, those who like watching the racing, those who like betting on it, those who wish to come racing for a party, and our sponsors. They are all important and we want them all to have a good experience” he says. For the owners and trainers that means “competitive prize money and suitable races. Trainers need options to move horses through the ranks and run in the right grade, and the owners a feeling that they are appreciated and valued and they want to be able to entertain their guests and families.”

As the for general public, they “have an enhanced expectation, they want to be comfortable, not have to queue, get hot food and drink, be sheltered from the weather,” while the more hardened racegoers “want to see the races and be close to the action and the horses, something that was considered when the new saddling boxes were built.”

The regulars have the opportunity to join the Hexham Race Club, providing entry to all meetings with access to a private bar, plus 40 reciprocal days at other tracks. The club, which is full and “no longer recruiting for the time being,” is popular and something Enderby is rightly proud of.

As for sponsors, Enderby is keen to assert that he feels racing offers a great opportunity for businesses. “It’s not so much about the exposure they get, though that can be useful, but it’s more about them getting a chance to entertain their customers, getting to know them and giving them a good day out – it’s a great way to keep them happy,” he says.

The benefit of racing sponsorship over other sports is that “you get great exposure to your

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Enderby and head groundsman Mark Cameron (above left) alongside Hexham’s unique fences and with racecourse marketing manager Lauren Dobson (left)

guests, there’s a shared interest, the betting on the races really brings that, and you get 20 minutes between races to talk to them.”

Enderby would definitely make a good spokesman for the benefits of racing, and though he’s keen not to be drawn on many of the issues within racing politics, he does believe that racing faces some challenges, none more so than securing the 30

TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 55

funding of the sport through the levy. A supporter in principle on the stance taken to Authorised Betting Partners, he says, “If the bookmakers are making money on the product, it only seems fair that they pay to support it. If the amount they paid five years ago was fair, surely it’s fair now. I don’t think they should be paying less just because they’ve moved offshore.”

His strong sense of community extends beyond the boundaries of Tynedale, and across the northern racing fraternity. Whilst there is a belief that northern jumps racing could do with a boost, he claims, “I don’t think it’s under threat, but it could do with an enhancement. I don’t know the answer, but there have been a couple of significant blows in recent times and it’s difficult when the area isn’t faring as well economically as other areas, but the important thing is that there’s still the enthusiasm there.”

And there it is again – enthusiasm, something that Charles Enderby is full of.

Something he has brought to his role at Hexham for 30 years, and something he will continue to bring, despite having sold, to a degree with a heavy heart, his controlling share in the track.

With his daughters living and working in the south, there was limited interest in taking on the track on their part, so when a “suitable offer” came from the Hexham Auction Mart, the racecourse company was sold. “The chairman of the Auction Mart is a real racing man and his family have been involved in managing the track in the past, so it’s not exactly a shot in the dark, and the racecourse has been kept within the community.”

During his time at the helm, Charles Enderby has clearly made some very good decisions on behalf of the racecourse, and as a racing fan, it’s comforting to know that the new custodians started in similar vein, by installing Enderby, full of experience and knowledge, as an unpaid consultant. The man himself says “relations are very good.”

The same can be said of the future for this wonderful Northumbrian racecourse. ■

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RACING

FENCE BUILDING

The art and science behind the craft 32

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FENCE CONSTRUCTION

ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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RACING

Jump racing’s most iconic symbol, the steeplechase fence, has tested horses and riders since Messrs O’Callaghan and Blake settled a wager in 1752.

Their race, said to be the first steeplechase – quite literally, for the course ran between two County Cork churches, starting at Buttevant and ending at the steeple of St Leger Church – was a cross-country caper involving the negotiation of any obstacle that lay in their path. In appearance it was a far cry from the carefully-tended sward and neatly built jumps that are seen at contemporary racecourses, but the two gentlemen had set a sport, and an industry, in motion.

WORDS: CARL EVANS PHOTOS: CAROLiNE NORRiS, WATT FENCES

F

ENCE and hurdle building has become part science, part art form, achieving consistency through regulations laid down by racing authorities and aesthetic appeal through the bespoke skills of people who create and dress the jumps. The finished result brings pride to racecourse ground staff, but more importantly is aimed at providing horses with a familiar and consistent obstacle each time they line up for a race.

Not that the French follow that theory, for their steeplechases involve obstacles in a variety of shapes and sizes – Henri Pouret, France Galop’s director of racing, says the variations are a throwback to the time when horses raced across the countryside. The steeplechase course at Enghien is probably the closest you will find to one in Britain or Ireland, but even there, races include a bullfinch and a banquette. Some small rural tracks even hold races over ‘haies’ (natural hedges), further proof that tradition dies A “French-style” upright

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hard in France.

Uniformity has not undermined the sport as a spectacle in Britain, but it was not until the 1960s that it was given proper guidelines.

Richard Linley, the British Horseracing Authority’s senior course inspector, says: “Brigadier [Tony] Teacher, a predecessor of mine, carried out a study of fences around the country – making meticulous drawings as he went – and found the base could range in size from four feet nine inches to six foot, which meant some fences were more upright than others.

“My immediate predecessor, Neil Wyatt, then carried on the work to ensure a standard base, and that measure alone meant the number of fallers, which had been 12-to-14 percent of runners in a year, was reduced to a figure of seven-to-nine percent.

That does not include unseated riders and brought-down horses.”

Consistency of fence shape and size had moved up a gear, but what about the birch that forms the front and back of a jump?

Linley, who has been inspecting courses for nearly 30 years, says: “The people who make fences today do a fantastic job overall, and grade the birch more thoroughly than in the past. Racecourses replace fences [by renewing all birch] every other year, which means you avoid the horrible dead birch which used to be common in the bottom of fences.

“Jockeys often ask ‘Where are the new fences?’ because there is a myth that a completely renewed fence is stiffer, when in fact they tend to be more forgiving. In an ideal world we would completely renew fences every year, but there would be phenomenal cost implications.”

A two-year turnover of birch is carried out at Punchestown in Ireland. Racing manager Richie Galway says: “When I started here in the late 1990s, fences were very stiff. The birch was packed really thick and added to continuously over a period of time. That meant there were occasions when you had some very stiff fences with very brittle birch.

“We were trying to get a longer lifespan out of the birch, but now replace it in all our fences every two years, doing half the fences one year, and half the next – if a horse makes a mistake you want to see it penalised by costing it lengths. We’re not in the business of trying to knock down horses.

“We like to use a deeper, wider apron – made from evergreen Leylandii – which we find puts horses back on their hocks and encourages them to stand off from a fence, rather than getting in deep.”

Freshly cut birch is springier than older material, and Linley says he has carried out stress tests using a gauge that proves birch

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The field jump the first fence in the tote.com Galway Plate won by Lord Scoundrel (maroon with white star and green cap)

that is two years old is slightly stiffer than newly-cut birch.

And while old, dead birch was no friend to the horse, nor was gorse, a readily available weed that was used for dressing the front of fences and stuffing hurdles until the 2000/01 season. Awkward and prickly to handle for fence builders, it could cause a reaction in the skin of horses and was phased out.

However, removing it meant the wooden horizontal rail used halfway up the front of fences to hold the birch in place became more prominent and was potentially injurious to horses who dragged their hind legs. The answer was to clad the timber with padding made from a durable foam material.

The water jump was given a new set of standards, and, while once maligned, is now the safest fence on a course. Linley says: “We redesigned the water jump by increasing the height of the fence, and reducing the width and depth of the water. We now have nine feet of water and a total span of about 12 feet, which horses can jump in a hack canter, but this also means we have consistent ground where their hooves land – some water will always seep out of a water jump, and before the redesign that meant some landings were wet or false.”

A water jump is no longer obligatory, but Newton Abbot and Stratford are among courses that removed, then reintroduced, one and Linley says they are the most practical solution as a jump at some places on some courses.

The invention of the computer opened up statistical information and made data analysis a useful element in assessing falls at fences. Quite often the reasons have been 36

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“

Birch is getting more difficult to get hold of because there aren’t the woodsmen about that used to cut it

”

Jim Squires

hard to pinpoint, but the re-siting of fences is undertaken when stats make a clear case.

Linley says: “We keep a record of every faller at every fence on licensed and point-to-point courses. In my time a number of courses have re-sited fences, with Cheltenham being the most highprofile, and that has reduced the numbers.

However, ground conditions vary from year to year and can impact on the number of fallers.”

Metal, rather than wooden, frames means fences can be lifted and re-sited easily, enabling courses to provide consistent ground on the take-off and landing sides.

Galway says: “We have a lot of metal frames, but the construction is the same as the old wooden ones, and we think of them as movable, rather than portable. We’re trying to provide fresh ground for the Festival, ground that hasn’t been raced on all winter, so moving fences, or portions of fences, is vital. The final two fences at Punchestown can be lifted using a hydraulic mechanism that we designed and built ourselves.”

Do fences differ in Britain and Ireland?

Galway says: “I think fences on every track differ [in both countries]. Here at Punchestown we have a galloping track, two miles round, and can space out the fences – they are viewed as being at the bigger end, although we are always consulting with jockeys and they say they jump well. We had less than ten fallers at this year’s Festival. At a smaller, tighter track, or one that carries out a lot of summer jumping – when horses are going that little bit quicker – the fences tend to be a little smaller.”

Could plastic be fantastic?

Given the limited life of birch and the time required to grow it, cut it, and lay it in a fence, could plastic have a role?

Whether used merely as a core to a fence, with birch dressing on the front, or as a wholesale replacement for birch, plastic jumps are seen on schooling grounds, and plastic cores are now a feature of Aintree’s Grand National fences and one crosscountry jump at Cheltenham.

Plastic is used in racecourse fences in France, but it has yet to be given the green light by the BHA. Richard Linley says: “Number one consideration is cost, and anything made of plastic is dictated by the oil industry. As an example, the plastic aprons used on the fences at Cheltenham cost £400 for a six-foot panel, the fences are 42 feet wide and there are 24 fences – it’s a significant sum of money.

“The second issue is finding plastic that replicates birch in terms of an acceptable level of forgiveness and resistance. We cannot use anything that is too forgiving otherwise horses will brush through it down to the frame of the fence – the perception

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ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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RACING

Phil’s Magic ridden by Roger Loughran at Galway clears a fence in style

that easy fences make it easier for horses to jump is a misconception.

“I’m not saying plastic won’t come in one day, but no one has been prepared to put their hands in their pockets to research further options, and then we need to thoroughly test with strain gauges.”

Linley acknowledges that plastic would last longer than birch and require fewer man hours for maintenance or replacement, resulting in cost savings, and he says Aintree’s plastic-cored jumps have worked “fantastically well,” but adds they are not a test-bed for conventional steeplechase fences.

It is a similar tale in Ireland. Richie Galway of Punchestown says: “There are artificial aprons in use at racecourses, and I know they work very well at Cheltenham.

I would imagine they will be introduced at Punchestown in coming years, but I can’t see plastic replacing birch, which is a very successful material.”

Yorkshire-based Watt Fences Ltd supplies birch fences to racecourses in Europe and the US, and both plastic and birch fences to schooling grounds. When asked about the cost of plastic fences as a factor for British racecourses, the company’s head, Bill Watt, says volume would affect the price, and adds: “You wouldn’t know the full [financial] benefits for six-to-10 years.”

However, he says an approximate price for a 16-foot section of plastic-cored fence, made with a galvanised steel frame, would be £5,000, about twice the price of an allbirch model.

A six-foot wooden frame section of a portable birch fence would be £750, while the same thing using plastic birch, but with a ‘natural’ apron, would be £1,750.

Speaking more generally about the subject, Watt says: “Plastic fences work on French racecourses, but the style of racing – slow, then dash home – is different 38

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from Britain where horses can go flat to the boards from the start, particularly in a two-mile chase. French fences look rather square, British fences have more shape.

Then there are variables such as whether you are supplying the plastic for a permanent or portable fence.

“The plastic used in the cross-country fence at Cheltenham is six years old and is as good as new, but if you were to use plastic cores in traditional fences you couldn’t just try it in one fence – you would have to change every fence, and no one is prepared to do that.”

However, he makes the point that the stiffness of birch fences is down to nature, and varies depending on the length and thickness of each branch, whereas plastic can be manufactured in identical lengths and thicknesses.

Jamie Hawksfield, who is southern representative for Watt Fences, points to another favourable element of plastic, saying: “The plastic birch sits in polystyrene blocks which slot into the frame of a fence – a typical fence would have five sections, of which sections two and three take the most pounding, but with plastic you can switch them around so each block gets even wear and tear.”

The birch cutters’ view

Birch suitable for use in steeplechase fences is a dwindling commodity, say two experts.

Alex Ball, who is based in Kent but sources birch from around Britain, says: “There’s a huge scarcity, in part because much of it is now being turned into woodchip for use in [biomass] boilers. The market for birch used in fence-building is small compared to that for woodchip boilers, and there aren’t the grants for growing trees such as oak, so people are turning to products like birch to sell as woodchip. As a result, prices are going up and up.”

West Midlands-based Jim Squires, who cuts birch but also supplies fences to pointto-point courses and schooling fences to licensed trainers, says: “Birch is getting more difficult to get hold of because there aren’t the woodsmen about that used to cut it. Much of the available birch is on Forestry Commission or National Trust land, and that means there are strict regulations to follow. You need safety equipment, chainsaw licences, and so on, and in some places they insist on certain types of [chainsaw] oil.”

Ball says one solution is for racing to grow birch commercially for its own use, but adds: “We need to be thinking about it now because from scratch it takes several years for the birch to grow to the right height and shape. However, once it has done, you can harvest it every year.”

Punchestown is ahead of the curve in that regard. Racing manager Galway says: “Birch is becoming difficult to acquire, so in the spring we started preparing a five-acre patch of land to grow our own. It will take five years to develop.”

Squires says access to woodland, especially in the depth of winter, makes the harvesting of birch a challenge, and he makes an interesting point: “Fences at point-topoint courses get more use than those at licensed courses, which also stage hurdles and bumpers on a typical card. You might only get 20 runners over fences at a meeting under Rules, whereas we had 115 runners over the eight fences at a point-to-point at Chaddesley Corbett [in Worcestershire] on one occasion, and 498 runners at the five meetings held each season.

“We replace the birch in a fence completely every four years, and tidy up between meetings – at Chaddesley Corbett alone we buy in 600 bundles, at between £5.50 and £6 each bundle, every year.”

Bha guidelines for steeplechase fence construction

When it comes to design, the BHA has strict guidelines. Of plain fences, its general instructions state: “Unless otherwise approved by the Inspector of Courses, fences may vary in height from a minimum (at the time of pre-season inspection) of 4 feet 6 inches measured on the take-off side.

“Fences are to be built on a base 6 feet to 6 feet 6 inches in depth measured from the front of the take-off board to a point on the ground directly below the extreme back of the fence. The slope of the fence, with or without an apron, is to reduce the thickness at the top to not less than 1 foot 6 inches (at the time of pre-season inspection).”

Water jump fences have to be a minimum of 3 feet in height with an overall width of 11½ feet to 12 feet and a uniform 3 inches depth of water.

Open ditches differ from plain fences in their overall base measurement, which is “to be between 7 feet 6 inches to 8 feet” and “at least 2 feet thick” at the top of the fence, although this can be slightly rounded. n

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VETERINARY

EQUINE FLU

Research and development on the devasting virus

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EQUINE FLU

Wild aquatic birds are the reservoir of influenza viruses in nature and they can transport them over thousands of miles during their migrations. Photo courtesy of Ronald Barron

ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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VETERINARY

Influenza viruses have emerged in horses on multiple occasions and in various geographical locations

Influenza viruses have emerged multiple times in horses, and at least three times in the last 60 years. There is no reason to doubt that they will strike again.

Recent scientific advances can help us first to define the antiviral mechanisms and strategies that horses have to fight off viral infections, and second, how certain viruses (but not others) manage to overcome those defenses. If, with the support of the racing industry, we achieve these goals, then we will be closer to predicting, controlling, and perhaps even preventing the devastating consequences of future influenza viruses emerging in horses.

WORDS: PablO R. MuRcia, JOhn F. MaRShall PhOTOS: PROFESSOR cElia MaRR

A long look back

On November 9th, 1872, almost the entire financial district of the US city of Boston was burnt to ashes. One of the reasons that the Great Boston Fire had such devastating consequences was an epidemic of equine influenza. Horses were so sick that fire wagons had to be pulled by men, and consequently response times were slow.

Influenza as a respiratory disease of the horse had been recognised for many years.

“After the Great Boston Fire” by James Law, a Scottish veterinary surgeon, reported that diseases “having the general characters of influenza” were known by the Greeks in A.D. 330. But it was not until 1956 that the virus that causes such an important burden on horse populations was isolated in the former Republic of Czechoslovakia and given the not-very-original name of equine influenza virus.

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Influenza viruses also affect humans and various domestic animals such as pigs, dogs, and birds. However, each species tends to have its “own” virus (i.e. they are speciesspecific) and this is why equine influenza viruses infect horses but not humans and vice versa, although equine influenza has been linked to disease in dogs.

Influenza viruses are classified into subtypes, which are defined by the presence of a distinctive set of molecules called Hemagglutinin (abbreviated H, for which 18 different forms exist) and Neuraminidase (abbreviated N, for which there are 11 different forms).

The combination of H and N a virus possesses defines its subtype and this is why we often read or hear in the news about H1N1, H7N9, or H5N1 viruses.

The equine influenza virus isolated in Czechoslovakia was an H7N7.

The emergence of the current flu virus

In 1963 there was an outbreak of equine influenza again in the US in Miami, Florida, after the importation of horses from Argentina in South America. To everyone’s surprise, the virus isolated from sick animals was not an H7N7 but an H3N8, something completely different from what was known at the time. A new equine influenza virus had appeared and the rest is familiar to those who have been around horses for a long time: the H7N7 equine influenza virus became extinct (it has not been isolated from horses for almost 40 years) and the H3N8 virus spread to many countries around the world. It has caused devastating pandemics in Australia and South Africa with major loss to the thoroughbred industry in those countries, and H3N8 viruses are still infecting horses today despite the availability of vaccines.

A third, killer flu virus

What is less well known is that in 1989 there was a large epidemic of influenza in horses in Jilin, China, which was caused by another previously unknown virus, different to the “classical” equine influenza viruses known then. The Jilin virus was highly lethal with mortality reaching up to 20% in some herds.

Fortunately, this virus did not spread to other countries and has not been isolated from horses since 1990.

Where do “new viruses” come from?

The appearance and establishment of a new virus in a given species is known as viral emergence, and the consequences of such events can be devastating, as illustrated

EQUINE FLU

The map highlights the countries where new equine influenza viruses emerged since 1956

“

by the 2009 human influenza pandemic.

If we ask ourselves where new influenza viruses come from, the answer is very simple: they come from other animals.

The human influenza virus that caused the 2009 pandemic came from pigs, while the three different equine influenza viruses that we described above are thought to have originated in birds. Wild aquatic birds possess the highest diversity and abundance of influenza viruses in nature and therefore they are thought to be the source of viruses of other species.

Wild aquatic birds possess the highest diversity and abundance of influenza viruses in nature and are thought to be the source of viruses of other species

�

Will novel flu viruses continue to emerge?

Being able to predict which viruses will emerge in horses would be invaluable because it will allow us to take actions to prepare for those events and perhaps even prevent them. Such predictive knowledge requires a deep understanding of the mechanisms that allow influenza viruses to infect and become transmissible among horses, and this is something we are just

An important question for those of us interested in improving the health of horses is whether new influenza viruses could emerge in horses in the future. While the most likely answer is yes, it is really difficult to determine when and where it will happen and what the consequences will be.

starting to find out.

Flu viruses live and multiply within the cells of their host. To do this they have to be able enter their target cells and use the cellular machinery they find there to replicate. This is not an easy task, because it requires highly coordinated interactions between viral and cellular proteins (i.e. the molecules that carry out viral replication) and second, because horses are equipped with very effective natural antiviral defense mechanisms. For example, the mucus present in the respiratory tract helps prevent viral infections.

The obstacles that viruses have to surmount in order to infect and establish in new hosts are known as the species barrier.

The species barrier is very effective, as illustrated by the fact that horses are exposed to numerous influenza viruses of humans and other animals without getting infected.

Just think how often horses are in direct or indirect contact with birds, dogs, or pigs.

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Visit www.pcracewear.ie ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

43

VETERINARY

“

The genomes of influenza viruses are constantly changing as they acquire mutations in every infection.

Some of these mutations will harm the virus but others are beneficial

”

Horses, like other animals, possess effective mechanisms that protect them against viral infections from other animals in nature. These mechanisms constitute the species barrier

we want to know how viruses manage to infect horses, looking at genetic changes in infected horse cells is only half of the story.

The other half is likely to be found in the genome of the virus.

The genomes of influenza viruses are constantly changing as they acquire mutations in every infection. Some of these mutations will harm the virus but others are beneficial; for example, a mutation can allow the virus to escape vaccine immunity and it is for this reason that influenza vaccines need to be regularly updated. Mutations can also allow the virus to infect a new host species.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of influenza genomes available in public databases. By using computer science tools, we can identify those mutations that differentiate avian from equine influenza viruses. The effect of individual mutations on the ability of a virus to infect or adapt to a new species can then be tested under experimental conditions. But this information will have direct practical benefit as it will allow us to determine how much of a risk a given virus poses to horses. However, we are still far from being able to make such predictions, and research to fill this knowledge gap is currently just beginning

How is the racing industry supporting flu research?

A cell infected with equine influenza virus (shown in red) observed under a fluorescent microscope. Molecular biology studies are essential to understand how viruses overcome the barriers to infection

Can science protect horses from future flu pandemics?

The horse genome was sequenced in 2009.

Viruses also encode their genetic material, either as DNA like mammals or RNA, a similar molecule. Specific genomes of many equine influenza viruses have been mapped going back to those isolated in 1956. In fact almost 600,000 influenza virus sequences are available and over 5,500 of these are equine influenza virus sequences.

Why is that helpful? Sequencing technology enables us to identify genes that 44

TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 55

horses have to protect themselves against viral infections and to work out which genes are turned on and off in a cell or tissue when the horse meets a foreign invader like a virus.

We can identify the equine genes that are turned on by the virus in order to replicate and also work out which equine antiviral genes the virus must switch off in order to take up residence in the horse. Fortunately, this sort of scientific experiment can be achieved by looking at cells in the laboratory and does require live animals to be infected with flu for experimental purposes. But if

Significant support for the investigation of equine influenza has come from the horseracing industry through the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB). One of the research centres currently supported by the HBLB is the Centre for Virus Research (CVR) of the University of Glasgow. The CVR carries out multidisciplinary research on viruses and viral diseases of humans and animals for the improvement of human and animal health. Researchers at the CVR apply a broad range of expertise to the study of equine influenza, from epidemiology, mathematical modelling, and bioinformatics to viral ecology, molecular, and structural virology. Through a range of HBLB research and educational funding streams, researchers at the CVR are investigating how the horse responds to infection and how influenza has adapted to the horse in order to overcome this immune response. This knowledge will, in turn, help us overcome the threat to our horses from the flu virus. ■

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The ALEX SCOTT SCHOLARSHIP

O

VER the years, winners of the Alex Scott Assistant Travel Scholarship have gone on to successful training careers, and they all can attest to the benefits they have gained from seeing the methods used by trainers at the top of their profession in other parts of the world.

The scholarship continues to be play a role in supporting those who are committed to a career in training racehorses and in promoting their education and improvement of their skills outside the United Kingdom.

Last autumn we had two very worthwhile winners in Rachel Rodman, who earlier this year spent time with Wesley Ward in the United States; and Rob McDowall, who headed to Australia to learn from John O’Shea.

Rachel Rodman exercising a horse for Wesley Ward

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When Alex Scott, the Newmarket trainer, was killed tragically in September of 1994, his friends and family contributed very generously to a fund, which was spent in a variety of ways. One was to set up an assistant trainer’s scholarship, an annual award of about £3000 giving the winner the chance to spend one month abroad gaining work experience with a trainer in the country of their choice. The award is currently funded by the education charity Racing to School.

PHOTOS: DPD PHOTOGRAPHY, GERRY WEATHERHEAD – CREATIVE EYE

Rachel Rodman

“I

Wesley Ward

N February of this year I set off on my travels to Florida, spending three months with Wesley Ward.

The majority of his horses and all the yearlings are based in Florida over the winter.

I started my experience at Palm Meadows Training Centre in Boynton Beach, about an hour north of Miami.

I spent my first week at Palm Meadows helping out in any way that I could, either

ALEX SCOTT SCHOLARSHIP mucking out, washing off or hot walking (walking the hot horses in hand after they have been washed off until they are cooled out and can go back in their stable). I did a lot of walking; I would have liked a pedometer to see how far I walked in three months.

After the first week of finding my feet I was riding every morning on the track. We would start around 6am, I would go round with Lauren checking legs and making sure they had eaten up. Any problems or concerns about the horses would be discussed between the foreman (barn manager) and the assistant. We would then set our tack for our first two horses.

The way they work is a bit different in America. The grooms are responsible for their own horses, most of them doing about five each. They look after them in every respect, they muck them out, tack them up, groom them etc. The hot walkers walk them and hold them while they get washed.

The riders just ride and are responsible for making sure that the correct tack is set outside the stable for the next horse you are riding. The Wesley Ward barn is a bit different, it’s all hands on deck and pretty manic most of the time.

On the days when the horses weren’t working we would ride around six horses each, either trotting or steady cantering on the track. It took a bit of getting used to riding on the track; you have to have your

“

On the days when the horses weren’t working we would ride around six horses each, either trotting or steady cantering on the track

”

wits about you at all times. You might be doing a steady canter on a baby and then someone will breeze past you on the inside, setting your baby alight.

When the riding at Palm Meadows was finished, the riders would clean the tack and we would then jump in the car for 40 minutes and head to the farm, generally stopping for tacos on the way. Almost all of Wesley’s staff are Mexican.

The farm is where all the yearlings go to be broken. By the time I arrived all of the breaking had been done. Wesley is normally the first person to sit on all of the yearlings when they are broken. I did see him riding a few unruly babies while I was there, in his recognizable slippers and no hat.

We would ride up to eight horses at the farm, mostly two-year-olds but some older horses would go there for some R and R.

After they had been ridden they would be washed and then they would swim. As soon as you finished the horse you were on, you would move to the next one and so on until we were finished. There would be around 50 horses to exercise. When we were finished we would head back to Palm Meadows and hand walk the horses there before heading home.

There is no special treatment for anyone.

Everyone is expected to work until all the work is finished. One day at the farm we unloaded around 600 bags of feed by hand. The shavings delivery was a personal favourite. A large load of loose shavings would be delivered on the concrete, a JCB would dump a bucket at either end of the yard and we would make our way round until each box had been filled with clean shavings. Thankfully there was a cold beer or two waiting for us at the end of this task.

Part of the yearlings’ education involves them being moved around between the farm, Gulfstream, Calder and Palm Meadows. They get experience of breezing and leaving the starting stalls in each place and so by the time they come to run it is a walk in the park.

One of the first days I was at the farm I wasn’t riding and so I was watching the two-year-olds on exercise. A dark bay really caught my eye. The juvenile just seemed to be effortlessly skipping over the dirt and gliding over the rather uneven turf. I kept

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INDUSTRY my eye on this filly each day I was at the farm and I got to sit on her a few times, she was impressive.

Wesley kept telling that he hadn’t broken her in but that she was picking up his way very quickly. She was one of the horses who made the trip from Florida to Keeneland at the end of March. She had worked very well in Florida and continued to impress at Keeneland. She went on to win her first start at Keeneland, setting a track record.

Her next start was the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot where she demolished the rest of the field by seven lengths. The filly was Lady Aurelia.

Wesley was so impressed with her from the beginning. It was the most fantastic experience to see the filly from the steady canters at the beginning, her first piece of work, first race and then win at Royal Ascot.

My main objective from my time spent with Wesley was to learn about his techniques with two-year-olds and I think I can safely say I achieved my main objective.

I spent about five weeks in Florida and then headed north to Keeneland Racetrack in Lexington, Kentucky. It was a bit of a shock going from 30c to -2c. I was really starting to feel like I was back in the British winter. A week and a half later it was beautiful weather and the sun was splitting the sky. The Spring Meet at Keeneland ran for 16 days

Rachel Rodman at Ascot for Wesley Ward

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“

A dark bay really caught my eye. The juvenile just seemed to be effortlessly skipping over the dirt and gliding over the rather uneven turf

”

from the 8th to the 29th of April. Wesley had runners almost every day of the meet.

From 12 2yo runners he had five winners and five seconds, winning $199,970 in prize money. A winning percentage of 42% and a top three percentage of 83%.

I would ride about 8–10 horses most mornings. On the days that we worked horses I would help get the jocks legged up and then head to the grandstand to watch the work with Wesley. It was great to spend this time with him one on one, getting to hear his insight into how he felt the horses had performed and what the plan would be with them.

Before my return to the UK, Wesley asked me if I would help him with the horses that

he was sending over for Royal Ascot. Of course my answer was yes. I had a few weeks at home and then I headed to Manton to meet the horses on their arrival from the states. Also arriving was Wesley’s longtime friend and Assistant Blake Heap. Blake runs things for Wesley in California. There were already three fillies at Manton which included Create A Dream, who was 4th in The Albany. They arrived in March and were being looked after by Joe Herbert. We had about two weeks of training at Manton before we shipped into Ascot. We had one or more runners every day. It was fantastic to be part of it and getting to exercise the horses on the track at Ascot in the mornings was a great feeling.

The ground at Royal Ascot was not great for the horses as they prefer it much faster.

We had no success on the first day but the best was yet to come on Wednesday with Lady Aurelia winning the Queen Mary. I had been riding the filly since she landed in the UK and, as I said previously, it was great to be part of the team behind the filly’s success.

After Ascot we headed back to Manton.

Blake and the horses who shipped in for Ascot headed home and we were left with the original three fillies. I rode and trained the fillies for the next few weeks. It was a great feeling knowing that Wesley trusted me to look after his horses. We entered one of the fillies, Oh So Terrible, at Newbury on 30 June, but there was a lot of heavy rain and the ground was soft so she was a non-runner. She was then re-entered for Newmarket on 7 July.

Everything was looking good. The ground was in our favour and the filly was in good form. Alas, it wasn’t to be. The filly was spooked at the start by one of the drones. Frankie fell off and the filly went for a lovely backwards tour of The Town Plate course. I found her in The National Stud winding up the teaser. She was none the worse for wear and didn’t have a scratch on her. I was slightly apprehensive to call and break the news to Wesley. He laughed and told me “these things happen.” I definitely experienced some highs and lows of racing in a short few weeks. The filly returned to the States the week after.

Wesley has an absolutely incredible team of people behind him. They are seriously hard-working and incredibly loyal. Most of them have been with him for over ten years.

His guys who do all the traveling have been with him from the start. They were all so welcoming to me. And put up with the fact that my Spanish was non-existent.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the NTF and BHEST for awarding me the scholarship. I had an incredible experience that would not have been possible without the grant that I received from them.

I have increased my knowledge and skill set and feel that I have brought back different training methods and techniques that I will be able to use when I begin my own training career. n

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12/09/2016 ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM 49 16:59

INDUSTRY Rob McDowall leads Sir Mark Prescott’s string

Rob McDowall

John O’Shea

“I

WAS able to spend an unforgettable month in Australia based with Godolphin and their trainer John O’Shea.

My first week in Australia was spent between Crown Lodge Stables, which is at the track at Warwick Farm, and Godolphin’s private training centre, Osborne Park about 40 minutes from the centre of Sydney.

During this first week, I watched horses exercise in the mornings, went to races at tracks in Newcastle and Randwick as well as at Warwick Farm and spent time in the office.

There are many differences in the way things are done in Australia and the first thing that struck me was the exercise routine. Back home we tend to do a lot of shorter, sharper canters, typically up a hill and would work our horses generally twice a week. In Australia the horses do their speed work two or three times a week and on the other days would generally just do a very long and steady canter twice around the racecourse. My first thoughts were that the horses would not be as fit as they are back home although, as we have seen over the years, Australian horses are very competitive

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when they run in the UK and are pretty dominant in races such as the Melbourne Cup, where the Europeans always field a strong team, so it must get the job done.

Working in the UK we tend to worry a lot about the weight of the riders, and would usually only let the lighter riders do the faster work on the horses. However, in Australia, as long as the riders can accurately do work to the stopwatch then the weight of the rider is irrelevant.

Another major difference in the way that training is organised is in the use of trials, which are held under race conditions but aren’t competitive. I would liken them to a schooling bumper of the sort used regularly in Ireland. The purpose of these trials is to educate the horses and for the trainers to give them a nice blow, similar to a racecourse gallop. In the trials, the horses jump out of the stalls and in my experience of the races in Australia the horses running for the first time competitively were much more professional and knew their job better than horses back in the UK running first time out. I felt the horses behaved much better in the stalls as well for having already been in the race situation in the mornings.

This could also be due to the horses doing all of their routine work on the racecourse, so when they do run it is not such a new experience for them.

My second week in Australia was spent in Melbourne at Godolphin’s Carbine Lodge stables at Flemington Racecourse. Racing in Victoria is pretty similar to New South Wales, with the only major difference being they race left-handed as opposed to righthanded in NSW. With so many horses in training it is important for Team Godolphin to have a base in Melbourne as it gives the option to send horses down for bigger targets whilst some horses can be better suited to the more galloping track at Flemington rather than the tighter right-handed tracks in Sydney.

Whilst in Melbourne I was lucky enough to spend a day at Godolphin’s Northwood Park Stud, getting a close look at approximately 50 foals and yearlings. The breeding side of the racing industry is not something that I have had much experience with and it fascinated me to see how much work goes into the foals and yearlings in preparation for their racing careers, from the handling of the horses to corrective surgery and non-invasive treatment of limbs.

Before I left for Australia friends who had previously spent time there told me how big and strong the horses were down under

ALEX SCOTT SCHOLARSHIP compared to back home, something I would have to agree with having seen a number of 600kg+ horses during my trip. Speaking to experienced members of the stud team, they think this is probably because as foals these horses are turned out much more in much bigger paddocks and needless to say, in much better weather!

With Melbourne over 500 miles from the main Sydney yards communication is obviously a key factor in the smooth and successful running of the yard. Mr O’Shea was in constant contact via phone with his team in Melbourne and I also sat in on a video call between Dave Charles (who runs the Melbourne yard) along with his foreman (head lad) and Mr O’Shea. During this video call a wide range of issues were discussed, such as horses’ weights and horses’ wellbeing, along with future plans and targets for the horses.

One morning, clocking horses’ work in the tower at Flemington, I was introduced to Gai Waterhouse who took the opportunity to reprimand me for not looking through my binoculars at the same time. Despite this telling off, Mrs Waterhouse was incredibly charming and even though our meeting was very brief, I was flattered when Mrs Waterhouse came and said hello to me at the races a few days later, even remembering my name.

My third week was spent back at Godolphin’s private training establishment Osborne Park, which is located northwest of Sydney in a small town called Agnes Banks.

It has 84 boxes split between four different yards, with its own grass and AW tracks.

Whilst at Osborne Park I rode out and did all the general duties involved with working in the yard.

At Heath House in Newmarket we trot the horses up every evening before they are due to run and the morning after they have run just to check that they are moving well and that there are no issues. At Mr O’Shea’s they trotted up every horse that had done faster work in the morning as a matter of course. The ‘trot-ups’ were watched by the in-house vet and Mr O’Shea, along with the foreman (head lad) and also a nutritionist, who would be on hand if any of the horses were looking light or carrying

“

Another major difference in the way that training is organised is in the use of trials, which are held under race conditions but aren’t competitive

”

a bit too much condition to change their diets accordingly. This attention to detail and constant monitoring of the horses is so beneficial and in a game that can be won and lost by a matter of inches it can only be a positive thing to be constantly checking and monitoring a horse’s well-being to try and gain that extra edge.

One thing that I very much liked about Godolphin’s routine in Australia was that in the evenings every single horse in training got out of its stable at some point, whether that be to go for a lead out, to go on the walker, or even have a swim. I felt that to get them out in the breeze and away from the stables had to be beneficial and would keep them a lot happier, which I think was reflected by the fact that of over 200 horses, I barely saw a box-walker or a horse windsucking during my stay.

My fourth and final week in Australia was spent at the Crown Lodge stables based at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Sydney.

Through this final week I rode out five or six lots most mornings, a little different to riding my hack in Newmarket!

As mentioned previously, there were no concerns about my weight which at just the wrong side of 11st would generally be considered as being too heavy for fast work back home. This is not the case in Australia, so much so that I rode track work on a 2yo filly who was having her first spell in training.

During my stay in Australia I was lucky enough to watch the great mare Winx win twice. The first victory was over 7f, having won her previous racecourse start in the Cox Plate over a distance of 1040 metres, which equates to just over 1m2f. It amazed me

that she had the speed to do this but I was told that this was quite a regular occurrence in Australia, with staying horses having enough speed to win over much shorter distances. This is no doubt due to there being much more emphasis on training for speed in the mornings and also training solely on a flat track.

I was really taken aback by the following Winx had from the general public, especially after her second victory that I was lucky enough to watch. The public really followed her and supported her, even the younger generations attending the races knew who Winx was, with many of the younger racegoers sporting Wink for Winx masks.

This sort of public following is something I think we miss in the UK, where lots of our racing and footage of racing is geared around the punter and not the horses and their individual stories.

In general in Australia I felt the racing industry was much more accessible to the general public, with a high proportion of horses being owned by large syndicates.

These syndicates have horses with some of the biggest and most successful trainers in Australia compared to the UK, where the majority of the top trainers’ strings comprise horses from owner-breeders and wealthy individual owners.

I was also very impressed that each racing state in Australia has its own website with racing form, replays of all races and also videos of every Trial that the horse has been in. All this information is free to the public, something that again makes the racing in Australia much more accessible to the public and therefore more popular outside of the racing industry.

I would like to express my gratitude to everybody who helped to make this possible, including my boss, Sir Mark Prescott, all of Team Godolphin, who organised so much for me to do and see during my visit, and of course to Mr O’Shea, who was very kind and welcoming and made sure my stay was really worthwhile.

Finally, Godolphin have a great website including a video feature of Osborne Park and I would highly recommend a watch to get a bit more of an insight into the stables. n

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INDUSTRY

BEacH RacING

Providing a spectacle to remember

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EMHF

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INDUSTRY Racing at Sanlucar de Barrameda

How many racecourses across Europe stage official beach racing? The answer may surprise you. The most famous is probably Laytown on the Irish Sea, some 30 miles north of Dublin, which holds a single fixture each September on a seven-furlong stretch of sand. Racing was first recorded here in 1868, making next year its 150th running. But thoroughbred racing on the sands can also be found at six further tracks, in Spain, France, and Germany. At our recent Executive Council Meeting, held in Bratislava, Slovakia, we agreed to coordinate a loose association of these seven courses and lead a campaign to raise the profile of this uniquely spectacular form of racing.

WORDS: DR Paull Khan, SecRetaRy-GeneRal, euROPean anD MeDiteRRanean hORSeRacinG FeDeRatiOn (eMhF) PhOtOS: eMhF

S

aNlUcaR DE BaRRaMEDa, in Spain’s southwestern province of cadiz, boasts an even longer history than laytown, stretching back to 1845. Utilising an 1800-metre strand at the mouth of the River Guadalquivir, two meetings are held each august in front of a large and vocal crowd. The Bay of Biscay is the backdrop for Spain’s other two beach tracks, at cantabria’s la laredo and lo loredo which, between them, normally host three 54

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racing days’ sport, although a cloud of doubt currently hangs over la laredo’s prospects of racing next year. at cuxhaven, a North Sea town at the mouth of the River Elbe, tidal flows provide a window of just five hours within which to stage Germany’s only day of beach racing, the Duhner-Wattrennen. The date may be in July or august – again, it is the elements that will dictate this. and, when the sun shines, some 20,000 people gather for the festival, as they have since 1902.

Neighbouring courses on the Brittany coast provide France with its beach gallop racing. Plouescat and Plestin-les-Greves both put on a single card of mixed trotting and gallop racing. The latter holds European bragging rights when it comes to history, having started back in 1828. Present day meetings include two thoroughbred races, each over around 2700 metres, one for fouryear-olds and the other for five-year-olds and upwards.

Okay, so the quality of racing may not be the greatest (although trainers such as Kevin Prendergast and Dermot Weld support the laytown fixture and, in the halcyon preall weather days of the 1960s, the meeting was widely used as a stepping stone to the Galway Festival), but that really isn’t the point. Beach racing, by its very nature, takes place in picturesque resort areas well-geared to receiving tourists, where racegoers are well-served with other leisure activities to complement their day’s racing.

Meetings often boast crowds in numbers far in excess of those normally associated with the quality of the racing. The benefit, of course, is two-way. These equine extravaganzas, which unfold against an immediate marine backdrop, provide a

EMHF

stunning spectacle and attract visitors to the resort. We feel that the heightened publicity will benefit both the tracks themselves and, through boosting tourism, their local communities. and aside from the economic benefits, we envisage an educational dividend. Those charged with managing beach racing fixtures face many challenges that are simply without parallel in ‘mainstream’ turf or all-weather racing; for example, to do with tidal impact, identification of the optimum racing strand, crowd management, etc. Establishing a network across Europe of those with this responsibility is sure to generate a rich exchange of ideas and experiences.

This will surely reap benefits in establishing best practice, further improving standards of spectacle and safety and, by way of a virtuous circle, drive attendances still higher.

There will be more on the beach racing initiative in future issues of this publication.

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR RACECOURSE OFFICIALS The EMHF arrangements

has to

also launched new assist the racing

“

These equine extravaganzas, which unfold against an immediate marine backdrop, provide a stunning spectacle and attract visitors to the resort

”

authorities of its member countries in the training and development of their racecourse officials. Our member racing authorities of four major racing nations – France, Germany, Great Britain, and Ireland – have agreed to offer officials (such as handicappers, judges, starters, clerks of the scales, stewards’ secretaries, and veterinary officers) from other EMHF member countries the opportunity to learn from their counterparts by spending time alongside them as they perform their job on the racecourse.

The EMHF will act as a ‘clearing house,’ matching up requests for such training with specific offers from the major racing nations. We see this initiative – which has already attracted interest from as far afield as India, america, and the caribbean – as a natural complement to our established programme of seminars in providing the ‘smaller countries’ with another means to learn and implement best practice in the administration of the sport. There will be no charge for this training.

RUDIGER SCHMANNS ELECTED VICE-CHAIRMAN

Following a restructuring of the administration of racing in Belgium, a vacancy had arisen for the post of vicechairman to represent our EU member countries.

Well-known and respected German administrator Rudiger Schmanns, director of racing at the Direktorium fur Vollblutzucht & Rennen e.V., was elected to the post, where he joins Behcet Homurlu of Turkey and Omar Skalli of Morocco as vice-chairman, under Brian Kavanagh’s continued chairmanship.

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INDUSTRY

The Farriery Seminar Group (left) gathered for a Farriery Seminar practical demonstration (above)

using the opportunity to gain hands-on guidance.

The seminar was well received by the delegates, who felt that it would provide the kernel of a racing farriery community across the region that doesn’t currently exist.

Stephan Ernesti, a farrier from Germany and in a party that included christian von der Recke, spoke for the delegates: “all of us thought that this meeting of European farriers working for the racing industry should meet more often. For us it was good to see the other farriers that were coming from Sweden, czech Republic, and even Turkey. We were so well looked after.”

HANDICAPPING SEMINAR – COLOGNE, NOVEMBER 23rd INTERNATIONAL FARRIERY SEMINAR

Twenty-two delegates – farriers, veterinarians and trainers – from seven European countries attended the latest EMHF Seminar, funded by Horse Racing Ireland and delivered at the Irish School of Farriery in Kildare Town, county Kildare.

Delegates from czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, Turkey, Slovakia, Denmark, and Ireland were treated to a day’s tuition – part-classroom, part-practical – from two of the most senior practitioners and instructors in Ireland, alwyn McKeown a.W.c.F and Brian Dunne Dip W.c.F, IMFa. 56

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The morning classroom session covered a wide range of subjects, including shoeing a racehorse and shoeing techniques; types of horseshoes; shoeing for various track surfaces; modern products; trimming the racehorse; and common types of hoof conditions/injuries including tendon, ligament injuries, cracks, and interference injuries. Regulations and rules for the shoeing of thoroughbreds for racing were also discussed.

The afternoon session featured a practical clinic, including trimming and shoeing demonstrations, with participants

another EMHF seminar of interest to trainers will be the next to be staged, on the intricacies and principles of handicapping.

This will be hosted by the Direktorium in Koln on the afternoon of Wednesday, 23rd November. The British Horseracing authority’s head of handicapping, Phil Smith, who is also co-chair of the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings committee, will deliver the seminar. any trainers wishing to attend should apply through their racing authority but, for more information on this or on any other aspect of the EMHF, contact me at paullkhan@euromedracing.eu. n

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INDUSTRY

PERFORMANCE HORSE SEMINAR Managing Respiratory Disease in the Performance Horse

Tim Brazil (Equine Medicine on the Move) discussed respiratory disease in the performance horse, and explained why herd health management is imperative in minimising its spread. Forward planning, being prepared and vigilant, and aggressive therapeutic treatment will aid in combating these cases. The vast majority of horses suffering from respiratory disease will usually present with inflammatory airway disease (IAD), and more specifically with acute airway infections, as opposed to pleuropneumonia, which has previously been covered by Kevin Corley.

Tim emphasised that from flat racehorses, national hunt horses or sport horses, to those used for hunting, the principals of how we deal with respiratory airway infection are the same. The age of the horse and the problems they face will be different, but the basis of a herd health plan will be similar. New stock coming onto the premises may need quarantine on arrival as new horses will carry multiple different bugs of different strains from different sources.

Conversely, the resident equine population will be hosting a population of bugs from different sources and of varying strains compared to those carried by the new stock.

Additionally, new stock will be exposed to travelling, environmental and intensive training stresses, which we know are risk factors for a variety of both infectious and inflammatory diseases. These horses may then be mixed again with other populations of horses, either on the hunting field or at the racecourse, and will be challenged further.

These situations can pose a major problem in terms of managing respiratory disease, and in trying to minimise the risk of continuing disease. Tim offers a list of recommendations:

1. Be prepared!

What entry requirements do you ask for when introducing a new horse to your yard?

Enquire about previous history of respiratory disease, and whether any in contact horses have had respiratory disease within the last 21 days. Screening for respiratory disease is also available. This could include serological testing or guttural pouch washes as screening 58

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Newbury and Newmarket racecourses played host to the latest in the series of 2016 Merial Performance Horse CPD racedays on June 23rd and 24th (in association with Bedmax and Haygain). Delegates were treated to talks on a range of subjects from leading veterinary experts. Over the coming pages, we’ve highlighted four of the discussions from the two days.

WORDS: DR RHIANNON MORGAN MRCVS PHOTOS: GILES ANDERSON

processes for equine strangles, or as part of pre-purchase examinations. Request the horses vaccination history and make sure it is up-to-date.

Quarantine procedures should be strictly adhered to and should include 21 days on a separate yard or separate area or the yard, tended to by staff at a separate time (last horses) with different equipment, and any shared equipment should be thoroughly disinfected when used between horses.

Environmental management: The breathing zone consists of a 30 cm radius surrounding the horse’s nose. What is within the horse’s breathing zone is extremely important, and therefore correct choices of forage and bedding are critical. Feeding from the floor compared to feeding from a haynet can make a large difference, as can the potential value of steaming hay and haylage.

Mike Burrel has shown that horses in Flat racing with respiratory tract infections have statistically significantly longer recovery times for airway infections which were detected by signs such as coughing or snot, if they have subjectively poor environmental management. The type of forage used is also most important; ‘good’ hay can be tolerated if the horse has a normal respiratory tract and no problems.

“

Feeding from the floor compared to feeding from a haynet can make a large difference, as can the potential value of steaming hay and haylage

”

However, if the horse’s respiratory tract is susceptible to disease, it is up to 7 times more likely to cause a problem in terms of hypersensitivity and on going excess mucus production. Haylage and silage double the risk of respiratory disease, and pellets provide the healthiest alternative. Straw bedding compared to cardboard or dust free shavings, can cause a two fold difference in the likelihood of respiratory disease. This is likely because bedding is not consistently present within the horse’s breathing zone.

Evidence from the northern and southern hemispheres, shows an association between routine management tasks in the stable, such as mucking out, grooming the horse, or sweeping the yard, and the potential risk of inflammatory airway disease, or more importantly on going duration of disease.

Avoiding these tasks whilst the horse is in the stable is imperative.

The equine industry remains behind other animal health industry’s in terms of ventilation. Most stable barns used to house horses are ventilated through the thermal buoyancy system, where air is sucked though the side, picks up airborne particles from the horse and bed, and is removed through the top of the barn. On many food animal farms this system is usually assisted mechanically, but it can work perfectly effectively provided you have sufficient ventilation through the walls, windows, eaves and vents.

The Irish equine centre have been assessing ventilation systems on racing yards, and often drill holes in the back of stables to improve ventilation. You can quite easily use a smoke machine, smoke bomb or fogging machine, to assess the quality of ventilation in your own housing. These subjective assessments of ventilation quality can simply be made by assessing the amount dust within the stable, the smell, the dryness of the bed (ammonia content), whether vents are open, and swabs

MERIAL RACEDAY

Panellists for the 2016 Newmarket CPD raceday

for environmental sampling of Aspergillus can be taken.

2. Be vigilant!

Be vigilant when monitoring disease; vets rely on clients to detect clinical signs such as coughing, nasal discharge, slow recovery post exercise, abnormal rectal temperatures, systemic illness and poor performance as early as possible. Coughing and high rectal temperatures are probably the two most important symptoms to be aware. If you have an animal coughing, it has an 85% chance of having inflammatory airway disease.

Waiting for snotty noses and horses to show a decrease in performance is probably waiting too late. Think about other factors that may effect the horse, such as whether there was change in service of the gallops, or how the animals were behaving at home compared to at the racecourse.

Monitoring disease: Endoscopy is the standard test of choice used to monitor respiratory disease, and usually involves taking a sample of fluid from within the lungs, via tracheal wash or bronchoalveolar lavage. Using these samples to analyse the types of immune cells and populations of bacteria within the lungs, help diagnose which disease the horse is suffering from.

1. IAD: These horses will have a cough and slightly snotty nose, or more subtle signs such as loss of performance or slow recovery, but will have a lot of tracheal secretions on endoscopy. Cell types found in

lung fluid samples can include an increased percentage of polymorphonuclear cells.

2. Acute airway infection: These horses will have a high degree of tracheal mucopus on endoscopy, increased nucleated cells and neutrophils, and intracellular bacteria.

When culturing these samples, there will be a significant growth of bacteria.

3. Recurrent airway obstruction or Equine asthma: Horses will show clinical signs of obstructive airway disease, they will use abdominal effort to breath, on an inclining scale of severity. Horses will experience recurrent reversible episodes in response to an environmental challenge. This airway obstruction is reversible (in part) by bronchodilators or clean air, and their lung fluid samples will contain increased levels of neutrophils. RAO is often seen in older national hunt horses.

3. Be therapeutically aggressive!

Manage the trigger factors – environmental management is key. Ensure all yard staff are adhering to good management practice as previously discussed. l Treat the inflammatory response with bronchodilators, mucolytics, steroids or antibiotics (if needed). These therapeutics are often delivered by inhalation therapy which provides a high dose of the drug locally. The benefits such as reduced total drug dose, reduced systemic absorption, reduced risk of adverse reactions, reduced drug costs and rapid onset of action, l

make this route of therapy very attractive.

However, when using these inhaled therapeutics, it is imperative to know how to, to ensure an effective dose is being inhaled. Nebulisation, if tolerated by the horse, is a efficient and easy route of administration.

Can a horse be an athlete after critical care?

Kevin Corley (Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital, Ireland) began his lecture by addressing what defines critical care. The triggers that necessitate critical care vary enormously, resulting in a lack of definition in both human and equine medicine; human hospitals tend to define it as care of any patient treated in the intensive care unit.

Kevin suggests that a possible definition in equine medicine, could be any horse that stays on continuous intravenous fluid therapy for more than 24 hours. Pleuropneumonia, surgical colic and diarrhoea are amongst the more frequent reasons that adult horses may require critical care.

Pleuropneumonia, commonly known as shipping fever, describes inflammation of the lungs and pleura (tissue surrounding the lungs). Factors that predispose a horse to this condition can include travelling over 500 miles, especially if their heads are tied up and they are exercised quickly after transport, contracting viral respiratory disease and being exposed to horses with respiratory disease.

Unfortunately this disease can occur ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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INDUSTRY

Kevin Corley (Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital, Ireland) began his lecture by addressing what defines critical care

without the horse showing clinical signs.

However, those that do show signs may exhibit dyspnoea (difficulty breathing) (in 67% of cases with pleuropneumonia), inappetence (63%), lethargy (60%), pyrexia (50%), cough (46%), nasal discharge (33%), weight loss (25%), or malodorous breath (15%).

On ultrasound examination, areas of consolidated lung surrounded by fluid, with areas of abscessation may be observed. To treat this disease, drainage of the fluid around the lungs via a chest drain is often essential, and concurrent administration of antibiotics is equally important.

To ascertain what type of bacteria is driving this disease, samples need to be cultured to allow identification. Kevin highly recommends culture of a transtracheal aspirate, as cultures of pleural fluid samples collected via chest drain, or secretions collected via bronchoalveolar lavage, may only yield bacterial growth 50% of the time.

Transtracheal secretions are sampled by aseptically preparing the skin and inserting a needle directly into the trachea, facilitating collection of an uncontaminated tracheal sample. Fibrin formation around the lung tissue, within the pleural fluid often forms and can be very difficult to break down, which can cause greater complications.

Kevin advises the use of tissue plasminogen activators that are administered directly into the chest cavity to help break down the fibrin.

Surgical colic is an unfortunate condition that most equine professionals have had to deal with at some point. After a successful surgery, horses typically need help to maintain their fluid and electrolyte balance, along with pain relief and with infection control.

Kevin discussed the importance of potassium and magnesium supplementation, and described how magnesium can be essential in facilitating potassium absorption.

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Many complications are at risk of occurring following surgery; including incisional infections, ileus (the intestines stop moving), diarrhoea, recurrent colic, pneumonia, laminitis and catheter associated infections and problems.

He highlighted that a number of studies have shown that approximately 69-76% of horses raced after colic surgery, it took a median of seven months for them to return to racing, and once they were racing again they earned the same as the control horses.

However, horses that presented with worse vital parameters before surgery, were less likely to race again after surgery, compared to those with less serious vital parameters.

Diarrhoea can cause severe fluid losses, and lead to secondary problems such as laminitis, endotoxaemia, coagulopathies and neurological symptoms. Unfortunately there are no published data pertaining to performance post-diarrhoea, however, reported survival rates vary from 38 to 71%. Kevin suggests that if a horse survives diarrhoea without contracting severe laminitis, the vast majority will return to racing. However, the recovery period may be prolonged, and it can take 1-3 months before the horse is ready to go back into training.

“

Foals who suffered from perinatal asphyxia syndrome, septicaemia, or localised infections may have lower earnings in the first year of racing

”

The critical care of foals is invariably labour intensive and subsequently very expensive, which begs the question ‘is it worth it?’.

Kevin analysed data from foals that had received critical care and were subsequently taken to the 2007/8 sales. Three foals sold before and three sold after each patient, were used as control animals, and the advertised stallion fee was subtracted from each foal price to normalise the data.

When analysing patients within the foal sales, yearling sales and breeze-ups, a statistically significant difference in patient price compared to control price was not seen in any of these groups. Concluding that critical care of foals did not adversely affect their sale price. However a USA study analysing Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds presented between 1990 and 1995, found that 6% of Thoroughbreds and 15.5% Standardbreds that had received critical care as foals, were unregistered, compared to <1% of the general population. This may reflect a higher degree of wastage in foals that received critical care. They also found that Thoroughbreds discharged from the hospital that went on to race, made less money as two year olds than controls, but made more money as three year olds, meaning there was ultimately no difference over the two years of racing.

Kevin advised that foals who suffered from perinatal asphyxia syndrome, septicaemia, or localised infections may have lower earnings in the first year of racing. Premature foals may suffer decreased earnings across two years of racing, and could be considered to have a poor athletic outcome. A study conducted in Florida looking at 423 foals who had a positive blood culture at some point during hospitalisation, found that 60% survived. These foals were admitted between 1982-2007 and the treatment available

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INDUSTRY

Matthew Smith (Newmarket Equine Hospital) discussed the merits of pre-surgical computed tomographic (CT) imaging for fracture repair

would have progressed substantially over this time period. Using the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s siblings to draw comparisons, the study found no difference between the two groups in regard to whether they started a race, how many races they started or the percentage of winners. However, the total number of wins and money earned by the patients was, on average, less than their siblings.

Septic arthritis and osteomyelitis also decreased the chance of a horse starting a race. 40% of foals suffering from septic arthritis started a race compared to 66% of controls, however, there was no difference in their ability to start in more than five races if they returned to racings. Meaning that if a foal who had suffered from septic arthritis made it back to the racetrack, it did not affect their future ability, however, it did decrease their chances of returning to the track in the first place. Additionally, if the foal suffered from septic arthritis and osteomyelitis in more than one joint, they experienced a reduced chance of racing compared to those with just one joint affected.

To conclude, horses and foals that recover from a serious illness can go on to have highclass athletic careers. The prognosis is always better when the disease is recognised early and treated aggressively from the outset.

Certain conditions, such as prematurity in foals, mean they have less of a chance of becoming an athlete. Hopefully this kind of information can help owners and trainers make informed decisions as to whether to pursue treatment.

The role of computed tomography in racehorse orthopaedics

Matthew Smith (Newmarket Equine Hospital) discussed the merits of pre-surgical computed tomographic (CT) imaging for fracture repair. CT uses a series of many x-rays to produce cross-sectional images which can be reconstructed to visualise the bone in three dimensions. When compared 62

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to standard radiography, CT enables a fracture configuration to be mapped with improved accuracy, and enhances the process of surgical planning. This has been found to be particularly useful in dealing with fractures with a spiral configuration.

Matthew highlighted several advantages of using CT instead of standard radiography: l Using the three-dimensional reconstructions, more accurate measurements can be made at proposed sites of implant placement, increasing surgical precision. l CT revealed fractures commonly extending to different levels in opposite cortices of the bone, which could not be appreciated reliably with radiographs. l Fractures were often observed propagating more proximally on CT in many cases, which could often not be appreciated radiographically. l Comminution of the bone (when there is more than two separate components as a result of the fracture) is often difficult to determine when using standard radiography. The use of CT has enabled visualisation of these additional bone components in complete, comminuted and incomplete condylar fractures. l Short incomplete parasagittal fractures of the proximal phalanx can either be unicortical or bicortical, which may not be

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

It is likely that CT will be used more commonly in the future and could potentially lead to earlier treatments with a better outcome for the horse

â&#x20AC;?

evident on standard radiographs. Whether the fracture is uni- or bicortical may influence implant placement. Determining the configuration of these fractures is easily achieved with the benefit of CT. When managing spiral fractures of the metacarpal and metatarsal bones, Matthew described that he had previously been treating them with an open surgical approach, with skin and periosteal elevation to directly visualise the fracture extent. Enhanced surgical mapping using CT imaging meant that this approach was abandoned in favour of percutaneous placement of screws when plate fixation was deemed unnecessary in 9 out of 10 spiral or propagating fractures.

Eight cases recovered uneventfully from general anaesthesia and were discharged from the hospital without complication. In the remaining case, fracture propagation was identified one month post-operatively which was managed conservatively and healed uneventfully.

Fractures of the lateral condyle of the third metacarpal or metatarsal bone were occasionally predicted radiographically to be incomplete, whereas CT revealed them to be complete. This prompted arthroscopically guided reduction and repair in all cases.

As a result of the information obtained from pre-operative CT imaging, Matthew recommends that this should be considered in all cases undergoing repair of fractures in the distal limb. Altered surgical intervention as a consequence should logically have a positive influence over case outcome, and further case numbers will allow assessment of this.

Dysrhythmias in the racehorse

Celia Marr (Rossdales Equine Hospital) discussed two dysrhythmias that affect racehorses; atrial fibrillation and premature depolarisations. Atrial fibrillation occurs in all types of horses but, because it affects exercise tolerance, it is of particular importance in racehorses.

Celia described how performance is markedly affected and the horse may have faded or been pulled up in a race, or worked badly with a chaotic irregularly irregular cardiac rhythm. Immediately after exercise, the heart rate is rapid and takes a prolonged time to recover. There can be general signs of distress and sometimes, visible haemorrhage is seen coming from the nose. At rest, the heart rhythm is also irregular but the overall heart rate is usually within normal limits and often the most striking feature is extremely long pauses. On detecting atrial fibrillation, the next query Celia will address is whether it is isolated atrial fibrillation, or is there any evidence of underlying structural heart disease?

Celia emphasises that vets who commonly work with racehorses will recognise that it is not unusual for horses to return from a race with a report of an arrhythmia being detected after the race, yet the following day, no abnormality can be auscultated despite extensive investigations. Many

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Read packaging before use. For further information please refer to your veterinary surgeon, or call the Merial Customer ISSUE 54 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM Support Centre on 0870 6230000 or IE: 1850 783 783

83

INDUSTRY

Celia Marr (Rossdales Equine Hospital) discussed two dysrhythmias that affect racehorses; atrial fibrillation and premature depolarisations

racehorses will self correct within 48 hours of onset of the arrhythmia. A team from Rossdales Equine Hospital and Nottingham University are currently performing an ECG (electrocardiogram) survey in horses immediately after racing, at six racetracks in the UK. So far, just short of 500 ECGs have been recorded and two cases of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation have been identified, suggesting a prevalence of around 0.4% and confirming suspicion that atrial fibrillation is occurring more often than previously recognised.

When atrial fibrillation is detected in association with racing or other forms of vigorous exercise, Celia advises that most horses simply need to be allowed to recover, and immediate medical therapy is not warranted. Recording an ambulatory ECG allows the rhythm to be assessed and this can be particularly helpful in identifying more complex rhythm disturbances. Usually if normal sinus rhythm is spontaneously restored, this is sustained.

However, in some horses, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation can be a recurrent condition.

If horses suffer from sustained atrial fibrillation but have minimal or no evidence of underlying cardiac disease, two methods of therapy for rhythm conversion are now well established; pharmacological conversion and electrocardioversion.

Celia went on to explain that pharmacological conversion involves treatment with quinidine sulphate administered via nasogastric intubation at two hour intervals, repeated four to five times, then the dosage interval is extended to six hours to try to achieve fairly steady plasma 64

TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 55

concentrations until either sinus rhythm is restored or side-effects force the treatment to be abandoned.

Transvenous electrocardioversion is often preferred for horses which have atrial fibrillation of either prolonged duration and these horses are typically those performing less vigorous exercise where the dysrhythmia has gone unnoticed. This technique involves placement of electrodes in the left pulmonary artery and the right atrium, which is achieved with guidance from a combination of pressure profiles, ultrasonography and radiography.

Both methods have potentially harmful side effects and selection of the most appropriate therapy is primarily based on predicted efficacy for the individual patient.

Unfortunately at this time there has been no randomised controlled trial comparing the two approaches and differences between patient populations make direct comparisons between studies problematic.

Celia described that sustained atrial fibrillation may lead to electrical, mechanical and contractile remodelling in the atrial

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

When atrial fibrillation is detected in association with racing or other forms of vigorous exercise, most horses simply need to be allowed to recover

â&#x20AC;?

myocardium (heart muscle). Studies assessing the use of Tissue Doppler imaging have been shown to help clinicians predict the recurrence of atrial fibrillation with more accuracy than previously possible.

The importance of premature depolarisations is much less clearly defined. A survey of horses undergoing overground endoscopy for investigation of poor performance and/or respiratory noise has shown that isolated premature depolarisations were found in over 40% of horses, and pairs of paroxysms in a further 20%. The presence or absence of rhythm disturbances was not associated with a failure to race subsequently. Therefore, Celia advises that currently each case must be judged on its own merits.

Horses which have dysrhythmias at rest in addition to during exercise, and those that have a history of collapse, distress or epistaxis are more likely to have clinically significant cardiac disease. Additional evidence of cardiac disease, such as increases in serum cardiac troponin concentration and/or echocardiographic abnormalities helps support this assessment.

It is now possible to record a resting equine ECG using a clipless device attached to a smart phone. This inexpensive device is held over the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chest and via Bluetooth sends the trace to the phone. Although it takes a little practice, Celia ensures the device is incredibly easy to use.

Given the transient nature of many equine dysrhythmias that occur on the racecourse, it is incredibly helpful if the rhythm can be characterised immediately as this can help define the extent of further investigations that are warranted later. n

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ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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TRAINING

ITALIANS ABROAD

Three men who chose to move to France to train their horses

A

S the saying goes, “Only Paris is worthy of Rome; only Rome is worthy of Paris.” This may only be strictly applicable to Bietolini, who moved to the Parisian suburb of Maisons-Laffitte permanently in 2015; however, the similarities of French and Italian life are extremely important for them all.

The racing world is a small one, not least for Brogi, Botti, and Bietolini. In 2008, forced by circumstances due to the declining state of Italian racing and the economic crisis, they all independently made the decision to move to France to continue their careers.

Gianluca Bietolini was the only one

Since 1956, Rome and Paris have been reciprocally twinned with each other. It is perhaps no surprise, therefore, that Italy’s equivalent of the Three Musketeers – Simone Brogi, Alessandro Botti, and Gianluca Bietolini – have become well acclimatised to their new French surroundings.

WORDS AND PHOTOS: ISABEL MATHEW

of the three to hold a licence before moving to France, training next door to Brogi’s illustrious grandfather, Lorenzo, at Capannelle racetrack. Nicknamed “Sir Lorenz” by his fans, Brogi’s grandfather notably trained six winners of the Italian 2,000 Guineas before his death in 2008.

“He was a real hero of mine,” Bietolini says, before adding, “This is how I came to

Simone Brogi, Cristian Demuro and Alessandro Botti

66

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know Simone, as he grew up there. I am a little older, so we weren’t really close at that time. Today we know each other a lot better than before, but it is difficult as he is in Pau, and I am in Maisons-Laffitte.”

Simone Brogi started training in March 2015 at the Sers Training Centre in Pau after a four-year apprenticeship with JeanClaude Rouget. It was his father Fabio, who trained 1995 Group 1 Gran Criterium

ITALIAN TRAINERS

Gianluca Bietolini with his Classic-placed colt Dicton

winner Glory of Dancer, that gave him his first taste of French racing when relocating to Lyon with his family at the end of the last decade.

“It is thanks to him that I experienced French racing and the opportunities,” Brogi says. “I perhaps wouldn’t have had the courage otherwise, or maybe I would have moved later.

“Obviously it was an incredibly difficult decision for my father to move to France with his family, not like when you are young. He stayed for two years and went back. He doesn’t train anymore, so perhaps it was the wrong decision, but that is life. I then started to look for a pupil assistant’s position, and ended up with Jean-Claude Rouget. We hit it off straight away, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him,” Brogi adds.

The 30-year-old took the decision to carry on the family tradition after dropping out of his veterinary science degree just a year into the program. Now with one season under his belt, Brogi will have 60 horses in training by the end of 2016, for owners such as Al Shaqab Racing; Gerard AugustinNormand; and Lady Bamford, a contact he had made when he spent six months with John Gosden.

With 24 winners so far this year and over half a million euros won in prize money, it has been a successful one for Brogi. The highlight of his season has without doubt been the relatively unfancied Prix de Diane-fourth Azaelia,

who also finished second in the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux.

Growing up in Rome, Brogi didn’t come into contact much with Alessandro Botti, who was based principally in Milan and a little older, but the two have now become firm friends and see each other whenever possible.

The latter’s family is one that doesn’t need much introduction, including in England where Alessandro Botti’s cousin Marco is a Group 1-calibre trainer. Perhaps the most well-known family in Italian racing, Alessandro’s father Giuseppe and uncle Alduino took over the family business in 1969 following the death of his grandfather, Edmondo.

Together Giuseppe and Alduino Botti led the trainers’ championship for over 35 years, while more recently the family

“

Historically racing in Italy was very strong, but now it seems that the government has just abandoned us. It’s very sad

”

Simone Brogi

operation has expanded to Botti’s two-time champion jockey brother Endo and first cousin Stefano, the leading trainer in Italy for the last seven seasons.

Like many in the family, Botti started out as a jockey in his native Italy, winning 25 races as a teenager. He quickly became too tall and subsequently turned his hand to training.

“Before moving to France, I looked after the stables in Milan, while my cousin Stefano oversaw things in Tuscany. Marco had left to go to England some time before, but it became clear that there were too many of us. We had to look for other opportunities, so my father and I decided to open a satellite yard in Chantilly.

“Within 15 days of me moving there, I realised that this is where I wanted to spend the rest of my training career. French life is quite similar to the Italian one, and we have everything here that you could possibly need for training.”

During his second year with a licence, Botti started to make his mark in his adopted homeland. In November 2010, he sent out Bubble Chic to finish second in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

As a three-year-old, the colt notably finished second in the Prix du Jockey-Club and Prix Greffulhe before subsequently being sold to Hong Kong. “We’re beginning to forget him now, but he really put me on the map here,” Botti says.

This year, with over 70 horses in training, the Italian has won nearly ¤1.2 million in ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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Brogi’s dream is to win a major race in Rome

prize money. This has been highlighted by Gardol City finishing third in the Group 3 Prix de Guiche behind subsequent JockeyClub winner Almanzor.

Botti’s close friend Bietolini, who incidentally introduced him to his fiancée Ilaria Millozzi on Arc day last year, has been put in the spotlight during his second full year in France this season by dual Classicplaced colt Dicton. The son of Lawman has exceeded all expectations.

Bought for just ¤22,317 for Ecurie Faraon from breeders Wertheimer et Frere and trainer Freddy Head as a two-year-old after winning a claimer at Saint-Cloud, the colt was second in his first start for Bietolini but went on to win four consecutive starts from December 2015 until April this year, highlighted by the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau.

Subsequently purchased by Rupert Pritchard-Gordon on behalf of prolific Hong Kong-based owner Robert Ng before his victory in the Listed Prix Omnium II a start before the Fontainebleau, Dicton was supplemented into the Poule d’Essai 68

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des Poulains and the Prix du Jockey-Club, where he finished third in both.

“It’s unbelievable what’s he’s done – obviously I never imagined that he would become this good, but I bought him because I liked him a lot physically and he has a very good pedigree,” Bietolini says.

In August, Dicton finished fifth in the Group 1 Prix Haras de Fresnay Le BuffardJacques Le Marois. “It wasn’t an ideal race as he was up with the pace and on the outside and that’s not his style, but I was delighted with his performance,” he adds.

Some exciting autumn targets await for Bietolini’s charge, with international options, including one in his trainer’s homeland. “I’m going to enter him in the Group 1 Premio Vittorio di Capua at San Siro, while he is already in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day. “It all depends on what the opposition is like. I think he is probably a bit better back over a mile or 1800 metres, as in hindsight I think the last 200 metres of the Jockey-

Club was a little bit too much for him.”

Bietolini has also struck up a good relationship with US owner Ken Ramsey, for whom he has six horses. Over the past few years, he has played an integral part in promoting the Ramsey’s US-based stallion Kitten’s Joy in Europe, training the leading turf sire’s first European stakes winner, Real Solution, in 2012.

A very successful trainer in his homeland with around 70 horses before coming to France, Bietolini’s brother Gabriele has now taken over the stable having retired as a jockey last year. Among Gabriele Bietolini’s many successes was a Group win back in 1996 for Roberto Brogi, Simone Brogi’s great-uncle.

Bietolini’s numbers are now down to around 15 due to the economic climate, and the continuing problems facing Italian racing is an emotional one for all three trainers. They outline that is hard to envisage ever being able to return to their mother country as trainers and be able to make a decent living at the same time.

Brogi says, “I can’t see that I will ever move back there, but it is my dream to win one of the good races in Rome. In part it is because almost all of my training experience has been in France, but the situation is also very worrying, because it doesn’t seem to be changing.

“Historically racing in Italy was very strong, but now it seems that the government has just abandoned us. It’s very sad.”

Botti adds, “I hope that things won’t go the same way as Italy in France.

Unfortunately, I do see a few things that resemble what was happening to us 1015 years ago, such as the PMU aggregate going down, racing at all hours, and poor attendances. We really need to encourage people to come racing.

“The organisation of racing by France Galop is what I like the most about training here. Even if people do criticise them, I think they do a very good job.”

Bietolini is perhaps the most vocal of the three, speaking from his previous experience as a trainer first in Italy. “Before, we had fantastic racing with lots of owners and trainers and a great culture of it. Now, breeding is almost finished in Italy, and the government is not interested in racing, just numbers.

“For them, a race worth ¤20,000 or ¤3,000 is the same thing. They take 32 percent from bets, while in France it is nine percent, and in the United States, six percent. It’s sad to think that 50,000 people worked in racing 10 years ago, while today it is around 1,000.

“We have beautiful racecourses with so much history, but today no one goes, and no one welcomes you. I hope this can change in the future, but it is a big task.”

Italy’s loss is France’s gain, because all three ‘Bs’ look set to make a big impression on the French racing scene for years to come. n

© Marie Chancé

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RACING Kao Kat MHF and Sean Levey win Gr2 Royal Cavalry of Oman Clarendon Stakes

THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE

Meet the ancestors to the modern thoroughbred 70

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PUREBRED ARABIAN RACING

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RACING

Harry Bentley and Gazwan win Gr1PA Dubai International Stakes

Purebred Arabian horseracing is held throughout the world under the regulatory authority of each country’s horseracing administrative body in conjunction with the national Arabian horseracing organisation, the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).

Therefore, in most cases, the administration and regulation of the sport are therefore little different to the thoroughbred industry.

WORDS: LISSA OLIVER PHOTOS: ILkA GAnSERA LéVêquE, DEbbIE buRT – EquInE CREATIVE MEDIA

I

N all countries other than the United Kingdom, Arabians can be trained alongside thoroughbreds by licensed racehorse trainers, who are increasingly recognising the Arabian as an additional income, providing fresh trading opportunities and attracting new owners.

In France, for example, successful Arabian trainers usually better known for their thoroughbreds include Francois Rohaut, Damien de Watrigant, Philippe Sogorb, and Francis-Henri Graffard, who each feature in the top 20 leading Arabian trainers by prize money. It is unfortunate that UK thoroughbred trainers are being excluded, but it is something the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Arabian Racing Organisation of the UK (ARO) are aware of and on which they are working 72

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together towards a possible resolution.

Competing for the current title of leading trainer of Arabians in the UK is James Owen, who was received the ARO Newcomer award last year after a successful first season.

Based in Newmarket, Owen combines the training of Arabians with the pre-training of thoroughbreds and acknowledges, “Arabian racing needs to become more professional in the UK for it to be recognised by the public domain. For this to happen, Arabian racing needs to be run in a similar manner to abroad, i.e. it should be treated equally to the thoroughbred racing. The BHA do not currently treat the two sports equally -Arabians are still not allowed into some of the racecourse stables despite the fact that they are trained like thoroughbreds and receive the same vaccinations.”

ARO has been the sole authority in Britain

since 2001, but what may come as a surprise to many is that Arabian racing has taken place in Britain since 1978. The Maktoum family had a vision to put Arabian racing on a par with the thoroughbred industry, with HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum being the patron of ARO. With this aim in mind, ARO has progressed considerably, having been set up as an amateur not-for-profit administrative body, and remains predominantly amateur at the moment, though Genny Haynes, director of ARO, stresses “at the moment.”

“We have 36 national trainers and a total of 175 Purebred Arabians, which includes international runners, so it’s a very small population,” Haynes points out. “It would be very sad to lose the amateur side of the sport, but we are continually working with the BHA to move forward, and this aspect needs to be addressed to manage expectations of the sponsors and the BHA. I don’t want to lose the amateur side as they are very important to ARO, but I do have to manage the business in the best way to progress and stabilise Arabian racing further, and our link with the BHA is important, as they are very supportive.”

Fortunate to have already reached the happy position of fully-integrated racing and training between the two breeds, Nicole

PUREBRED ARABIAN RACING

“

I have to manage the business in the best way to progress and stabilise Arabian racing further and our link with the BHA is important, as they are very supportive

”

Genny Haynes

Kraft, director of the Association Française du cheval Arabe de Course (AFAC), tells us, “Yes, indeed AFAC works closely with France Galop to establish the racing calendar, and Arabian racing is very popular in France, because it belongs to the French history.

“Napoleon 1st brought back Arabian horses to the south of France and the first races were held in Tarbes in 1807. The first volume of the Stud Book for Purebred horses, published in 1838, had two parts, one for the thoroughbreds and one for the Arabians.”

Unlike the British and Irish National Studs, established purely for thoroughbred breeding, the French National Stud had a national equine identity, preserving and producing all breeds of horse in France.

During the years between the World Wars, Arabian stallions were imported with the help of the French National Stud and famous breeding operations developed in the southwest of France. The thoroughbred and Arabian have grown up together, you could say.

Over in Ireland, while the Turf Club does not yet oversee any Arabian horseracing, there is no rule preventing a licensed thoroughbred trainer from also training an Arabian. Vincent Hughes, integrity support officer of the Turf Club, takes a realistic approach. “If a person was so licensed by the ARO and that person happened to hold a current trainers’ licence in Ireland then, as with the BHA, the Arabian-bred horses would have to be separated from the thoroughbreds in the trainer’s yard to the satisfaction of the Licensing Committee,” he told us. “We do not have anything in our rules dealing with Arabian Purebred horses as they cannot race under our rules.”

In the UK, the allocation, cancellation, and alteration of Arabian

Marengo, Napoleon Bonaparte’s Arab Stallion, by Antoine-Jean Baron Gros, reportedly used in his most famous campaigns and named after the Battle of Marengo HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the patron of the ARO

horseracing fixtures is authorised at the discretion of the BHA. ARO administers Arabian horseracing under the regulatory authority of the BHA and has control over the membership; qualifications of the owners, trainers, and riders taking part; and the eligibility of the horses involved. This is reflected by the individual administrative bodies throughout Europe, who enjoy a strong and supportive relationship with their thoroughbred counterpart.

Genny Haynes enjoys a good working relationship with the BHA, which supports the ambitious vision of ARO and its aims. However, biosecurity is an important issue and necessary to safeguard both the national thoroughbred herd and the Purebred Arabian herd, and ARO recognises and respects the measures currently in place.

“We are the only country within the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities who segregates Arabians and thoroughbreds,” Haynes admits, although the Irish Turf Club has suggested it will follow suit should Arabian racing be held in Ireland. “We are working with the BHA to move forward and it’s something we’re are constantly reviewing. Our Arabians travel all over the world and they have the same vaccinations as the thoroughbreds. It’s an education; we need to get it right to be recognised.”

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RACING

Storm Troupour after winning at Windsor with Ilka Gansera Lévêque, Stephane Lévêque and jockey Steve Harrison

annually by IFAHR that Arabian racing is in the main healthy and on the increase, with some obvious strongholds, France, Russia, and Sweden. It is a niche market and one well worth considering. The thoroughbred industry has room for small-scale permit holders with restricted licences alongside larger professional operations, and there is no reason why ARO and the BHA cannot achieve the same harmony.

In terms of breaking into the Arabian racehorse market, it could be considered a financially easier step than the thoroughbred, with similar trading possibilities. James Owen provides syndicate opportunities that are more affordable than thoroughbred schemes, for example.

On the eve of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend and the Qatar Arabian World Cup, Arqana in conjunction with AFAC hosts an annual Purebred Arabian Sale at Saint-Cloud. In the past 10 years the top price has usually varied from €140,000 to €350,000, although in 2007 the sales topper made €1,050,000. The last two years has seen 82% and 83% clearance rates, with a median of €22,000 and averages of €35,000 (2015) and €30,000 (2014). This year sees

ARAB RACES STAGES IN EUROPE AND PRIZE MONEY 2007-2016 RACES STAGED Belgium Denmark France Germany UK** Netherlands Norway Italy Poland Russia Sweden Switzerland Turkey Morocco

2016 1 1 84* 0 9 11 0 2 1 72 29 2 3 8

2015 8 3 39 0 14 17 0 0 1 112 27 5 3 8

2014 9 4 76 2 56 20 0 0 0 143 28 6 3 7

2013 8 0 56 7 61 19 0 0 0 109 37 4 3 2

2012 4 0 80 20 13 17 0 0 26 82 39 3 3 3

2011 3 0 80 18 11 17 0 0 34 64 37 2 3 3

2010 1 0 75 12 13 10 0 0 22 40 39 1 3 4

2009 1 0 66 26 8 18 0 0 21 5 37 2 6 3

2008 4 4 54 12 47 18 3 0 0 6 28 3 63 3

2007 7 3 53 12 9 21 2 0 2 23 31 2 62 3

PRIZE MONEY ˆ 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Belgium 35,000 94,000 140,000 97,000 18,000 12,000 2,000 2,000 7,235 34,250 Denmark 19,846 14,549 23,030 0 0 0 0 0 9,664 7,248 France 3,027,000* 2,431,000 2,860,000 2,300,000 2,563,800 2,065,000 1,686,500 1,451,400 1,376,000 846,000 Germany 0 0 65,000 120,000 137,800 133,190 100,700 253,000 173,500 109,000 UK** 846,097 887,780 683,720 568,955 328,901 221,660 257,731 184,536 192,171 191,044 Netherlands 175,500 192,500 226,500 197,000 85,565 134,110 33,040 45,975 63,345 57,234 Norway 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8,701 5,589 Italy 66,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Poland 35,440 36,129 0 0 175,018 232,413 142,854 157,711 0 30,156 Russia 93,664 342,881 288,712 251,900 104,288 174,031 75,342 41,307 32,645 46,887 Sweden 260,367 233,301 222,631 284,272 270,151 224,247 178,887 126,268 142,243 119,057 Switzerland 56,901 83,169 108,078 45,500 37,534 13,824 3,033 6,067 9,090 6,250 Turkey 2,811,541 233,169 330,895 304,110 174,855 283,528 257,232 1,211,448 7,840,924 6,666,176 Morocco 343,698 342,905 191,482 180,916 193,157 221,491 138,938 75,221 149,779 152,967 *confirmed by AFAC France **From 2007 to the end of 2016 there have been 792 races with total prize money of £4,645,239, confirms Gemma Cobb Racing Operations Executive, ARO

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RACING Members of James Owen’s string on Warren Hill

a mixed catalogue of 130, mainly twoyear-olds and horses in training. As with proven thoroughbred racehorses, sales to the Middle East are the goal when once an Arabian has achieved all it can locally.

Looking again at the successful Arabian racing countries, Sweden is, like France, enjoying a good relationship with its thoroughbred authority, and the Scandinavian Arabian Racing Association (SARA) is an affiliate of the Swedish Jockey Club. A comprehensive website at arabgalopp.com covers every aspect of the sport in detail and is linked as well from the official Svensk Galopp site. Tellingly, the director of the Swedish Jockey Club, Mats Genberg, is also the president of SARA, so the unity and harmony of the two organisations is immediately obvious. He is also an executive board member of IFAHR. ARO’s Haynes is the vice-chair of IFAHR, so has her finger directly on the pulse of the European scene. “We have a General Assembly each year and already have an international handicapping system together with an international agreement.

In Europe, it is more sustainable and more people want to get involved. It’s good to see thoroughbred trainers including Purebred Arabians in their string. This isn’t currently possible in Britain, where BHA-licensed 76

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“

One of the things that would improve Arabian racing would be if all of the trainers were to have a BHA inspection to prove that our set ups are professional

James Owen

”

trainers cannot hold an amateur ARO training licence.”

This is an ambition she holds dear to her heart and looks forward to seeing professional thoroughbred trainers in Britain being able to include Arabians in their string in the foreseeable future, and also giving the opportunity to the amateurs to progress to professional status if they so wish.

James Owen, like so many British trainers, shares this hope and suggests, “One of the things that would improve Arabian racing would be if all of the trainers were to have a BHA inspection to prove that our setups

are professional and similar to that of the thoroughbred yards. Starting stalls and photo finishes are another aspect that need to be considered. They are a major cost at our domestic meetings, however I do feel that these need to be put in place to allow Arabian racing to move forward. Our racecards are being published in the Racing Post, so if we can get stalls and photo finishes in place then we can get off-course betting and live streaming, which will massively enhance the sport.”

The progression of ARO and those licensed by ARO is something in which Haynes and her team place great importance. “We are very proud to say that from the ranks of ARO staff and jockeys and trainers, so many have gone on to be professional, be it stewards or professional jockeys and trainers. We can now take it forward further.”

But how easy is it to train a Purebred Arabian alongside a thoroughbred, even when allowed to do so? Are their feeding and fitness regimes compatible? Last year Stéphane Lévêque became Britain’s newest Arabian racehorse trainer, only the second in Newmarket, offering owners of the Arabian horse the full benefits of the 2,500 acres of training facilities.

Frenchman Lévêque works alongside his

PUREBRED ARABIAN RACING wife, thoroughbred trainer Ilka GanseraLévêque, at Saint Wendred’s Stables on Hamilton Road and returned to his roots with the purebred Arabians, who are, of course, the root of our modern racehorse.

His first job on arrival in Britain was with Arabians and he later worked with them in Dubai and the UAE before moving to Newmarket as a work rider for the Godolphin thoroughbred operation, so he is the ideal person to discuss comparisons.

“A visit to Abu Dhabi identified the need for more Arabian racing trainers in the UK, and this is a really exciting move for me,” says Lévêque. “It is a good niche and I am enjoying combining my years of experience with both Arabians and thoroughbreds.

Arabian horses are a little different, although everything we say for Arabians should be deserved by thoroughbreds, too.

The purebred Arabian is an independent creature, an opinionated horse, and it needs a different approach. Arabians have their own traits, they need more patience and you need to trick them a little by always letting them think it’s their own idea!

“You need to keep them right in their minds, their brains are much busier than the thoroughbred. We always have a play ball with them in their box to keep them occupied. They’re smart. Too smart for their own good and get bored easily, so we keep things interesting for them.”

Thoroughbred trainers will say the same of their horses, but given Lévêque’s experience with both breeds you have to sit up and listen when he insists, “You can’t make them do anything they don’t want to do, they can’t be forced. They need to be on your side and they really need you to bend to their wishes, too.”

This is an interesting point and one wonders if enough consideration is given to that quirky temperament when selecting jockeys. Looking at the majority of Arabian race cards, we see unfamiliar rider names, but come a more important card, such

“

We have a General Assembly each year and already have an international handicapping system together with an international agreement

Genny Haynes

”

as the recent race day at Newbury and the championship races run during Arc weekend, and professional Flat jockeys seem happy to step into the plate. Is this always advantageous?

“You need someone who knows your horse and who knows the Arabian,” Lévêque agrees. “They can fool you and you need someone who knows their speed.

They are slower than the thoroughbred and they can’t be asked to go too quickly

early on. The finish can be an awkward thing, too, they sometimes won’t respond to pressure, even though they haven’t extended themselves fully. Thoroughbreds have that bred so much into them, they are naturally keen to run and compete against others, far more than the Arabian.”

A quick look at the list of ARO-licensed jockeys shows that 32 of the 64 individuals hold BHA Category A or B licences.

“Where we licence our own jockeys, for races starting from stalls they have to have had three wins and 20 or more rides,” Genny Haynes explains. “We need to know they are capable. Not all of our races are started from stalls, so we have riders who are eligible for designated meetings.”

“Designated meetings” are anywhere the sale of picture rights occurs in Great Britain for the purposes of off-course betting.

Another major difference between the two breeds is that the Arabian is late maturing. There are no two-year-old races and there is even a line of thought among some against running the Arabian at three.

The Derby is for four-year-olds. Lévêque insists it isn’t a difficult adjustment for a horseman, however. “Eric Lemartinel trained National Hunt horses in France and is now the leading Arabian trainer in Abu Dhabi,” he points out.

The Arabian is also sturdier, healthier and tougher, he believes. “You never see an Arabian clip heels because they don’t like to be in such close quarters with other horses.

They haven’t got that ingrained ‘run run run’ thing that the thoroughbreds have.

“The feeding regime is lighter, they are easy keepers. If they’re turned out they get fat like a pony, so we have adjusted our feed programme for them with less protein and calories.” The work programme is also geared to suit their slower speed but greater stamina. “We train every horse individually anyway, so the key for us is just to keep them happy,” Lévêque explains.

“We only work in twos or threes, we’re

ARABIAN RACING ORGANISATION LTD The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) runs a programme of full Arabian racedays supported by single Arabian races on thoroughbred fixtures from May to September.

The UK International race season allows owners and trainers to experience the prestige of racing at some of the world's most high profile racecourses including Doncaster, Goodwood, Newbury and Sandown. +44 (0) 1635 524 445 - info@aroracing.co.uk - www.aroracing.co.uk www.facebook.com/ARORacing twitter.com/ARO_Racing

'THE SOLE AUTHORITY FOR ARABIAN RACING IN THE UK'

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RACING very bespoke, and they are happy to lead the thoroughbred juveniles in work.”

Mixed work is one thing, but back in the stableyard the segregation in the UK is clearly the biggest issue for trainers like Lévêque. “Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas started out with quarter horses. Kieran McLaughlin trained very good Arabians during his stint in Dubai. So why are they segregating it?” he asks. The particular difficulty here is in training Arabians from a BHA-licensed premises. Wife Ilka Gansera-Lévêque holds a BHA licence at Saint Wendred’s and official visits ensure the thoroughbreds and Arabians do not mix. A partition had to be erected in order to comply. As Lévêque points out, there are ponies and hacks out on the Heath at Newmarket, alongside thoroughbreds. So why the concern over Arabians?

“We are subjected to a lot of stress we do not need. Rules are important, they serve a purpose and should be executed. But with these rules, they can be twisted and used to discriminate. To me, fairness is important.

These rules don’t serve a purpose. The

Arabians run in my name. It’s a team effort, but because Ilka holds a professional licence she cannot hold an amateur Arabian licence as well.

“I’ve nothing against amateur involvement, but as soon as you employ people and are taking money for training, you’re not an amateur any more,” he points out. “Why wouldn’t you say, ‘I want to step up to the plate and take it up a notch?’ Why are there these discrepancies?”

Ironically, as well as being able to exercise together, there are no travel restrictions on mixing Arabians and thoroughbreds in the UK. Recently a French trainer shipped over his two thoroughbred runners and one Arabian runner in the same horsebox, although they were then segregated on arrival at the racecourse stables.

Paul Hensey, manager at the Curragh Racecourse, explained the protocol adopted in Ireland. “When we had the Arabian horses here, they had the use of the stableyard, but had their own block of stables, just for convenience and to keep them together.

They were fully vaccinated and complied

with the same regulations in place for thoroughbreds, and the accompanying staff had the full use of the facilities and canteen.”

However, the strict segregation on British racecourses is a continuing source of vexation, as Lévêque reveals. “Even runners in an international Arabian Group race are not allowed in the racecourse stabling area, and the Arabian handlers and staff are not allowed to use the facilities. We are stabled in temporary boxes, on top of grass, and because they are standing on grass the horses have to be muzzled, which drove our own horse mad. I appreciate we’re not BHA-licensed, but there shouldn’t be this segregation.” In contrast, he points out, “Windsor did an all-Arabian day and it was really nice.”

Nevertheless, mixed cards of Arabian and thoroughbred racing do have their benefits, for both parties. Introducing the general racing public to the Arabian through a mixed card can only arouse further interest and there is the not small matter of muchsought sponsorship. “An added benefit to British racing is that ARO sponsors of

FEEDING ARABIANS COMPARED TO ThOROUGhBREDS FOR RACING (Words: Dr. Catherine Dunnett) Appropriate growth builds foundations for athletic performance

Arabians are often more efficient assimilators of their feed and so are quite often described as good-doers, both as growing youngsters and also when in training. It is important to avoid obesity during growth, where it may impact on the durability of the skeletal system and during training where excessive body condition is likely to reduce race performance. Excessive energy intake in Arabian youngstock drives faster growth and if not supported by appropriate micronutrient intake can precipitate a higher incidence of developmental orthopaedic issues. Additionally, fat cells are biochemically active and may release factors, which promote inflammation.

Pasture restriction may impact on skeletal durability

Use of poorer grazing, or restricting intake of pasture to manage body weight during growth may impact on the intake of vitamin K1, adequate supplies of which are needed to ensure appropriate bone density through sequestration of calcium into bone.

Higher forage to concentrate may be required in training

Arabians often require a lower total energy intake to maintain an appropriate body weight and condition for racing. However, it is equally important to provide adequate forage to maintain digestive health, both to avoid gastric ulceration and also to

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maintain hindgut health and function.

Generally speaking this requires an intake of forage of about 1-1.5% of bodyweight as total forage dry matter (more haylage than hay due to the differences in dry matter). This may require a higher forage to concentrate ratio in order to allow this minimum intake of forage. In practical terms, establish the right amount of forage first and then determine how much concentrate feed is needed to maintain body condition and choose an appropriate concentrate feed.

Concentrate feed choice is key

Arabians are likely to require a lower digestible energy intake from their concentrate feed, it is important to maintain an appropriate nutrient density of the diet. This effectively means a more concentrated feed that can be fed at a lower level. This is particularly important during the early stages of training when feed intake is traditionally low to match energy requirement. The use of low intake balancer feeds and feeds that have been formulated to be fed at a lower level than traditional racing feeds, can be useful. It is advisable to always check what the minimum recommended intake of a feed is to deliver sufficient vitamins and minerals. For a traditional racing feed this is normally about 3kg per day for an Arabian of average body weight.

Digestibility and protein quality is important Where Arabians in training require less feed than a Thoroughbred, do not be

tempted to use a lower energy feed that is not designed for racing, where the digestibility and quality of the protein provided in terms of amino acid balance is not appropriate. Quality protein is very important to support tissue repair and muscle development and turnover.

Fibre characteristics deliver lower buffering capacity in muscle

Arabian horses have a different muscle fibre type pattern to Thoroughbreds.

Typically they have a lower proportion of faster twitch type IIb fibres, compared to the more aerobic type IIa and type 1 fibres. This is reflected in their more aerobic metabolism and ability to compete successfully over a huge range of distances. However, for Arabian Flat racing, where sustained speed and power is required for success, buffering capacity of muscle is important. The buffering capacity of muscle refers to the ability to limit or delay muscle acidosis that arises from exercise, as the result of a build up of H+ ions from disassociated lactic acid and other biochemical energy generating pathways. The relevance of this is that muscle acidosis contributes to muscle fatigue. The proportion of muscle fibre types in Arabians delivers a lower level of carnosine, an important dipeptide, which is the main physiological buffer in muscle in horses. Lower muscle carnosine means a lower buffering capacity compared to Thoroughbreds. Appropriate nutrition offers the ability to boost muscle carnosine prior to racing to improve muscle-buffering capacity.

PUREBRED ARABIAN RACING individual Arabian races are now beginning to sponsor thoroughbred cards at mixed meetings,” Haynes points out.

As a not-for-profit organisation, ARO receives nothing from the Levy Board nor any grants, so sponsorship is the sport’s main source of income. “We still need our stand-alone meetings and have nine in 2016, including our ‘Flagship’ day at Newbury, staging four Group races, but days like Newbury provide great media coverage and sponsorship,” Haynes says. “Media isn’t something we’ve concentrated enough on in the past, but we have appointed Debbie Burt as our dedicated PR & media executive this year and it’s all beginning to come together.”

But Lévêque believes the integration and promotion of Arabian racing is being failed in other areas, too. The Racing Post might carry the race card for the really big races, but carries no form or past performances, and he questions how attractive it is to the punter, with nothing more than a list of names. “Are they betting on the jockey’s colours? Or numbers?”

The sheikhmansoorfestival.com website promotes the major races and challenge series globally, and afac-france.com is another vital source of information. The ifahr.net site provides links to all its member organisations, as well as news and information. A great deal of information is also available from aroracing.co.uk, and videos of races are uploaded onto the organisation’s Facebook page. Arabianraceform.co.uk supplies the results and past form when clicking on a horse, jockey, or trainer’s name, while the form sheets for each race meeting are also comprehensive and informative. However, for a trainer receiving a foreign import, it can be difficult to know where to go to look up the relevant form.

“We have some nice big days of racing and Shadwell do a great job with the challenge series internationally, promoting the sport and flying the flag, but we need more locals involved,” Lévêque says of the UK situation. “(IFAHR chairperson) Lara Sawaya also does a big job at promoting the sport and does a lot for young riders, but on the ordinary days of racing it can be very amateur and even though there was a good crowd at a recent Chelmsford meeting, Simply Red played after racing and racing seemed just the sideshow.”

James Owen agrees. “A lot of very good jockeys are using Arabian racing as a stepping stone to their future, which is great and allows young riders to gain opportunities that they otherwise would not have. The HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship series that Lara Sawaya puts on is fantastic and is taking off really well. It is a fantastic experience for these young jockeys to be able to ride in races all around the world.”

The Dubai International Arabian Raceday held annually at Newbury at the end of July is far from a sideshow, and the entertainment between races definitely plays second fiddle

to the championship eight-race card.

Free entry boosts attendance, which this year reached an unprecedented 9,000, and the day earned a valuable amount of international media coverage, vindicating the heavy support of sponsors Shadwell Stud and Dubai Duty Free, Emirates Equestrian Federation, Emirates NBD, Emirates Airline, Jebel Ali Racecourse, National Academy of Indian Payroll, Rotana Hotels And Resort, and Shadwell Arabian Stallions.

As Owen points out, “The Dubai International Arabian Raceday is a fantastic day and is very well supported from runners abroad, with a huge crowd attending for good racing and a fun day out. Our domestic races are improving; however, they still need a few tweaks. We have some excellent sponsors, but it would be nice to see some English businesses getting involved again.”

There may seem to be many wrinkles to iron out before Arabian racing in the UK can be as healthy as its European cousins,

but the aim of reaching a par with the thoroughbred industry doesn’t appear too ambitious when the figures elsewhere are considered and the enthusiasm of Arabian organisations is harnessed.

The use of artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer in Purebred Arabians could be seen as a negative, but as Haynes points out, “It’s essential for our gene pool. The stallions are all over the world and the gene pool is small.” The use of AI is as crucial to the Arabian breed at its current stage as the prohibition of AI is to the modern thoroughbred, but how few generations are we away from that changing?

As Lévêque reminds us, “Arabian stallions like the Darley Arabian, Godolphin Arab, and Byerley Turk were the basis for our modern thoroughbred. You have only to go back 21 generations to them, so an upsurge in Arabian racing in this country brings the story of the racehorse full circle.” n

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ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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TRAINING

STAff TRAINING AND EDUCATION Aiming for a better working life

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STABLE STAff

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TRAINING Yogi Breisner and trainee coach Russell Kennemore conducted a group session for those new to the regional training programme at Mark Johnstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yard

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) have, in recent months, worked significantly towards greater awareness of well-being and support for stable staff and other workers within the industry. For many, there are no problems, stress, or lack of job satisfaction and self-worth, but as we have seen in Sweden through reduction in working hours, a happier social and family life will lead to a better working life.

WORDS: LISSA OLIVER PHOTOS: CAROLInE nORRIS, nORTHERn RACIng COLLEgE, BRITISH RACIng SCHOOL

A

GREATER sense of fulfilment is one aspect, and allowing time for further education is a simple step.

There can often be a real need for returning to the classroom. Some staff members may not have completed their education, while technology, too, seems to advance at a faster pace than we can keep up with and is creeping into basic daily routines. There may be opportunities to advance in our career, or it may be a simple need to take on a new challenge and boost self-confidence.

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for those whose whole life revolves around the horses in their care and the family dependent upon them, an hour or two a week to themselves to indulge in a new hobby or interest could make a world of difference. further education doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t only have to be about improving skills; learning a craft can be just as rewarding. Evening classes and oncea-week daytime classes can offer everything from pottery and poetry to art and archery, with more practical courses such as languages, IT and plumbing among those that might come in useful in our day-to-day home life.

Practical training in modern basic essentials,

not necessarily related directly to the racing industry, is also available, and the provision of legal requirements such as Manual Handling and various Health And Safety certification is something all employers should have in place. National government websites will carry the necessary information and training, usually paid for by the employer, can be provided in a classroom locally or, if numbers are sufficient, in the workplace itself.

When it comes to more specialised practical training in the workplace directly relating to the needs of racing industry staff, the British Racing School and Northern Racing College provide a specially designed Mobile Training facility, with a jockey coach and racehorse simulator, that can visit individual yards. The service is free to trainers and bespoke to their needs.

It is hoped that trainers will see this is a huge step in rider improvement and helping to retain staff by offering them career progression and training without having to leave their workplace. Staff leaving racing schools are not the finished article,

STABLE STAff

The British Racing School portable racehorse simulator. Both the British Racing School and the Northern Racing College provide a specially designed Mobile Training Facility, with a jockey coach and racehorse simulator, that can visit individual yards. The service is free to trainers and bespoke to their needs

and the continuation of their training and development is vital and the responsibility of the trainer. for further details, contact carol. bramhill@brs.org.uk.

Whether looking for ways to develop personally, to improve current job prospects, or to simply learn for fun, adult education options offer a wide variety of courses, along with different entry criteria and funding options. It is to the benefit of employers to be aware of the education possibilities locally and to assist staff in seeking out classes, whether through funding or support or allowing flexible time to accommodate further learning.

The options – distance, online, flexible and blended learning

Local schools and often libraries and community centres can offer adult education and evening classes, but the classroom isn’t the only place to learn. Distance, online, flexible, and blended education provides an opportunity to study at a time and place that suits your lifestyle.

As the name implies, distance education does not require attendance at a physical location at fixed times. Open learning, online learning, and distance learning are all types of distance education. The obvious advantage is that it can be combined with home life and work commitments.

Online learning is delivered over the internet, and assignments are emailed

“

Online learning is delivered over the internet and assignments are emailed between students and tutors; students often set up chat rooms between each other

”

between students and tutors; students often set up chat rooms for each other. Again, it provides maximum flexibility, although an internet connection is required and is not always guaranteed in many rural locations. flexible learning provides learners with opportunities for more choice, convenience, and personalisation to suit them. It also recognises that different students have different learning preferences and requirements. flexible learning courses use different modes of delivery for course materials, including web-based, CDs, DVDs, and so on, while the similar blended learning refers to a mix of all the different learning environments, combining face-to-face classroom methods with modern computer-mediated activities.

In Britain, Hot Courses (www.hotcourses. com) offers a choice of over 200,000 courses from 6,000 course providers, with expert help and guidance. A simple-to-use menu narrows the search to locality and personal preferences. A list of adult evening classes and a comprehensive overview of funding options available for returning to education is ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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TRAINING available at www.gov.uk/further-educationcourses/overview.

In Ireland, a dedicated website for adult education can be viewed at www.aontas. com. Springboard (www.springboardcourses. ie) offers free, part-time higher education courses at certificate, degree, and masters levels. Courses are particularly targeted towards those employed in areas that are experiencing significant unemployment.

Springboard courses have been developed around the needs of adult learners and are generally flexible. They are ideally suited to people who have substantial work experience, but need a third level qualification to up-skill or retrain.

Similarly, Skillnets (www.skillnets.ie) can help staff develop their career further and obtain specific training to deal with new challenges and developments in the workplace, as well as gaining new qualifications and skills. Skillnets training courses are free for employees, with the fees paid jointly by the employer and Skillnets.

The employer can request the particular training required and Skillnets then source the relevant training providers. A number of

“

One of the challenges for employers taking on inexperienced older staff is that they have to pay the minimum agreed wage for over 19s

”

employers in an area can group together to provide specific training for staff and thereby reduce the costs.

Employers familiar with the fETAC levels of qualification in Ireland should be reminded that this is now replaced by QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland).

Learners in Ireland now receive QQI awards on successful completion of a course.

Every country recognises the importance of further education and lifelong learning, and all offer similar support and financial assistance to both employee and employer:

Yogi Breisner and trainee coach Russell Kennemore (top) conduct simulator work and gallop training for those aspiring to be work riders at the top of their game

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Germany: www.bildungsserver.de France: www.education.gouv.fr/cid50753/ la-formation-continue-des-adultes-a-leducation-nationale.html Sweden: www.komvuxutbildningar.se Italy: www.flcgil.it/attualita/eda/ istruzione-degli-adulti-pubblicata-lacircolare-con-i-termini-di-scadenza-per-leiscrizioni-a-s-2016-2017.flc Poland: http://nk.pl/szkola/8987/ uczniowie While charity begins at home, as they say, there isn’t only the current staff to consider.

Where are future employees coming from and what can be done to assist recruitment and improve the quality of skills of those new to the industry? Tackling this issue is a new pilot programme developed by the BHA and National Trainers federation (NTf) with support from National Association of Stable Staff (NASS) enabling new recruits over the age of 19 to enter the racing industry by learning on the job with a racehorse trainer.

Employer Led Training complements the work of the racing schools and places the responsibility for recruiting and training new staff directly with the employer, who receives funding for taking on inexperienced new entrants. While the racing schools usually train those under 18 or in receipt of government funding, there are plenty of others just as keen to find work in the industry but lacking in experience and unable to gain a first step via the racing schools or other equine courses.

One of the challenges for employers taking on inexperienced older staff is that they have to pay the minimum agreed wage for over 19s (in Britain, £250.54 per week). The Employer Led Training Programme is intended to provide a cushion for employers against this cost and offer them a contribution towards training expenses, with up to £2,500 available for each trainee. Each phase of the payment schedule will be set at minimum intervals of six weeks to ensure that the training is delivered over a suitable time frame, with the whole training programme being delivered over a minimum of 30 weeks.

Any licensed trainer may apply to participate in the programme and should show a commitment to training their staff; provide suitable accommodation and induction; provide a mentor, such as an existing experienced member of the staff; and commit to evaluating and providing feedback on the success of the programme.

Progress is measured against the newly developed Racing Groom Skills Passport, detailing the knowledge, understanding, and practical skills achieved in order to be signed off as competent by the employer. Trainees will normally be recruited by the employer, and applicants may come from a range of backgrounds and must be over 19. n The BHA has produced a Fact Sheet on Employed Led Training, which can be downloaded at www.britishhorseracing.com/ wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Fact-Sheet. pdf

Order your copy today!

Call 041 971 2000 (IRE) or +44 (0)1380 816777 (UK) or order online at trainermagazine.com/book Also available Biomechanics and Physical Training of the Horse Hardback | 192 pages | ISBN: 9781840761924 | £29.99

A comprehensive look at the major racecourses of the world, featuring a selection of tracks which have staged graded races: how they became great, the horses that have won and the races that are famous.

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VETERINARY

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DENTAL INFECTIONS

DENTAL INFECTIONS

How do they affect racehorses?

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VETERINARY

A tiny fissure in the surface dentine is demonstrated with a fissure probe in a sedated horse’s upper tooth

In horses in training, dental infections can have serious implications on health and performance. Recent research from the University of Bristol, reported in Equine Veterinary Journal, has shed more light on this poorly understood syndrome.

WORDS: W.HenRy TRemaine, miRiam CaSey PHOTOS: PROFeSSOR CeLia maRR, SHUTTeRSTOCK

What is a dental infection?

The terms “dental abscess,” “tooth abscess,” “dental infection,” “apical infection,” and “apical pulpitis” are all used to describe infections of the soft dental pulp inside the tooth which is a endodontic disease. This is in contrast to infections of the structures on the outside of the teeth or between them that are termed “periodontal infections,” which are much more common in horses overall but are mainly seen in middle-aged and older horses.

Why are dental infections significant to horses in training?

Horses’ teeth continue to erupt throughout the horse’s life to replace the surfaces that are gradually worn away by chewing of cereal and forage foods. This is in contrast to the teeth of carnivores and primates whose teeth do not grow in adult life. In horses, the permanent teeth emerge from the jaws between the ages of one and five 88

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years, pushing out the deciduous (milk) teeth as they do so. For the next few years, the permanent teeth are actually growing in length from the root end as well as erupting.

This period of very dynamic development within the horse’s mouth often coincides with the peak athletic career of many racehorses and other equine athletes.

How do endodontic infections affect the horse?

It is easy to think of the teeth as inert lifeless structures, but they are actually complex, living structures which, like other tissues in the body, are susceptible to infection and disease. The soft dental pulp inside the tooth is essential to provide blood and nervous supply to the cells inside the teeth.

These cells, called odontoblasts, are living tissue and are essential to the health of the tooth, as they produce dentine and repair the tooth from the inside in response to the stresses and micro-damage of normal chewing.

More importantly, equine teeth, in contrast to our own teeth, have a bridge of secondary dentine, which replaces the dentine that is worn off the surface during normal chewing and separates the delicate pulp inside the tooth from the oral cavity.

The mouth is full of bacteria, generally living there and doing no harm. However, if bacteria gain access to the tooth pulp, it becomes inflamed, and swelling within the pulp cavity can obstruct its blood supply, leading to death of the pulp. Because it is contained within the hard outer shell of the tooth, the diseased pulp has nowhere to expand and will eventually discharge as an abscess through the jaw, nasal cavity, or via the side of the face.

Pulp death means that the secondary dentine bridge between oral cavity and delicate pulp is no longer maintained and eventually, as the surface of the tooth wears, a fissure will appear that can allow communication and entry of oral bacteria into the delicate pulp. Infection will weaken the tooth and possibly eventually result in dental fracture.

DENTAL INFECTIONS

A horse undergoing a CT examination while sedated at Langford Veterinary Services (University of Bristol)

What are the signs of endodontic infections?

Tooth pulp infections are very painful initially and this can result in pain in the soft tissues around the apical area of the tooth, tenderness to touch around the tooth, or sensitivity when being ridden. Often this pain goes unnoticed, or possibly the horse will be sensitive to its bridle transiently.

Eventually once the pulp is dead, its nerves are also dead and it ceases to be painful.

However, the destruction of the tooth pulp continues and the bone around the tooth swells, producing a swelling on the side of the face or underneath the jaw, or it can discharge via the jaw or into the nasal cavity or sinuses, causing a thick yellow/green nasal discharge that often has an unpleasant odour.

How are endodontic infections detected?

In a previous study, the Bristol team detected fissures in the surfaces of 57% of teeth that

“

It is likely that CT will be used more commonly in the future and could potentially lead to earlier treatments with a better outcome for the horse

”

had been extracted due to infections from horses with a median age of four years for upper teeth and seven years for lower teeth. These fissures could be detected on a careful oral examination with a mirror in a sedated horse, but would be easily missed in a cursory rasp of an unsedated horse. It is probable that the fissures developed months or even years after the tooth pulp became diseased.

How can such infections be detected earlier?

Clearly early detection of infection is critical and therefore horses with suspicious swellings, nasal discharges, or sensitive teeth should be examined in detail under sedation by a vet. This may involve examining the teeth at the back of the mouth with the horse sedated using a mirror or an oral endoscope.

Additionally, this will often involve taking x-rays that can detect changes to the bone surrounding such a diseased tooth.

Computerised tomography (CT) examinations are now available for standing, conscious horses at the Langford Veterinary Services’ Equine Hospital and several other clinics. A research team at Bristol dental looked at whether CT might be the best tool for early identification of endotonic disease.

To do this, they compared CT scans of teeth likely to be affected with endodontic disease with the microscopic structure of the teeth following tooth removal, and also compared CT findings to the surface findings (i.e. the ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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VETERINARY surface visible to a vet examining the mouth with an endoscope or mirror) and to highresolution photographs of the sectioned teeth. This research study showed that changes in the pulp such as mineralisation, the presence of food and damaged dental tissue, irregular osteodentine, fragmented and irregular dentine within the pulp, and darkly discoloured enamel, were detectable on CT images.

However, subtle changes to the dentine and other signs of very early disease did not show up on CT images. Although CT can probably not detect the very first signs of pulp inflammation or pain, despite these limitations, it is likely that CT will be used more commonly in the future and could potentially lead to earlier treatments with a better outcome for the horse.

How are endodontic infections treated?

While the dental pulp is still alive, antimicrobials will reach the site of the infection via the bloodstream and these drugs might have a chance of overcoming the infection.

Antimicrobials are more effective in younger horses with an early-stage infection because the apical foramen or tunnel in the root of the tooth, through which the blood

“

If the pulp disease is detected early, the tooth extracted with the horse sedated and desensitised with local anaesthetic the outcome is usually good

”

vessels enter, is wider. In older horses this foramen becomes narrower and any swelling within the pulp is likely to squeeze the blood vessels and impede the blood supply.

Once there is no blood supply to the site of infection, drugs cannot penetrate the area effectively, and eventually the pulp dies (becomes necrotic). At this point, physical removal of the dead pulp is necessary. In the past, this always required removal of the whole tooth, and this is still the case in many instances. Tooth removal can often be achieved with the horse sedated with local anaesthetic, but some horses require a complex surgical procedure performed under general anaesthesia.

In younger horses, the invisible crown of the tooth accounts for 80% of its length, and this extraction can be complicated. Where fragments of the tooth are fractured, surgical extraction requires complicated surgery with the horse anaesthetised, followed by a long convalescence.

Early detection of endodontic infection, and isolation to an individual root (of which 90

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This oral endoscopic picture from a young racehorse shows a fracture (arrows) on the outside of a tooth that lead to a sinus infection. Without detailed examination, such fractures often go undetected and although may be innocuous can lead to more severe consequences.

there are up to three in a horse’s cheek teeth) opens the possibility of salvaging the tooth and performing root canal restorations.

These techniques are being trialled by some specialists, with some early signs of success in salvaging the tooth, but only when appropriate cases are very carefully selected and the disease of the tooth is not too advanced. In order for such salvage treatments to be more effective in the future, earlier detection of diseased pulp is essential. Salvaging the tooth can potentially avoid or delay fracture of the tooth that can have serious consequences in the performing horse.

What are the outcomes after treatment of dental pulp disease (tooth infections)?

If the pulp disease is detected early and the tooth extracted with the horse sedated and desensitised with local anaesthetic, the outcome is usually good. In those cases selected for endodontic treatment, a positive response may be apparent in the first few weeks and training can resume after a short interruption. If the horse is able to compete during its training season this can be a positive result even if the tooth is extracted subsequently.

Some horses with dental infection suffer spread to the paranasal sinuses, which can cause persistent nasal discharges and head swelling and pain. These cases can involve

several treatments, and management of complicated cases can become involved, time consuming, and expensive. Therefore, if dental disease is suspected in a racehorse, a thorough investigation and treatment should be commenced as soon as possible to minimise any unavoidable impact on its training. Once the disease is dealt with effectively, horses that may have been suffering are usually able to perform to their full potential.

Conclusions

• Dental

diseases are a significant and potentially serious problem where they occur in young racehorses in training or horses performing in other athletic disciplines.

• Signs of oral pain such as slow chewing, pain under bridle straps, or hanging on the bridle should be investigated promptly.

• Some horses with dental disease require considerably more than routine rasping and for any cases with signs of oral pain, a veterinarian should be consulted for meticulous examination while the horse is sedated and possible referral for more extensive diagnostic imaging.

• Early detection maximises the possibility of early treatment to try to avoid the complicated and expensive treatments that are often necessary with advanced dental diseases. n

PRODUCT FOCUS

Look after your yearlings’ dietary needs with Connolly’s RED MILLS As we slip into autumn, yearling sales preparation is in full swing. Beginning sales preparation is a stressful time for any yearling, being separated from their buddies, an increasing exercise schedule along with increased feeding regimens can contribute to gastric ulceration in the young horse.

Connolly’s RED MILLS low starch diet, Horse Care 14, can help to manage or prevent gastric ulceration.

The amount of feed a yearling will tolerate is extremely dependent on the individual. It is crucial to adjust the diet to suit each yearling; their exercise level, growth rate and body condition. A yearling cannot consume the same amount as an adult horse, therefore higher concentrations of balanced vitamins and minerals are necessary than in an adult diet, Grocare is an excellent product which will supply all the vitamins and minerals a young growing horse needs in a smaller volume. Try to avoid feeding large portions of grain in the diet as this will imbalance the calcium to phosphorus ratio, which in turn will have implications for healthy bone growth and development in the young horse.

Another important nutrient in the young horse’s diet is protein, studies have shown that low protein diets will limit growth in the young horse. Protein is made up of amino acids which are essential to build and repair muscle.

High quality protein sources, such as soya beans, in your horse feed is especially important and will ensure that there is adequate availability of the amino acids ‘lysine’ and ‘methionine’, which are known as limiting amino acids.

RED MILLS stud range including Stud Mix, Stud Cubes, Foal and Yearling Mix and Premier Yearling Cubes offer an excellent selection of feed containing quality protein sources.

Forage is an extremely important part of any young horse’s diet and will help to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract. High quality, early-cut hay should be

available ad lib. If at all possible, a few hours turn-out incorporated into the daily routine will allow the young horses to graze and relax and ‘be horses’, thus cutting out some of the stress they encounter on their journey to the sales ring.

It goes without saying that all dietary changes should be made slowly, over a 10-14 day period to minimise upsetting the bacterial flora in the intestines, this will help to reduce any incidence of diarrhoea or even colic. Feeding little and often will ensure that you get the most out of the feed you are putting in.

Some of the factors affecting the price you get for your yearling may be out with your control, performance record of siblings, but attention to nutrition and conditioning will substantially improve your yearling’s health and worth to prospective buyers.

For further information, please visit www.redmills.com

ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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PRODUCT FOCUS

Liberty Cu nails now available for the racing market After setting new standards on all leading race tracks with the revolutionary aluminium Kings Plate Extra Sound and Super Sound race plates, it was only a matter of time before the Royal Kerckhaert Horseshoe Factory would develop their own, perfectly-fitting race nails to go with them.

They call them Liberty Carrera and are very happy to explain to trainers and farriers alike, why they strongly believe Liberty Carrera nails are actually a better alternative to the many different styles and sizes of race nails currently used by the industry.

Until now the difficulty many race plate farriers have been facing was that many racehorses have shelly, thinwalled hooves, so thinner nails are preferred. Yet nails still need a strong neck so they fit well into the racing plate crease.

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If it does not they will move, with risk of the nails breaking, hooves being damaged and the horse suffering injuries.

Does the Liberty Carrera race nail really solve all that?

In fact, that might very well be the case. Let’s take a closer look at the Liberty Carrera race nails.

Though many trainers and horse owners may initially be distracted by the attractive, golden shine of the copper coating, the main feature actually lies in the unique, patented neck design which is combined with a super slim shaft, that is available in three different lengths, allowing for use on different hooves.

The idea seems deceptively simple, yet this particular design is very clever and effective indeed. The head and neck are standardised, so the nails fit perfectly in most aluminum race plates, regardless of their size. This also greatly reduces any unwanted nail movement.

Kerckhaert introduced copper-coated Liberty Cu horseshoe nails for riding horses in 2015. Liberty Cu were the first ever horseshoe nails that were especially developed to benefit all riding horses on a daily basis and to do more than just hold the horseshoes on.

The copper-coated horseshoe nails quickly became the new standard with farriers worldwide, because they offer far more protection to the horse than traditional horseshoe nails. The copper coating does not rust or wear off inside the hoof wall, so there is much less damage and hooves remain stronger and healthier.

The Liberty Carrera race nail now offers the same benefits to racehorses.

For further information, please visit www.kerckhaert.com or www.strömsholm.co.uk

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We go to exceptional lengths to give you the most complete, potent and affordable products to help keep your horses fit and healthy.

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17 December 2015 09:54:04

PRODUCT FOCUS

If challenging hoof health is something you routinely see, then you will want to support that nutritionally from the inside out with a daily supplement. Remember hooves can take up to a whole year to grow from the coronet band down to the floor, so nutritional support needs to be fed all year round. Look for a product providing high levels of biotin, in conjunction with the synergistic nutrients that biotin needs to work effectively, such as methionine, lysine, manganese, zinc and bio-available sulphur from MSM. However, optimum hoof health is not just about providing the right nutritional tools.

The hooves are subject to external pressures from different surfaces which are forever changeable in conjunction with the weather conditions causing the hoof to expand and contract which is why water is vital to the health of the hoof. The hoof horn consists of 12-15% water content.

When the horn dries out it is seen as crumbling, brittleness and prone to losing shoes. More than that, a dried-out hoof is less able to cope with the pressures of work, and may result in lost work days. Fluid balance in the hoof is vital to the hooves’ ability to absorb concussive forces from the ground.

It is ironic that the dry conditions that cause hard ground also leave the hoof less able to cope with just those conditions. A daily application of a water-based moisturizer, which is in balance with the natural water level of the foot, is advised for maintaining that healthy, flexible fluid balance.

Further to dryness, horses may experience cracking around the bottom of the hoof and, perhaps, enlarged nail holes so increasing the risk of that lost shoe or soundness issues. Application of a natural hoof hardener, particularly around cracks and getting right into the holes will strengthen the hooves’ defences, keeping them strong and healthy. Weaker hooves, particularly when cracked, can attract fungal

Hoof Health Care with NAF Five Star PROFEET and bacterial attack which, in turn, exaggerate the issue and lead to unsoundness.

Therefore, nourishing and protecting your horse’s hooves with the right applications is essential summer management.

PROFEET supplements are unique in that they not only provide nutrients to directly support hoof health, they also provide nutritional support that helps target healthy liver function, which in turn is fundamental to healthy hoof growth.

Biotin is combined with a rich sulphur complex of methionine, cysteine and MSM minerals, including calcium and zinc, and a broad spectrum of naturally-sourced amino acids and essential fatty acids. Developed by veterinary scientists, with the assistance of leading farriers, PROFEET offers the most concentrated, fast-acting nutritional support for quality hoof growth. The aforementioned nutrients in PROFEET work in synergy with the naturally-sourced anti-oxidant ingredients in the formula to provide a hoof supplement that outperforms all those that came before.

For unrivalled external support PROFEET offers a comprehensive range of applications to enable the horse to be

supported by the best feet possible. With a Hoof Hardener developed to protect brittle hooves, strengthen soft soles and disinfect frogs as well as a top moisturiser in order to sustain the moisture content of the hoof and allow natural fluctuation of moisture levels.The ingredients used to make Hoof Moist are of human cosmetic grade and the manufacturing process used in its production results in a smooth gel consistency to allow for even application.

Further support is offered by PROFEET Hoof Dressing which will penetrate deep into the horn to keep it supple and help to protect the hoof from becoming brittle and prone to cracking and splitting, making the wide range of applications offered by PROFEET the five star for support.

For further information, please visit www.naf-equine.eu/uk or call our advice line: 0800 373 106

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STAKES SCHEDULES

STAKES SCHEDULES RACES

COPYRIGHT

CLOSING DATES

DISCLAIMER

Races are divided by distance and the relevant surface is indicated as follows: AWT - All Weather Track D - Dirt T - Turf.

Countries covered in this issue are: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,Turkey, USA. 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.

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.

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.

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Track Ascot Chantilly Newmarket Chantilly Munich Milan Dundalk

Race Name & (Sponsor) Rous (Albert Bartlett) Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp (Qatar) Cornwallis St (Dubai) Criterium de Vitesse Benazet-Rennen Premio Omenoni Mercury St

Breeders’ Cup

Grade L Gp 1 Gp 3 L L Gp 3 L

Race Date 01-Oct-16 02-Oct-16 07-Oct-16 08-Oct-16 09-Oct-16 16-Oct-16 21-Oct-16

Value £45,000 ˆ 35,0000 £80000 ˆ 55,000 ˆ 25,000 ˆ 44,000 ˆ 45,000

5f (1000m) Age 3+ 2+ 2 2 3+ 3+ 2+

Surface T T T T T T AWT

Metres 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000

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GB GB GB GB IRE FR GB AUS GB ITY FR GB FR AUS USA GB ITY GB

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Bengough St (John Guest) Two-Year-Old Trophy (totepool) Boadicea St (EBF) (Vision Stallions) Rockingham (Coral.co.uk) Waterford Testimonial St Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte QIPCO British Champions Sprint S Manikato Stakes Doncaster (Scott Dobson Memorial) Ubaldo Pandolfi Zeddaan Bosra Sham St (EBF) Seine-Et-Oise Darley Classic BC Sprint Wentworth (Betfred Lotto 100K Cash Giveaway) Premio Carlo & Francesco Aloisi Golden Rose St (Unibet)

USA GER

Santa Anita Frankfurt

BC Turf Sprint Prodomo Trophy

L L

03-Oct-16 15-Nov-16

Sprint

€52,000 €55,000

3+ 2

T T

1100 1100

5½f 5½f

01-Oct-16 £70000 01-Oct-16 £175,000 08-Oct-16 £50,000 08-Oct-16 £50,000 09-Oct-16 ˆ 45,000 14-Oct-16 €190,000 15-Oct-16 £600,000 21-Oct-16 AUS$1,015,000 22-Oct-16 £27,000 23-Oct-16 €41,800 27-Oct-16 €55,000 28-Oct-16 £30,000 01-Nov-16 €80,000 05-Nov-16 AUS$1,002,500 05-Nov-16 $1,500,000 05-Nov-16 £40,000 06-Nov-16 €70,400 12-Nov-16 £40,000

3+ 2 3+ F 2 3+ 2 3+ 2 2 F 2 2F 3+

3+ 3+ 2+ 3+

T T T T T T T T T T T T T T D T T AWT

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

6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f 6f

Gr 1 L

05-Nov-16 13-Nov-16

$1,000,000 €25,000

3+ 3+

T T

1300 1300

Ascot Redcar Chantilly Tipperary Cologne Saint-Cloud Newmarket Newmarket Dundalk Newmarket Maisons-Laffitte Newbury Newbury Leopardstown Milan Leopardstown Saint-Cloud Hannover Maisons-Laffitte Santa Anita Fontainebleau Chantilly Siracusa

October St (E.B.F.) (totepool Stallions) Guisborough St (E.B.F.) (totescoop6) Prix de la Foret (Qatar) Concorde (Coolmore Stud Home of Champions) Kolner Herbst Preis Thomas Bryon Challenge (Dubai) Oh So Sharp St (Vision) Star Appeal EBF St Dewhurst (Dubai) Saint-Cyr Horris Hill St (Worthington's Whizz Kids) Radley St Killavullan St Premio Chiusura Knockaire St Criterium International Youngster Cup Miesque BC Filly & Mare Sprint Ceres Herod Criterium del Immacolata

ITY ITY FR FR

Rome Pisa Deauville Deauville

Criterium Femminile Criterium di Pisa Luthier Miss Satamixa

Mile

F & M Sprint

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

01-Oct-16 01-Oct-16 02-Oct-16 02-Oct-16 03-Oct-16 05-Oct-16 07-Oct-16 07-Oct-16 07-Oct-16 08-Oct-16 14-Oct-16 22-Oct-16 22-Oct-16 23-Oct-16 29-Oct-16 29-Oct-16 30-Oct-16 30-Oct-16 01-Nov-16 05-Nov-16 17-Nov-16 22-Nov-16 08-Dec-16

94

TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 55

L L L L

06-Nov-16 11-Dec-16 17-Dec-16 28-Dec-16

26-Sep-16 26-Sep-16 03-Oct-16 03-Oct-16 04-Oct-16 28-Sep-16 02-Aug-16 20-Sep-16 17-Oct-16 22-Oct-16 12-Oct-16 20-Sep-16 31-Oct-16 13-Oct-16 07-Nov-16

6½f 6½f

31-Oct-16

7f (1400m) £40,000 £40,000 ˆ 300,000 ˆ 67,500 ˆ 25,000 ˆ 80,000 £150,000 £80000 ˆ 55,000 £500,000 €55,000 £40,000 £30,000 €60,000 ˆ 70,400 ˆ 45,000 ˆ 250,000 €25,000 €80,000 $1,000,000 €55,000 €55,000 ˆ 41,800

3+ F 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2 3+ 2F 2 2 C&F 3 F 2 C&G 2F 2 2+ 3+ 2 CF 2 + F 2 F 3+ F&M 3 F 2 2

T T T T T T T T AWT T T T T T T T T T T D T T T

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

2 F 2 3+ 3+

T T AWT

1500 1500 1500 1500

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore

17-Oct-16

6½f (1300m)

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

27-Sep-16

6f (1200m)

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

Closing 26-Sep-16 24-Aug-16 01-Oct-16

5½f (1100m)

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

Furlongs 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f

€41,800 €41,800 €52,000 €52,000

7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f 7f

26-Sep-16 26-Sep-16 24-Aug-16 24-Aug-16 20-Sep-16 21-Sep-16 06-Sep-16 01-Oct-16 03-Oct-16 09-Aug-15 17-Oct-16 17-Oct-16 17-Oct-16 06-Oct-16 25-Oct-16 12-Oct-16 18-Oct-16 12-Oct-16

7½f (1500m) 7½f 7½f 7½f 7½f

FR

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 Country GB FR FR FR GB GB USA USA ITY IRE SPN FR FR GB IRE ITY GER GER ITY IRE GB FR FR GB GER ITY GB FR AUS GB GB FR GER USA IRE USA USA FR FR GB FR

Track Newmarket Chantilly Chantilly Longchamp Newmarket Newmarket Keeneland Keeneland Milan Curragh Madrid Bordeaux Chantilly Ascot Cork Milan Cologne Cologne Milan Naas Pontefract Deauville Deauville Doncaster Baden-Baden Rome Lingfield Park Nantes Flemington Newmarket Newmarket Saint-Cloud Hannover Santa Anita Dundalk Santa Anita Santa Anita Saint-Cloud Toulouse Kempton Park Saint-Cloud

Race Name & (Sponsor) Sun Chariot St (Kingdom of Bahrain) Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Qatar) Prix Marcel Boussac (Total) Jean-Luc Lagardere (Grand Criterium) (Qatar) Fillies' Mile (Dubai) Autumn St (Vision) First Lady S Shadwell Turf Mile Premio Dormello Silken Glider St Gran Premio de la Hispanidad Grand Criterium de Bordeaux Ranelagh Queen Elizabeth II St (Qipco) Navigation St Gran Criterium Winterfavoriten Winterfavoriten Premio del Piazzale Garnet EBF St Silver Tankard St (EBF) Reservoirs Isonomy Trophy (Racing Post) Winterkonigin Premio Ribot Memorial Loreto Luciani Fleur de Lys St (EBF) Sablonnets Longines Mile Ben Marshall St Montrose St (EBF) (Stallions) Perth Neue Bult Pokal BC Dirt Mile Cooley EBF St BC Juvenile Fillies Turf Championship BC Mile Isola-Bella - F.E.E Criterium du Languedoc Hyde St (EBF) (Stallions) Tantieme

GER USA USA USA USA GER

Dusseldorf Keeneland Keeneland Santa Anita Santa Anita Krefeld

Landeshauptstadt Dusseldorf Darley Alcibiades S Claiborne Breeders' Futurity BC Juvenile BC Juvenile Fillies Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen

Breeders’ Cup Juv F Turf Juv Turf

Mile

Juv F Turf MIle

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

Race Date Value 01-Oct-16 £250,000 01-Oct-16 ˆ 200,000 02-Oct-16 €300,000 02-Oct-16 €350,000 07-Oct-16 £500,000 08-Oct-16 £80000 08-Oct-16 $400,000 08-Oct-16 $1,000,000 09-Oct-16 ˆ 121,000 09-Oct-16 ˆ 47,500 09-Oct-16 ˆ 61,200 11-Oct-16 ˆ 55,000 12-Oct-16 ˆ 52,000 15-Oct-16 £1,100,000 15-Oct-16 €45,000 16-Oct-16 ˆ 275,000 16-Oct-16 €155,000 16-Oct-16

16-Oct-16 ˆ 64,900 16-Oct-16 ˆ 57,500 17-Oct-16 £35,000 19-Oct-16 €80,000 20-Oct-16 €55,000 22-Oct-16 £200,000 23-Oct-16 ˆ 105,000 23-Oct-16 ˆ 80,300 27-Oct-16 £40,000 29-Oct-16 ˆ 55,000 29-Oct-16 AUS$1,005,000 29-Oct-16 £37,000 29-Oct-16 £30,000 30-Oct-16 ˆ 80,000 30-Oct-16 €25,000 04-Nov-16 $1,000,000 04-Nov-16 €55,000 05-Nov-16 $1,000,000 05-Nov-16 $2,000,000 08-Nov-16 €52,000 11-Nov-16 €55,000 16-Nov-16 £40,000 18-Nov-16 €52,000

1m (1600m) Age 3+ F 3+ 2 F 2 CF 2F 2 3+ F&M 3+ 2F 2F 3+ 2 3+ 3+ 3+ 2 C&F 2 2 3+ 3+ F 2 2 F 2 2 C&F 2F 3+ 3+ F 2 3+ 2F 3+ 3 + 3+ 3+ F 2 F 3+ 3+ F 2 3+ 3+

Surface T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T

T T T T T T T T AWT T T T T T T D AWT T T T T AWT T

Metres 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

3+ 2 F 2 2 C&G 2 F 2

T AWT AWT D D T

1700 1700 1700 1700 1700 1700

Visit www.trainermagazine.com

Juv F Juv Juv Juv Fillies

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

02-Oct-16 07-Oct-16 08-Oct-16 05-Nov-16 05-Nov-16 06-Nov-16

Maisons-Laffitte Chantilly Newmarket Keeneland Keeneland Chantilly Milan Leopardstown Santa Anita Rome Marseille Borely Churchill Downs Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park

Prix Le Fabuleux

Conde Darley St Juddmonte Spinster Distaff Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S (by invitation only) Casimir Delamarre - F.E.E Campobello Eyrefield St

BC Distaff Championship

Premio Guido Berardelli

Delahante

Clark H'cap

Pegasus World Cup Gulfstream Park Turf H Florida Derby

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

07-Oct-16 08-Oct-16 08-Oct-16 09-Oct-16 15-Oct-16 16-Oct-16 22-Oct-16 29-Oct-16 04-Nov-16 06-Nov-16 13-Nov-16 25-Nov-16 28-Jan-17 11-Feb-17 01-Apr-17

Deauville Deauville

Petite Etoile Lyphard

FR FR ITY GER FR FR GB GB ITY IRE GB CAN AUS ITY GER

Chantilly Chantilly Rome Hoppegarten Maisons-Laffitte Saint-Cloud Newmarket Newmarket Milan Dundalk Ascot Woodbine Moonee Valley Rome Baden-Baden

Prix Dollar (Qatar) Prix de l'Opera (Longines) Archidamia Deutschen Einheit (Pferdewetten.de) Charles Laffitte Dahlia - F.E.E Pride (Dubai) Zetland (Dubai) Premio Verziere - Memorial Aldo Cirla Carlingford St Champion (Qipco) E P Taylor S Cox Plate Premio Lydia Tesio Baden-Wurttemberg-Trophy - Defi du Galop

L L

29-Nov-16 30-Nov-16

€55,000 ˆ 80,000 £80000 $500,000 $500,000 ˆ 55,000 ˆ 41,800 €45,000 $2,000,000 €77,000 €55,000 $500,000 $12,000,000 $350,000 $1,000,000

3 2 3+ 3+ F&M 3 F 3F 2 2 3+ FM 2 2 3+ 3+ 4+ 3

T T T AWT T T T T D T T D D T D

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

F&M Turf

06-Sep-16 CLOSED 06-Oct-16 21-Oct-16 17-Oct-16 24-Oct-16 24-Oct-16 12-Oct-16 18-Oct-16

10-Nov-16

€55,000 €52,000

01-Oct-16 ˆ 200,000 02-Oct-16 ˆ 400,000 02-Oct-16 ˆ 41,800 03-Oct-16 ˆ 75,000 03-Oct-16 €55,000 05-Oct-16 ˆ 48,000 07-Oct-16 £50,000 08-Oct-16 £50,000 09-Oct-16 ˆ 77,000 14-Oct-16 ˆ 45,000 15-Oct-16 £1,300,000 16-Oct-16 CAN500,000 22-Oct-16 AUS$3,050,000 23-Oct-16 ˆ 275,000 23-Oct-16 €55,000

1m ½f 1m ½f 1m ½f 1m ½f 1m ½f 1m ½f

09-Aug-16 21-Sep-16 21-Sep-16 16-Aug-16

1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f 1m 1f

21-Sep-16 03-Oct-16 21-Sep-16

25-Oct-16 13-Oct-16 12-Nov-16 INV 29-Jan-17 19-Mar-17

1m 1½ (1900m) 3 F 3+

AWT AWT

1900 1900

3+ 3+ F 3+ F 3+ 3 F 4+ F 3+ F 2 3+ F 3+ 3+ 3+ F&M

T T T T T T T T T AWT T T T T T

2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000

Visit www.trainermagazine.com Gp 2 Gp 1 L Gp 3 L L L L Gp 3 L Gp 1 Gr 1 Gr 1 Gp 1 Gp 3

02-Aug-16 11-Oct-16 22-Sep-16 CLOSED 14-Dec-16 22-Sep-16 11-Oct-16 11-Oct-16 28-Sep-16

1m 1f (1800m)

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

Closing 02-Aug-16 24-Aug-16 24-Aug-16 24-Aug-16 09-Aug-16 03-Oct-16 21-Sep-16 21-Sep-16 15-Sep-16 04-Oct-16

1m ½f (1700m) €55,000 $400,000 $500,000 $2,000,000 $2,000,000 €55,000

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

Furlongs 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m 1m

1m 1½f 1m 1½f

1m 2f (2000m)

3+ F 3+

1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f

24-Aug-16 24-Aug-16 02-Aug-16 01-Oct-16 03-Oct-16 15-Sep-16 10-Oct-16 02-Aug-16 28-Sep-16 02-Aug-16 06-Oct-16 30-Aug-16

ISSUE 55 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

95

STAKES SCHEDULES Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore Country IRE ITY GB FR AUS USA USA GB ITY GER FR GB FR ITY GB

Track Leopardstown Rome Newmarket Saint-Cloud Flemington Santa Anita Santa Anita Doncaster Rome Krefeld Saint-Cloud Lingfield Park Marseille Borely Rome Lingfield Park

Race Name & (Sponsor) Trigo St Conte Felice Scheibler James Seymour (#ghostshipselfie) Criterium de Saint-Cloud Emirates (ex Mackinnon) Stakes BC Classic BC Filly & Mare Turf Gillies St (EBF) Premio Roma - GBI Racing Niederrhein Pokal Solitude Churchill St (coral.co.uk) Grand Prix de Marseille Buontalenta - M. Giuseppe Valiani Quebec St (Coral)

Breeders’ Cup

F&M Turf

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

Race Date Value 23-Oct-16 ˆ 45,000 23-Oct-16 ˆ 41,800 29-Oct-16 £37,000 30-Oct-16 ˆ 250,000 05-Nov-16 AUS$2,000,000 05-Nov-16 $5,000,000 05-Nov-16 $2,000,000 05-Nov-16 £40,000 06-Nov-16 €275,000 06-Nov-16 €55,000 08-Nov-16 €55,000 12-Nov-16 £45,000 13-Nov-16 €60,000 13-Nov-16 €41,800 17-Dec-16 £40,000

1m 2f (2000m) Age 3+ 3 3+ 2 CF

3+ 3+ F&M 3+ F 3+ 3 + 3 F 3+ 3+ 3+ F 3+

Surface T T T T T D T T T T T AWT T T AWT

Metres 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000

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

Strasbourg Bro Park Saint-Cloud Croise-Laroche

Grand Prix de la Region d'Alsace Stockholm Fillies And Mares St Flore Grand Prix du Nord

GER ITY GER SWE GER ITY

Hannover Rome Hannover Bro Park Dresden Naples

Neue Bult Stuten-Steher-Cup Villa Borghese Memorial F. Cadoni Herbst Stutenpreis Songline Classic Grosser Dresdner Herbstpreis Unire

GB FR FR SWE IRE GB AUS ITY FR CAN IRE GB SPN FR ITY GER GB USA FR GB FR NOR

Ascot Chantilly Toulouse Jagersro Curragh Ascot Caulfield Milan Chantilly Woodbine Naas Newbury Zarzuela Nantes Milan Munich Kempton Park Santa Anita Lyon-Parilly Kempton Park Toulouse Ovrevoll

Cumberland Lodge St (Gigaset) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Qatar) Panacee - F.E.E Skanska Faltrittklubbens Jubileumslopning Brown Panther QIPCO British Champions Series Fillies & Mares BMW Caulfield Cup Gran Premio del Jockey Club Conseil de Paris Pattison Canadian International Bluebell E.B.F. St Simon St (Worthington's Victoria Club) Gran Premio Memorial Duque de Toledo Grand Prix de la Ville de Nantes Giovanni Falck Grosser Pries Von Bayern Floodlit St (32Red) BC Turf Grand Camp Wild Flower St (32Red.com) Max Sicard Scandic Norwegian Derby

L L Gp 3 L

02-Oct-16 16-Oct-16 23-Oct-16 10-Nov-16

L L Gp 3 L L L

02-Oct-16 02-Oct-16 30-Oct-16 30-Oct-16 16-Nov-16 18-Dec-16

€60,000 SEK 500,000 €80,000 €55,000

3+ 3+F 3+ F 3

T T T T

2100 2100 2100 2100

€25,000 ˆ 41,800 €55,000 SEK 400,000 €25,000 ˆ 41,800

3+F 3+ 3+ F 3+ 3+ 3+

T T T D T T

2200 2200 2200 2200 2200 2200

Turf

3+ 3+ CF 3+ F 3+ 3+ 3+F

3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ F 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ F 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3 CG + F

T T T D T T T T T T T T T T T T AWT T T AWT T T

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

01-Oct-16 £60,000 02-Oct-16 ˆ 5,000,000 05-Oct-16 ˆ 52,000 06-Oct-16 SEK 600,000 09-Oct-16 ˆ 45,000 15-Oct-16 £550,000 15-Oct-16 AUS$3,150,000 16-Oct-16 ˆ 275,000 16-Oct-16 ˆ 130,000 16-Oct-16 CAN1,000,000 16-Oct-16 ˆ 57,500 22-Oct-16 £60,000 23-Oct-16 €68,000 29-Oct-16 ˆ 60,000 29-Oct-16 €41,800 01-Nov-16 €155,000 02-Nov-16 £40,000 05-Nov-16 $3,000,000 19-Nov-16 €52,000 23-Nov-16 £40,000 11-Dec-16 ˆ 60,000 27-Aug-17 NOK 1,200,000

Chantilly Deauville Saint Cloud

Prix Royallieu (Qatar) Vulcain Belle de Nuit - F.E.E

GB

Lingfield Park

River Eden St (EBF)

Gp 2 L L

01-Oct-16 18-Oct-16 18-Nov-16

L

27-Oct-16

€250,000 €55,000 €52,000

3+ F 3 3+ F

T T T

2500 2500 2500

£40,000

3+ F

AWT

2600

Saint-Cloud Bath Milan Rome

Scaramouche Beckford (E.B.F.) St Leger Italiano Roma Vecchia

L L Gp 3 L

05-Oct-16 12-Oct-16 22-Oct-16 13-Nov-16

Chantilly

Prix Chaudenay (Qatar)

Gp 2

01-Oct-16

ˆ 52,000 £ 40,000 ˆ 64,900 €41,800

3+ 3+ F 3+ 3+

T T T T

2800 2800 2800 2800

ˆ 200,000

3

T

3000

Saint-Cloud Saint-Cloud

Prix Royal-Oak Denisy

AUS GB

Flemington Ascot

Emirates Melbourne Cup British Champions Long Distance Cup (Qipco)

Gp 1 L

23-Oct-16 12-Nov-16

Gr 1 Gp 2

Cologne

Silbernes Band

L

€350,000 €52,000

01-Nov-16 AUS$6,200,000 15-Oct-16 £300,000 16-Oct-16

3+ 3+

T T

3100 3100

3+

T T

3200 3200

Chantilly

96

Prix du Cadran (Qatar)

TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 55

Gp 1

02-Oct-16

20-Sep-16 06-Sep-16 26-Sep-16 08-Nov-16

26-Sep-16 11-May-16 05-Sep-16 04-Oct-16 02-Aug-16 02-Aug-16 22-Sep-16 28-Sep-16 28-Sep-16 16-Oct-16 17-Oct-16

09-Aug-16 27-Oct-16 17-Nov-16 CLOSED

1m 4½f 1m 4½f 1m 4½f

24-Aug-16

1m 5f

21-Oct-16

1m 6f 1m 6f 1m 6f 1m 6f

06-Oct-16 29-Sep-16

24-Aug-16

ˆ 25,000

1m 7½f 1m 7½f

05-Oct-16

2mf (3200m) 2m 2m

30-Aug-16 02-Aug-16

2m 3f (3800m) 3+

T

Visit www.trainermagazine.com FR

1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f 1m 4f

1m 7f

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

1m 3f 1m 3f 1m 3f 1m 3f 1m 3f 1m 3f

1m 7½f 3100m)

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore

19-Sep-16 05-Oct-16

1m 7f (3000m)

Visit www.trainermagazine.com FR FR

1m 2½f 1m 2½f 1m 2½f 1m 2½f

1m 6f (2800m)

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

12-Dec-16

1m 5f (2600m)

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

07-Nov-16

1m 4½f (2500m)

Visit www.trainermagazine.com

31-Oct-16 13-Oct-16 13-Sep-16

1m 4f (2400m)

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

24-Oct-16 12-Oct-15 20-Sep-16

1m 3f (2200m)

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

Closing 18-Oct-16

1m 2½f (2100m)

Visit www.trainermagazine.com

Furlongs 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f 1m 2f

3800

2m 3f

04-Oct-16

2m 4½f (4100m) €300,000

4+

T

4100

2m 4½f

24-Aug-16