European Trainer - October - December 2021 - issue 75

ISSUE 75 – October-December 2021 £6.95 www.trainermagazine.com

THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FOR THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE THOROUGHBRED

TAKE A

CHANCE

ON ME! EUROPEAN SALES INCENTIVES

Adding value to yearling sales this autumn

EUROPEAN TRAINERS’ FEDERATIO 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 HOW JESSICA LONG CONTINUES TO Chairmanship: ADD TO HER FAMILY’S RACING LEGACY Guy Heymans (Belgium) Tel: +32 (0) 495 389 140 Email: heymans1@telenet.be

Vice Chairmanship:

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

STABLE STANDARDS

Are racecourses forgetting the horse?

AUSTRIA

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

CZECH REPUBLIC

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

GREECE

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

Vice Chairmanship:

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

Treasureship:

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

CORE CONDITIONING HUNGARY

Mr. Botond Kovács Email: botond.kovacs@kincsempark.hu

UNITED KINGDOM

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

How to build a stronger racehorse ITALY

Agostino Affe Email: affegaloppo@gmail.com

NETHERLANDS

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

RUSSIA

Olga Polushkina Email: p120186@yandex.ru

SLOVAKIA

Jaroslav Brecka Email: jaroslav.brecka@gmail.com

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| OPINION |

GILES ANDERSON PUBLISHER’S OPINION

With the annual yearling sales season in full swing, we thought this issue would be a good one to look at the different incentives on offer from European sales houses.

Buyers have more incentives than ever to choose from.

Everything from bumper purses for races restricted to sale progeny to extra payouts for winning races for horses purchased in particular books at the sales, and then payouts based on the horse’s suffix.

But what’s the best way to feed the horses you’ve just purchased at the sales? In this issue, our nutritional writer, Cath Dunnett, gives us some practical advice on ways to feed youngstock as they begin their journey towards racing as two-year-olds in 2022 and beyond.

As a trainer, have you considered introducing “Dynamic Mobilisation Exercises” into your training regime?

Kimberly Schaffer-Marrs, a renowned physical therapy technician, outlines different techniques to build up core conditioning on horses of all ages.

After this year’s yearling purchases and getting ready to race them next year, many trainers may be scratching their heads wondering if the two-year-old racing programme is actually working. To shed some light here, Lissa Oliver talks to a number of trainers across Europe about the opportunities for two-year-olds in different countries.

One theme that seems to be common ground from country to country is the lack of opportunity for more sprint-bred horses in the latter part of the season. Gina Rarick, the Chantilly-based trainer, tells us: “The biggest problem for two-year-olds is if they can’t run over 7f (1400m)

by September, then basically they’re screwed. There is almost nothing for them at 5f (1000m)—maybe a few 6f (1200m) races for horses that have not run before. It’s really hard to find a race for them over a shorter distance”.

This is a view shared by Gavin Hernon who explains “there are races there for the sprinter, but from 1 September to the end of November, there are only two conditions races on a straight track and only five races under 1400m (7f ). I think there will be more focus put on those opportunities in the future—it’s part of the France Galop plan. The programme is good for the mile to 2400m (12f ) two-year-old, but people don’t buy those horses.

Even in August, we’re already having 1800m (9f ) maidens, and in September we have 2000m (10f ) races.”

In this issue we also look at the standards of many racecourse stables across Europe and ask if some courses are forgetting the horse.

As always, we welcome feedback from trainers and ideas for future articles and subjects worthy of discussion. Feel free to email your ideas to info@trainermagazine.com.

Wherever your racing takes you this autumn - good luck!

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BEDMAX Euro Trainer Half Page Ad (Sept 2021).indd 2 20/09/2021 14:46 ISSUE 75 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

| CONTENTS |

R EGUL A R S

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04 Contributors 06 ETF Members

28 4 ISSUE

Visit trainermagazine.com to download our current digital editions and access back issues of both European and North American Trainer.

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CONTENTS FE A TURES 08

38

Henk Grew has enjoyd another f a n t s i c s u m e r w i t h a b i g ra c e victor y in the 2021 Deutsche De.rby

Rhiano Morgan & Celia Mar repo t on the 2021 Gerald Leigh Memorial Lectures, whic loked at treaing or th paedic problems in young horse .

Henk Grew - TopSpec Trainer of the Quarte

10

Take a chane on me!

4

Amie Karlson mets Jesica Long, o n e o f t h e m o s t p r o m i n e t t ra i n e s — and bred s—in Scandiv .

20

the ameogrp working?

28

ring ot the aceours

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TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 75

cisexr

Kimberly Schaer-Mars outlines di er nt techniqu s to build up core c o n d i t g o n h o r s e o f a l a ge s .

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Stable standr

A new way ot trea

74

Looking after our jockeys

78

Product Focus

equin wobler omesyndr

Cath Dunet loks at the diernt n u t r i o a l n e d s w h e n t ra n s i o g a horse from the sale ring to the ra c e o u s .

Dynamic mobilsatn

Two-year-old acesr - is

52 Nutrion - omfr the sale

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Are raceous forgetin the hors?e Lisa Oliver talks to traines about t h e c o n d i t s o f ra c e o u s s t a b l e acros Europe.

Lisa Oliver talks to ainerst acros Europe about the progamin of tw o - y e a r - o l d r a c e s .

Sales incetvs Nancy Sexton discover the diernt incetvs on oer acros Europe for purchasing yearlings this aut mn.

Gearld Leigh Memorial

Lectures

Equine wobler syndrome is the most com n cause of neurol gica disea in h o r s e a n d a e c t s m a ny b r e d s . A r e c n t tolip yduts a Coodarl Steta Unytisrev du a ne w techniqu with adv nce surgical implants as an altern iv to c ur ent techniqu s for cer vi al fusion in horse .

Dr Paul Khan pose a seri of question to Denis Egan about the globa Internaiol Conferc for the Health, Safety and Welfare of Jockeys.

We discover thre new products f o r t ra i n e s .

@ t ra i n e r _ m a g

/ t ra i n e r m a g a z i n e

/ t ra i n e r m a g a z i n e

Y O U

C A N ’ T

W I N

I F

Y O U ’ R E

N O V

5

&

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N O T

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D E L

M A R

B R E E D E R S ’ C U P WO R L D C H A M P I O N S H I P S

14 Championship Races • $31 Million in Purses and Awards

It’s time to take your place on the world stage, pre-entry for the 2021 Breeders’ Cup World Championships opens online 1 October and closes at Noon (PDT), on Monday, 25 October.

All Breeders’ Cup World Championships races are non-invitational and are open to all thoroughbreds competing around the globe.

Purses and awards total $31 million and each race pays through the 10th finish position!

Each Breeders’ Cup World Championships starter receives a travel award up to $40,000 for international horses shipping into California and exclusive world-class treatment on racing’s biggest stage, including the best seats, hotel accommodations, executive car service, and invitations to exclusive events.

For your copy of the Horsemen’s Information Guide, visit members.breederscup.com or contact the Breeders’ Cup Racing Department.

M E M B E R S . B R E E D E R S C U P. C O M R A C I N G @ B R E E D E R S C U P. C O M • + 1 8 5 9 • 5 1 4 • 9 4 2 2

SCAN TO PRE-ENTER

CONTRIBUTORS Editoral Directo/Publisher Giles Anderson Sub-Editor Jana Caa v lier Adervt Productin iM randa Filmer

Dr Catherine Dunnett BSc, PhD, R. Nutr. is an independent nutritionist registered with the British Nutrition Society. She has a background in equine research, in the field of nutrition and exercise physiology, with many years spent at The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket. Prior to setting up her own consultancy business, she worked in the equine feed industry on product development and technical marketing.

Jeremiah Easley is a diplomate of the College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). He graduated from the VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and then went on to complete an internship at the Equine Medical Center of Ocala and residency at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine. He is currently an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Colorado State University where he directs the Preclinical Surgical Research Laboratory, which specialises in translational research and medical device development and testing.

Cirction/W ula ebsit iM randa Filmer Adervtisng Sales Giles Anderson Coerv Phaphotgr Johanna rF iberg

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 queries please contact: Anderson & Co. Publishing Tel: +44 (0) 1380 816777 Fax: +44 (0) 1380 816778 email: info@trainermagazine.com www.trainermagazine.com Issue 75

Amie Karlsson lives in Stockholm, Sweden and is passionate about the Scandinavian racing industry.

She completed the Godolphin Flying Start programme before joining Svensk Galopp, the horseracing authority in Sweden, as the communications manager in 2018. Whenever time permits, she also works as a freelance journalist and photographer. She has previously worked as an exercise rider in England and France and completed the British Horseracing Authority Graduate Development Programme as well as the National Stud Diploma Course.

Paull Khan, PhD. is an international horseracing consultant. He is secretary-general of the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation and technical advisor for Europe to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. His other clients include the British Horseracing Board. Previously, Dr Khan held many senior roles at Weatherbys, including banking director and racing director.

Professor Celia Marr is an RCVS recognised specialist in Equine Internal Medicine based at Rossdales Equine Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Newmarket. She has previously worked at Cambridge University, the Royal Veterinary College, the University of Pennsylvania, and in racehorse practice in Lambourn. Celia is a trustee of Beaufort Educational Trust.

Yvette Nout-Lomas is a diplomate of both the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC). She holds a PhD in neuroscience from the College of Medicine at The Ohio State University. A graduate of Utrecht University, she completed her specialty training at the Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Virginia and at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She completed post-doctoral research at University of California, San Francisco studying spinal cord injury and is now an associate professor with the Equine Medicine Service at Colorado State University.

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.

Lynn Pezzanite is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) and has a PhD in clinical sciences. A graduate of Cornell University, Lynn completed an internship with Littleton Equine Medical Center in Littleton, Colorado, followed by a surgical residency at Colorado State University. Following completion of her PhD with a focus in regenerative therapies and immunology, she is now an assistant professor with the Equine Emergency Surgery and Critical Care Services at Colorado State University.

Kimberly Schaffer-Marrs is a racehorse trainer and physical therapy technician located in Southern California. She employs several different modalities and hands-on work to keep her clients and her own horse in optimum condition. She enjoys spending time learning and finding new ways to help keep racehorses sound and reducing the risk of repetitive strain injury. She wants to share what she has learned with others so that they may help their horse too.

Howard B. Seim, III graduated from Washington State University, completed an internship in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada, and a surgical residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. He obtained diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1983. He is currently on the surgical staff at Colorado State University and a member of the Preclinical Surgical Research Laboratory.

Nancy Sexton is based in Newmarket and contributes to a variety of publications worldwide, including The Owner Breeder, and is a regular at sales across Europe and North America in her role as European representative of Schumer Bloodstock. She enjoys maintaining a small broodmare band in Kentucky.

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TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 75

EUROPEAN TRAINERS’ TRAINERS’ FEDERATION FEDERATION EUROPEAN AIMS AIMS and and OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES of of the the ETF: ETF:

a) Toa)represent thethe interests trainers’associations associations in Europe.

To represent interestsofofall allmember member trainers’ in Europe. b) Tob)liaise with political and administrative bodies on behalf of European trainers.

To liaise with political and administrative bodies on behalf of European trainers. c) Toc)exchange information betweenmembers for the thebenefit benefit European trainers.

To exchange information between members for of of European trainers. d) To provide a network of contacts to assist eachmember member to policy andand services to member trainers. d) To provide a network of contacts to assist each to develop developitsits policy services to member trainers.

ETF ETF REPRESENTATIVES REPRESENTATIVES CHAIRMANSHIP: Guy Heymans (Belgium) Chairmanship: Guy Heymans tel: +32 (0) 495389140 email:(Belgium) heymans1@telenet.be

VICE CHAIRMANSHIP: Rupert Arnold (United Kingdom) Vice Chairmanship:

Nicolas Clément (France) tel: +44 (0) 148871719 Tel: +33 (0)3 44 57 25 39 fax: +44 (0) 148873005 Fax: +33 (0)3 44 57 58 85 email: r.arnold@racehorsetrainers.org Email: entraineurs.de.galop@wanadoo.fr

AUSTRIA

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

VICE CHAIRMANSHIP:

TREASURERSHIP:

Christian von der Recke (Germany) Vice Chairmanship:

Michael Grassick (Ireland) Treasureship:

Christian von(02254) der Recke (Germany) tel: +49 845314 Tel: +49 (022 54) 84 53 14 fax: +49 (02254) 845315 Fax: +49 (022 54) 84 53 15 email: recke@t-online.de Email: recke@t-online.de

FULL MEMBERS HUNGARY

Mr. Botond Kovács Email: botond.kovacs@kincsempark.hu

Joseph Vana

ITALY Ottavio Di Paolo

tel: +42 (0) 602429629 email: horova@velka-chuchle.cz

tel: +39 328 355 95 81 email: ottaviodipaolo@gmail.com

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

Agostino Affe Email: affegaloppo@gmail.com

CZECH REPUBLIC

Nicolas Clément tel: +33 (0) 344572539 fax: +33 (0) 44575885 Aggeliki Amitsis email: contact@aedg.fr

GREECE

ITALY

Rupert Arnold Tel: +44 (0) 1488 71719 Fax:SLOVAKIA +44 (0) 1488 73005 Email: r.arnold@racehorsetrainers.org Jaroslav Brecka email: jaroslav.brecka@gmail.com

RUSSIA

Olga Polushkina Email: p120186@yandex.ru

mobile: +31 (0) 620402830 email: renstalvankempen@hotmail.com

email: caroline@stallmalmborg.se

NETHERLANDS

GERMANY GERMANY

NORWAY NORWAY

TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 75

UNITED KINGDOM

SWEDEN Caroline Malmborg

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

Tel:tel: +49 (0)(0)2151 594911 +49 2151594911 Fax: 590542 fax:+49 +49(0) (0)2151 2151590542 Email: trainer-und-jockeys@netcologne.de email: trainer-und-jockeys@netcologne.de

Michael Grassick (Ireland) tel: +353 (0) 45522981 Tel: +353 (0)45 522 981 mobile: +353 (0) 872588770 Mobile: +353 (0)87 258 87 70 fax: +353 (0) 45522982 Fax: +353 (0)45 522 982 email: office@irta.ie Email: office@irta.ie

NETHERLANDS Geert van Kempen Geert van Kempen Mobile: +31 (0)6 204 02 830 Email: renstalvankempen@hotmail.com

Erika Mäder Erika Mäder

06

Tel: +32 (0) 495 389 140 Email: heymans1@telenet.be

Are AreHyldmo Hyldmo

Mobile: 984 16 712 mobile:+47 +4798416712 Email: arehyldmo@hotmail.com email: arehyldmo@hotmail.com

www.trainersfederation.eu

SLOVAKIA

Jaroslav Brecka Email: jaroslav.brecka@gmail.com

SWEDEN

Caroline Malmborg Email: caroline@stallmalmborg.se

TRAINERSFEDERATION.EU

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Feed Balancers and Quality Horse Feeds

TOPSPEC TRAINER OF THE QUARTER

HENK GREWE The TopSpec Trainer of the Quarte awrd has ben won by Henk Grew.

Grew wil reciv £1,000 worth of TopSpec fed, suplemnt and aditves as wel as a consultai with one of their senior nutrios.

Lissa Oliver he choice for Trainer of the Quarter was no easy one, with many notable successes, but it is Henk Grewe who takes the honours.

Scooping both the colts’ and fillies’ BBAG auction races for two-year-olds in September, as well as adding his name to the roll of honour for the Deutsches Derby in July with Sisfahan, Grewe most recently won the Gr. 3 Premio Elena E Sergio Cumani in Rome with Flamingo Girl.

Mister Applebee was an impressive runaway winner of the BBAG auction race at Düsseldorf, and Atomic Blonde fought bravely for her win in the BBAG Johanna and Hugo Memorial; both

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TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 75

Frank Sorge

appear to have a bright future. “Mister Applebee looked very good and is now going to the Ferdinand Leisten Memorial,” Grewe says, hoping to replicate the success of his Horse of the Year, Rubaiyat.

Grewe has 100 boxes at his base in Weidenpescher Park in Cologne. His first notable success came in 2015 with the Austrian Derby, but in the short time since, he has built up a team that has seen him crowned Champion Trainer in 2019 and 2020.

“It has been a good season, especially because of the Deutsches Derby, even though we haven’t had as many winners as last year,” Grewe says. “Winning the

ABOVE: Sisfahan with jockey Andrasch Starke, racing manager Holger Faust and trainer Henk Grewe (2nd left) after winning the 152nd German Derby at Hamburg-Horn racecourse, July 2021.

Derby was really special for me because I was under so much pressure. Everyone was expecting me to win it for the last three years and now that I have won it, that pressure is gone; it makes everything easier.”

Sisfahan made it look very easy indeed in Hamburg and was having his first start at Group level. “It’s nice that Andrasch was on the horse, my parents are here, my brother is here with my niece, who is having a birthday today. He’s a great

®

horse and it’s just a dream today,” Grewe said on the day. With Sisfahan’s win, Grewe not only enjoyed the greatest success of his career so far but also topped the meeting as leading trainer.

It hasn’t been all joy for Grewe during this time, and he recently lost the promising Preis der Diana runner-up Isfahani—a Gr. 3 winner at two. “It’s incredibly sad; when I got the message from the clinic, I was absolutely shocked.

Unfortunately, she never had the chance to show her true colours, and I am still convinced that she was the best horse that I have ever trained,” he says of the tragic filly.

“We have a lot of late horses who we hope will be very good for next year,” he says, looking ahead. “COVID has made everything much more difficult. There has been a lot more paperwork and travelling has been much harder, but my team have really handled it well. For me, our team is the most important thing; they work so hard and without them, none of this would be possible.”

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WINNING THE DERBY WAS REALLY SPECIAL FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS UNDER SO MUCH PRESSURE. EVERYONE WAS EXPECTING ME TO WIN IT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND NOW THAT I HAVE WON IT, THAT PRESSURE IS GONE; IT MAKES EVERYTHING EASIER.”

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ISSUE 75 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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PROFILE

Amie Karlsson

JESSICA LONG

Sweden’s southernmost region Skåne is the home of Jessica Long, one of the most prominent trainers—and breeders—in Scandinavia.

We met with Jessica Long to learn about her set-up in Sweden and her views on the future. We also found out about her connection to world-famous composer and musician Benny Andersson—and why Swedish horses are so rarely seen racing abroad.

R

acehorses have been part of Jessica Long’s life for as long as she can remember. She grew up on the family farm surrounded by horses, and her parents devoted their lives to the racing and breeding industry. As a keen rider, Jessica was involved in the family business from an early age, and you would assume that her career choice was an easy one. However, her mind was initially not set on becoming a racehorse trainer.

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“I actually never planned on taking over my parents’ business. Instead, I went to university in Lund and studied molecular biology. To be honest, I found it very boring, and I wanted to change direction; but I didn’t know what to do. Around the same time, one of the members of staff at the farm left, and I decided to fill the vacancy until I had made my mind up. It went well for us that year. My mum became the champion trainer in Denmark, and I got a taste for more. So, I never left,” Jessica says with a smile.

Johanna Friberg, Stefan Olsson & Elina Bjorklund / Svensk Galopp

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PROFILE

Well, it is not entirely true that she never left the farm again.

Jessica made sure to gain valuable experience abroad, and in total she has spent almost five years in Britain and Ireland.

“Initially I worked for the eventer Eric Duvander—he is now the coach of the US eventing team. I also completed the National Stud Diploma Course in Newmarket and later spent three seasons at Coolmore Stud.”

In Ireland, Jessica met Padraig Long, now her husband and the co-manager of the family business. But despite the strong Irish connection, Sweden was the obvious choice when the couple decided to settle down. “We never hesitated. Racing in Sweden was doing very well at the time. There seemed to be a bright future for the industry, and we had a nice farm at home. It was an easy choice to head back to Sweden and try to establish ourselves over here.”

In 2008, at the age of 29, Jessica took over the business from her parents and became a racehorse trainer in her own right.

With multiple years of experience between them, Jessica and Padraig decided to focus on both the racing and the breeding side of the industry, and to run a small stud farm and consignment alongside the racing yard. “It so happens that the farm works quite well for both training and breeding. It is well planned and fits well for both parts—with large fields for turn-out and a small track for exercise,” Jessica says.

The setup worked very well for quite a few years. But as the number of horses grew, the training facilities at the farm became limited, and for the last three years, the horses in training have been based at Jägersro—a 20-minute drive from the farm.

Jessica and Victoria Placa with jockey Shane Karlsson.

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| JESSICA LONG |

I’M CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE GOOD ENOUGH AND THAT WE HAVE HORSES THAT ARE GOOD ENOUGH; BUT THE PURSES ARE SURPRISINGLY LARGE IN SCANDINAVIA, AND THERE IS A BONUS SYSTEM FOR SWEDISHBRED HORSES. THAT IS A GOOD THING, OF COURSE, BUT IT ALSO MEANS THAT WE TEND TO STAY AT HOME.”

TOP RIGHT: Padraig with Monsieur Vic and jockey Oliver Wilson.

ABOVE LEFT: Jessica with I Rely and jockey Shane Karlsson.

Set on the outskirts of Malmö, Jägersro is the oldest thoroughbred racetrack in Sweden and the home of almost 250 racehorses, roughly one quarter of the total number of racehorses in Sweden. The racecourse hosts a handful of Listed events as well as the prestigious Swedish Derby —a race that has been run since 1918. The facility features an oval dirt track for racing and three gallops for training as well as a track for harness racing.

The location in the very south of Sweden is ideal for travelling abroad. Klampenborg, the racecourse in the Danish capital, is within easy reach. Jessica Long does not hesitate to venture further than that, and her fouryear-old filly Victoria Placa has made several appearances in Germany during this summer and autumn. “We are aiming for a Listed win in Germany. If everything goes her way, she is good enough to win, which would give her international breeding value.”

Despite the proximity to mainland Europe, Swedish trainers are rarely seen bringing horses to race outside of Scandinavia—with the exception of the occasional Dubai World Cup Carnival participant. “I’m confident that we are good enough and that we have horses that are good enough; but the purses are surprisingly large in Scandinavia, and there is a bonus system for Swedishbred horses. That is a good thing, of course, but it also means that we tend to stay at home.”

Swedish-bred horses racing in Sweden will receive a bonus on earned prize money in most races, varying from 40% for two-year-olds to 30% for four-year-olds.

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PROFILE LEFT: Jessica with the now retired Volatile.

“On top of that, quite often our big races coincide with suitable races internationally. You must choose if you want one or the other, and of course it is easier to stay in Sweden. It makes a lot of sense to stay at home for prize money reasons. But at the same time, I think it is part of racing to try to match your horses abroad and see how far you can go against international competition. I am very grateful that we have horse owners who let us try our wings abroad—to see how good the horses are.”

“Then, of course, you also need a good horse to venture abroad. When you only have a limited number of horses, a good one does not show up so often…”

It must be taken into consideration that most professional trainers in Sweden only have about 20 horses in training, with a few exceptions that would have upwards of 40 horses in the stable. Jessica Long currently has 24 horses in the barn at Jägersro.

However, she was lucky that a good horse showed up early in her career. That was Volatile—a homebred gelding who took Jessica, Padraig and the owners to Newmarket, Hamburg, Meydan, Maisons-Laffitte and Royal Ascot.

BELOW: Jessica and Padraig with Xit and jockey Shane Karlsson.

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| JESSICA LONG |

Volatile winning at Jägersro Racecourse, 2014.

With a Listed win in Dubai and Group placings in England and France, Volatile is one of the most successful horses to ever come out of Sweden. “Volatile meant a lot to my career as a trainer. It went incredibly fast. We found ourselves in Newmarket only a few weeks after his debut race at Jägersro. He took us on a journey that few of us could have dreamt of or ever will experience again.

Wherever Volatile raced, he would come with an entourage of owners. “He was owned by a syndicate made up of 20 shares, and many of the part owners were new to racing. It was such a great group; they really embraced the success and travelled with us to most countries where he raced. It was just a wonderful experience.

Volatile is retired now, but most of the part owners have shares in other horses.”

Among the owners in the stable, you will find those who own 5% or 10% of a horse in a syndicate as well as some of the most high-profile owners in Scandinavia. Jessica has received the backing of prominent owner-breeders such as Chess Racing, Stall Perlen, Buck Racing and Light Valley Stud.

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PROFILE

ABBA member Benny Andersson, whose horses race in the name of Chess Racing, may be best known for his British-trained horses including recent Gp. 2 winner Lavender’s Blue. However, he also has horses in training with Jessica and regularly makes the headlines in Scandinavia. Jessica recalls the story of how Benny Andersson came to be a racehorse owner. “Benny’s wife Mona was previously married to my father, and they have a son together.

When Benny was to meet the extended family for the first time, he realised that if he would have something in common with this family, he needed to buy a horse….”

He did, and it didn’t take long until Benny Andersson was bitten by the racing bug. “He thought it was fun and soon figured that he would like to be involved in breeding his own horses. It is fascinating to be part of choosing the stallion and to see the horses grow up. He has also bought some horses at the sales, but the homebreds are closer to his heart. He is committed and very active with stallion selections, but he would not have a lot of opinions about the training and how we match the horses and so

The winners’ enclosure after Benny Andersson’s Ray won the Listed Bloomers’ Vase on the opening day of Bro Park.

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on. With that said, when I have two similar options, I will always ask him what he prefers. We have known each other for so long that rarely does anything come as a surprise; we have similar goals and plans for the horses.”

With six horses in the stable, Benny plays a big part of the operation. He also contributes with a great sense of humor— evident in, for example, the names of his three 3-year-olds in training: Bill, Sam and Or Harry. Any fan of ABBA will recognise the names from the musical “Mamma Mia,” in which three of the main characters are Bill, Sam and Harry. They attend a wedding where Sophie is getting married, and she wants her biological father to walk her to the altar. The problem is that her mother is not sure which one is the father. That is how the story begins—and how Benny Andersson found the names of his 2018 generation of racehorses.

BELOW LEFT: Bill and Shane Karlsson winning at Göteborg, 2021.

BELOW: Jessica and Benny Andersson, Täby Racecourse.

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PROFILE

| JESSICA LONG |

Jessica and Padraig with Benny Andersson’s Sam and jockey Shane Karlsson after winning at Jägersro Racecourse, 2021.

WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR ME IS TO ALWAYS STRIVE TO GET BETTER AT WHAT I DO. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONSTANTLY IMPROVE, THAT WE DON’T JUST MAINTAIN WHAT WE DO BUT ALWAYS TRY TO RAISE THE STANDARD.” The three geldings (there is no risk of future paternity issues) derive from families that Benny has owned for generations and that has supplied him with multiple black-type winners. “Mondschein is essentially the foundation mare of Benny Andersson’s breeding.

She is the great grandmother of Or Harry and the grandmother of Sam, as well as Lavender’s Blue who is in training with Amanda Perrett. It is wonderful to be able to work with several generations of the same family. You get to know the families’ strengths and weaknesses, both physical and mental,” says Jessica.

About half of the horses in the racing stable are raised on Jessica and Padraig’s farm, where they have around 10 mares and a corresponding number of foals and yearlings. “Most of the horses that we raise are the ones that we eventually will train and race. On many levels, it is a huge advantage. You know exactly what they have been through, and you can be certain that they have had good feed and exercise. At the same time, when you

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mainly train for owner-breeders, you end up with the horses that were produced—and that is not necessarily the horse you would have picked out in the sale if you had been free to choose,” says Jessica in her usual honest way.

Running both a racing yard and a stud farm is not an easy task. “In general, Padraig focusses on the stud farm, and I mainly concentrate on the horses in training. But we do help each other a lot and we give each other input. We both know the horses very well, especially as we have bred so many of the horses that we train. It also works out well with the different seasons. We don’t run any horses during the winter, so while the racehorses are resting, we can focus on the breeding season.”

An ambitious and hardworking couple, Jessica and Padraig Long will certainly be part of the racing industry for many years to come.

However, with Jägersro set to close in a few years, the exact location of Jessica and Padraig Long’s future is currently uncertain. The land where the racecourse is located has been sold for development purposes; and although a new racecourse is to be built in the Skåne region, the exact location is still not definite. “In 2026, the time at Jägersro will most likely end. I’m worried that a new track won’t be finished on time and that the racing and training possibilities here in the south, at least temporarily, will become very limited.”

Relocating abroad is a possibility, should the new racecourse and training centre not be ready on time. “There are other alternatives of course, but I have not ruled out going abroad.

Padraig and I are lucky in that we have very good horse owners who already have an interest in international racing. Ireland is of course an option, considering Padraig is Irish.”

One thing can be said almost for certain: Jessica Long’s future career will have an international dimension to it. “I find it difficult to set goals. It is easy to say that you want to win this or that race, but it depends so much on what horses you have. But I would really like to have a horse good enough to race in England again.”

“But what is most important for me is to always strive to get better at what I do. I want to make sure that we constantly improve, that we don’t just maintain what we do but always try to raise the standard.”

Ebro River, trained by Hugo Palmer winning the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Group 1)

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| INDUSTRY |

SALES I NCENTIVES

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Nancy Sexton

| SALES INCENTIVES |

Alamy, Goffs, Tattersalls

T

he issue of prize money is not going to be resolved soon, with the average horse running for levels far removed from their contemporaries abroad. But that’s not to say ownership is a guaranteed black hole. British and Irish bloodstock remain highly prized commodities overseas, making it the subject of a frenzied export market. And for the domestic horse population, the opportunities are there to win extra money for those looking to work the system.

It is to the credit of the sales companies that many of these opportunities emanate from their various initiatives, whether it be in the form of sales races or bonus series.

At the higher end of the market, Tattersalls has paid out approximately £6.5 million in bonuses against Book 1 of its October Sale, while this year’s Goffs Orby Sale will be staged alongside a new million euro sales race.

For those value seekers, sales races are also attached to Books 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Sale as well as the company’s Somerville Yearling Sale. Anyone shopping at the recent Goffs UK Premier Sale also did so with the incentive of a sales race at York, which comes with its own bonus of a free horse to the winning connections.

Such incentives currently run in tandem with various bonus schemes.

The Great British Bonus Scheme (GBB), in which payments of up to £20,000 are awarded to the connections of British-bred and/or sired fillies, has paid out over £3 million since its launch in June 2020.

New for this season is the IRE Incentive Scheme, which awards a sales voucher of €10,000 to owners of Irish-bred winners from 150 selected races across the British and Irish Flat and National Hunt programmes in 2021. Winning owners then have until the end of the following year to spend their voucher on an Irish-bred at any Irish sale.

• It works across the spectrum

Every lot catalogued to Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale is eligible for the £20,000 October Book 1 bonus. Owners make a one-off payment to qualify—in 2021, £1,700 paid by March 1—and receive a £20,000 bonus should their Book 1 purchase win an eligible race run during the British and Irish turf Flat seasons.

The scheme was launched for the 2016 season and within no time at all had gained appreciation within the industry. At the time of writing, Tattersalls has paid out 251 bonuses of over £6.5 million, 24 of them in 2021.

Unsurprisingly, it has proven to be a hit with various syndicates.

A number of trainers have also latched on to it, among them Andrew Balding, who sent out Coventry Stakes winner Berkshire Shadow to land a bonus first time out at Newbury and Hoo Ya Mal to win Britain’s most valuable two-year-old maiden, the Convivial at York. Between them, the pair cost 80,000gns out of last year’s sale.

“We have paid out £6.5 million since it was launched,” says Jimmy George, marketing director of Tattersalls. “It’s a huge sum, and owners and trainers who have embraced it have been rewarded. It’s changed buyer behaviour. You have trainers like Ger Lyons, for example, who would have been in the Book 2 camp, but he embraced this scheme and has been successful with horses in that 20,000gns–100,000gns range.

“The beauty of it is the fact that it doesn’t matter if you get beaten in your maiden; you can go again and then again. So it works across the spectrum, allowing it to suit every type of horse.”

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| INDUSTRY |

ABOVE: Berkshire Shadow and Oisin Murphy wins the Coventry Stakes during day one of Royal Ascot 2021.

Jimmy George, Tattersalls.

ABOVE: Royal Patronage (trained by Mark Johnston) and Jason Hart winning the Gr. 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at the Yorkshire Ebor Festival.

The likes of Berkshire Shadow and Hoo Ya Mal prove that while the sale average may hover around 220,000gns, value can be found; in which case, a £20,000 bonus can go a long way.

That much is also evident in the case of Acomb Stakes winner Royal Patronage, who picked up a bonus for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing when successful at Epsom in July. He was bought by John and Jake Warren for 62,000gns out of last year’s sale.

“The bonus has certainly become part of the mindset when attending Book 1,” says Jake Warren. “It’s a meaningful prize that feels obtainable for each horse we buy at the sale, and it’s that aspect that encourages us to make sure we cover the sale entirely as despite what some people might think. There is plenty of value there if you’re prepared to look for it.

“Royal Patronage, for example, was a beautiful yearling. He had an imposing physique with a noticeably deep front and a quality head—very much in the mould of the best sons of Wootton Bassett I’ve seen.”

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• If you find the crumbs, you need rewarding Tattersalls also takes pride in its £150,000 Tattersalls Autumn Race while its sister company, Tattersalls Ireland, stages the €300,000 Super Auction Sales Stakes for graduates of its September Yearling Sale. Both are two of the company’s longer-standing events and remain extremely popular with owners and trainers.

Traditionally run for graduates of Books 3 and 4, the £150,000 Tattersalls Autumn Race will incorporate those from the Somerville Yearling Sale for the first time this year. This year’s Somerville yearlings also have their own race: a 6f event scheduled to be run next August on Newmarket’s July course.

“The £150,000 Tattersalls Autumn Race is one of our wellestablished events,” says George. “It’s something that is easy for trainers to sell for their owners.”

The race has a firm supporter in trainer Johnny Portman. The Lambourn trainer excels at sourcing value—a fine illustration being the Requinto filly Mild Illusion, who won over £66,000 having been bought for just 1,000gns as a Book 3 yearling.

| SALES INCENTIVES |

Mild Illusion didn’t win the Tattersalls October Auction Stakes, but she came very close in 2019 when falling just a head short of Under The Stars. She won approximately £33,000 that day for her enthusiastic owners, the Old Stoic Racing Club, and went on to win the Listed Bosra Sham Stakes. She later sold for 160,000gns to Tally-Ho Stud.

“Every sale needs buyers at every level of the market and if you are one of the pigeons that finds the crumbs, you also need rewarding,” says Portman. “And the rewards are those races, such as the Tattersalls race, for cheaply purchased horses.

“Mild Illusion was offered for sale. Anyone could have bid on her and I was the only one. She was a lovely type and watching her walk round the ring, there was nothing to fault her. Not everyone was a fan of Requinto, but there was no reason not to buy her, especially at that money. And she nearly went on to win a sales race.

“I’m a great believer in them. I don’t enjoy the sales so much, but I do love scratching around and looking for value.” He adds: “We’d like to find a Mild Illusion every year. They’re very hard to find and we were very lucky, but we’ll keep trying. She was wonderfully straightforward to train and was leased to some wonderful individuals. And her sale to Tally-Ho was an utter joy for some of my creditors!”

• A million will turn heads

Unsurprisingly, the launch of the Goffs Million, a new 7f race to be run at the Curragh on the eve of the 2022 Goffs Orby Sale, has also been well received. With the prize fund guaranteed by Goffs and paying down to tenth place, it boasts the distinction of being Europe’s richest two-year-old race. In addition, if the winner of the 2022 Goffs Million subsequently wins a Gp. or Gr. 1 race as a three-year-old in Britain, Ireland, France, the US or Australia, the winning owner receives a €100,000 bonus.

“A million of pretty much any western world currency will turn heads,” says Jake Warren. “We’ve bought plenty of high-class horses at the Orby over the years and the reintroduction of this race is exciting.”

Goffs previously staged a million race from 2006 to 2010, so why relaunch it now?

“After last year’s Orby Sale, we chatted to a number of people,” says Goffs’ group chief executive Henry Beeby. “What did emerge was that we needed something to drive people. We looked at a couple of options and decided that it would be good to have one focus and that’s how we landed on the Million.

“As one noted breeder told me when I discussed the idea with him, this means everyone will come to Goffs to make sure they’ve a chance of winning such a big prize, especially as prize money will extend to tenth place. The great thing about the Gp. 1 bonus is that it also caters for our international clients. We’ve been very encouraged by feedback; it has been very positive and seems to have caught the imagination.”

Meanwhile, interest in the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes, a well-established event run at York for graduates of the Goffs UK Premier Sale, remains as strong as it has ever been.

The race was first run in 1998 as the £200,000 St Leger Yearling Sales and its supporters have been able to bask in the reflected glory of winners such as Acclamation, Dark Angel and Wootton Bassett—all of whom have gone on to become leading sires.

The winner of this year’s race, Ever Given, netted his connections close to £100,000 and as ever, prize money was paid down to tenth place.

However, with Goffs UK keen to further boost the appeal of its sale, the 2021 race came with the additional incentive of a voucher for the winning owners to redeem at the following week’s Premier or Silver Yearling Sales. The voucher is equal to the previous year’s average price at the Goffs UK Premier Sale—in this instance, approximately £34,000.

The successful trainer also won the opportunity to lease a twostall Theault horsebox, free for six months.

“We are constantly looking to improve our offering and, ultimately, increasing ownership is something that we all strive to do,” says Goffs UK managing director, Tim Kent. “It was the results of last year’s race with the McMurray family (owners of Happy Romance) being first-time owners that made us look at this in a different way and come up with the concept of Premier Prizes.

“This means that in addition to the prize money, the winning owner receives a voucher to be spent at the following week’s Premier Sale. The value of this voucher is the same as the previous year’s Premier Yearling Sale average and, in effect, means that the owners gain a free horse after winning the race.”

This year’s race followed the script. The winner, Ever Given, carries the colours of the Dandy Boys, a new ownership group fronted by Michael Owen.

The colt was purchased as a yearling for £40,000 by SackvilleDonald. He has thrived with racing for Tom Dascombe, winning a nursery at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and running fourth in another lucrative event—the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas—prior to scoring at York.

Working with agent Ed Sackville, the Dandy Boys took advantage of the winning voucher to strike again at the Goffs UK Premier Sale, going to £32,000 for a Dandy Man colt out of the Listed-placed Naadrah.

“It’s a sale that we’ve been very lucky at,” says Sackville. “We’ve bought plenty of good horses out of it. The Dandy Man colt was one that ticked all the boxes for us. We’ve been very lucky with the sire; he’s a stallion I like, and he’s a sharp, attractive colt. It’s a great initiative and we’re obviously very grateful to Goffs UK for the voucher.”

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| INDUSTRY |

| SALES INCENTIVES | Ever Given and Daniel Tudhope win the 2021 Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes.

BBAG Sales, Germany.

“COVID hit our prize money hard, and German racing is struggling with that at the moment.

However, we were able to maintain our prize-money levels at 100%, which was a great thing to be able to do for our clients. In a normal year, our races make up around 10% of the prize money in Germany; but last year, it was closer to 20%.”

Eulenberger adds: “They’re still restricted races, but the quality of them is notable, especially the twoyear-old races. I think if someone considered the ratings of them, they would come out at Group level.”

The two-year-old series opened this season in early August with a 1,300-metre event at Koen.

Sprinters are catered for as the series progresses, including within the three-year-old programme.

However, it is also worth noting how overall it caters for every type of horse, with races also scheduled for those that stay up to 2,400 metres.

• I think we have the best system in Europe

Arqana hosts the Arqana Criterium for two-year-olds during Longchamp’s Arc meeting in October. Originally restricted to graduates of the Arqana October Sale, it has been opened up this year to include yearlings sold through each of its 2020 yearling sales—the Select Sale, October Yearling Sale and Autumn Sale (Flat yearlings)—and offers a guaranteed purse of €200,000.

Anyone shopping on the continent would also do well to bear in mind the extensive sales series attached to BBAG in Germany.

Any yearling catalogued to a BBAG Sale (providing the €510 nomination fee has been paid by the vendor) is eligible to compete in the series, which covers no fewer than 18 races and prize money of over €1.1 million. Not only that, prize money is paid down to seventh place.

“There are seven races for two-year-olds and another 11 for three-year-olds,” explains Klaus Eulenberger, managing director of BBAG. “Next year, we are looking at increasing that to 19 or 20.

“It may sound arrogant, but I think we have the best sales race system in Europe. For starters, it has been going now for over 25 years. That is something that we are very proud of.

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• Breeze-up rewards

It’s not all about yearlings, however. Earlier this year, Tattersalls launched a new £250,000 Royal Ascot/Gp. 1 bonus for graduates of the Craven Sale to run alongside its £15,000 Craven breeze-up bonus. The £250,000 bonus consists of a £125,000 bonus for the first Craven breeze-up winner of any two-year-old race at Royal Ascot, with £100,000 being paid to the owner and £25,000 to the vendor of the horse. An additional £125,000 bonus, with the same £100,000/£25,000 split, was also on offer to the first Craven breeze-up winner of any of the 15 European Gp. 1 races open to two-year-olds.

There was a feeling at this year’s sale that various vendors reacted by sending a sharper type of horse, and indeed the £250,000 bonus came close to being won when Go Bears Go, sold by Robson Aguiar to Alex Elliott and Amo Racing, ran third in the Phoenix Stakes.

“I think the vendors sent some sharper horses because of it, and the market reacted well,” says John Cullinan of the Breeze Up Consignors Association. “There was an improvement in the clearance rate, and I’d say the bonus contributed. Anything that helps in that respect is obviously a positive element.

Photographie © Mark & Jenny EVANS

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| INDUSTRY |

ABOVE: Mrs Danvers ridden by Luke Morris leads the field home to win The Weatherbys Super Sprint Race run at Newbury Racecourse.

“You could see some of the shopping geared around the bonus; I’m sure the likes of Cool Silk were shopping with an eye on it. And then the agents had cottoned on to it as well. These things are very welcome and good on the sales companies for doing them. But it’s sad that they’re the ones plugging the prize-money gap. If prize money was anywhere near acceptable, then we wouldn’t need them.”

Meanwhile, the Craven breeze-up bonus, which pays out £15,000 to the connections of a winning Craven graduate of an eligible race, has paid out almost £400,000 since its launch for the 2019 season.

• We need these types of races

The appetite for other races determined by sale ring performance also appears to be at an all-time high. That was borne out by the reaction to the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stud Stakes upon its launch early last year. Run in August over 6f at Naas and open to juveniles by an EBF sire whose median sales price is no more than €75,000—with weights allocated on a sliding scale according to that price—it attracted 563 initial entries for its inaugural running when a total prize fund of €350,000 was in place. Should the race be won by the progeny of a Ballyhane Stud stallion, then an additional €50,000 bonus is up for grabs.

Such has been its popularity that its organisers have run a consolation race against the main event in both years.

In Britain, Weatherbys continues to sponsor the Weatherbys Racing Bank £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes—run over an extended 6f at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting, and the Weatherbys Super Sprint—run over 5f at Newbury in July.

Weights for the Doncaster race are determined by the median price of a stallion’s yearlings at public action while the Newbury event was devised by Lord Carnarvon and Richard Hannon Sr. for horses sold as yearlings for less than a specified price; the weight carried by each horse is determined by its sale price, with one pound deducted for each £5,000 below the maximum value.

It usually takes a smart horse to win it (think Lyric Fantasy, Flanders, Tiggy Wiggy, Mrs Danvers and Happy Romance); but none of them cost more than £41,000, and thereby earned their owners a memorable payday.

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| SALES INCENTIVES |

“There are a few races around now that cater for cheaply bought fillies, and one of them is the Weatherbys Super Sprint,” says Johnny Portman, who saddled £1,000 purchase Mrs Danvers to win in 2016. “Fair play to Lord Carnarvon for instigating it and fair play to Newbury and Weatherbys for holding it. We need these types of races.”

Unfashionably bred, Mrs Danvers was run through the Ascot sale ring as a yearling to qualify for auction races and went on to win her first five races, culminating with the Cornwallis Stakes at Newmarket. In the process, she won close to £200,000 for her owners, Turf Club 2016, who had leased her from breeders Connie and Mark Burton.

“When I first saw Mrs Danvers, one race stood out for me, and that was the Super Sprint,” recalls Portman. “I remember that I didn’t have much time to get her through a sale and qualified. I think I had about a week to get her into a sale, which turned out to be at Ascot in February.”

The tale of Mrs Danvers also brings the role that median auction races had to play into sharper focus. Such races were restricted to maidens by stallions ‘which had established a median price for the sale of yearlings contemporary with the entrants in the race based on the sale or bought in price of one or more animals at specified sales’. Those bought for more than £20,000 above the median price stated in the race conditions were excluded.

Mrs Danvers, being by Hellvelyn, qualified and duly opened her career with a win in a Lingfield Fillies’ Novice Median Auction Stakes. By contrast, today’s racing programme for two- and threeyear-olds places emphasis on novice races.

“I lament the loss of the median auction races,” says Portman.

“They were very helpful. I loved those median auction fillies races.

If you were clever about it, you could buy a cheap filly, hunt around and win one of those races. There is plenty of value out there as long as vendors and breeders are realistic about their expectations at the sales. But as buyers, we need some kind of reward because while we can find those horses, we are constantly knocking our heads against the wall against the bigger operations.”

The fact remains that many of these initiatives, whether they be self help or promotional, would not have been launched if prize money was in an acceptable state. Some would argue that they are merely plastering over the cracks; but regardless, they are a very welcome feature of the racing calendar and are there to be plundered.

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| NUTRITION |

F E E D F RO M SA L E S R I N G T O R AC E C O U R S E Horseracing’s international sales rings can perhaps be regarded or compared with the professional show circuit. To achieve optimum interest and price, youngsters not only need to be genetically well endowed but must be appealing to the buyer’s eye.

Y

oungsters need to be in good body condition, ideally fit but not fat with good muscle tone, sufficient topline and a gleaming healthy coat. However the overall ‘picture’ desirable for the sales ring may not be the most appropriate for full training and competitive racing, and so trainers may find themselves needing to resculpture horses in their early days of training.

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Dr Catherine Dunnett

Tattersalls, Alamy, Shutterstock, Georgina Preston

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| NUTRITION |

| SALES RING TO RACECOURSE |

YEARLINGS THAT MOVE THROUGH FROM STUDS TO SALES PREP AND THEN INTO A TRAINING YARD UNDERGO A VERY BIG CHANGE IN THEIR FEED AND MANAGEMENT THAT IS WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION.” • Yearling prep

Yearlings are prepared (‘prepped’) intensively for the sales ring.

Whilst most yearling prep regimes will incorporate some exercise, this tends to be mostly walking; and yearlings may lack the established and better developed musculature needed for racing. There is also a high reliance on feeding to deliver the ‘sales ring look’. Prep regimes are often short lived and designed to increase weight and condition relatively quickly, and to produce gleaming coat condition and topline—the latter of which can therefore be based on deposition of adipose tissue or fat, rather than muscle development or hypertrophy.

A prep period typically involves feeding a large amount of high-energy, starch-rich feed over a relatively short period of time, typically 6-8 weeks. Research tells us that this prep period is likely to be one of the high-risk times for non-glandular gastric ulcers to develop. Large starch-rich feeds, confinement, increased periods of stress and restricted access to pasture or forage are all significant risk factors for gastric ulcers. Some yearlings will inevitably arrive at the trainer or pre-trainers yard with preexisting non-glandular ulcers, which may require veterinary

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treatment, or at the very least a sympathetic high forage, lowstarch and sugar-based ration for early training. It may be controversial to suggest, but a longer slower period of prep for sales would perhaps allow for a greater contribution from exercise to build muscle, combined with a less intense feeding regime. However, time and economics probably contain too much deviation from the existing model.

• Bone density

Yearlings that move through from studs to sales prep and then into a training yard undergo a very big change in their feed and management that is worthy of consideration. A stud regime and diet are very different to both sales prep and pre-training, in terms of composition and environment. At stud, these young animals spend a large portion of their day at pasture, with a generally small amount of top up feed or balancers to complement the grazing. A diet, which is typically high in pasture and forage and low in cereals, allows minerals such as calcium to be firmly sequestered in bone, maintaining bone density.

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In horses on good pasture, this is aided by the high vitamin K1 content of pasture, which is needed to activate osteocalcin involved in the sequestration of calcium in bone. In contrast, with a highcereal, low-forage prep or pre-training diet—as a result of quite complicated homeostatic mechanisms involving hormones such as parathyroid hormone—calcium can become relatively more mobilised from bone. The characteristic drop in bone density commonly seen in racehorses in the first 60-90 days of training can be the physical result of this phenomenon.

• Forage first Yearlings may come into training on the larger side of perfect for racing; and so it may, at first glance, seem counterintuitive to feed plenty of forage at this time. However, in early training it is a worthwhile exercise, as it establishes good eating habits.

Horses in training often self limit their forage intake, as training progresses and appetite is reduced, which can contribute to problems including inability to maintain condition, gastric ulcers and tying up if the forage intake drops too low. Better to start from a slightly higher intake early on, than to find a horse on a forage knife edge later in training. Forage, whether hay or haylage, contributes significantly to energy and electrolyte intake

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| SALES RING TO RACECOURSE |

HORSES IN TRAINING OFTEN SELF LIMIT THEIR FORAGE INTAKE, AS TRAINING PROGRESSES AND APPETITE IS REDUCED, WHICH CAN CONTRIBUTE TO PROBLEMS INCLUDING INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONDITION, GASTRIC ULCERS AND TYING UP IF THE FORAGE INTAKE DROPS TOO LOW.” and is a particularly rich source of potassium—an important electrolyte for overall metabolism and muscle function.

Leguminous forage such as alfalfa/lucerne is highly digestible and so has a reduced effect on gut fill (hay belly). Alfalfa is equally rich in calcium to help buffer the natural mobilisation and loss of calcium from bone during early training. A couple of kilograms of alfalfa per day complements a more traditional less digestible hay such as Timothy.

The added advantage of feeding a decent amount of forage is that the level of concentrate feed needed will also be reduced.

Forage provides energy mainly from fibre and so is not generally associated with excitability, with the energy provided being colloquially known as slow-release energy. A decent amount of forage for a horse in training is about 1.5% of bodyweight; so for a 500kg horse, that’s about 7-8kg or 4 typical slices. For haylage, this needs to be slightly higher to account for its higher water content.

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| NUTRITION |

| SALES RING TO RACECOURSE |

RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT HIGH-STARCH FEEDS ARE MORE LIKELY TO ELICIT EXCITABLE BEHAVIOUR THAN LOWSTARCH, HIGH-FIBRE CONTAINING FEEDS.” • Balancing sanity with body shape

Whilst horses are being broken in and then pre-trained, maintaining sanity and keeping riders on board and off the floor is a major concern. Historically, there was a tendency to use low-energy feeds popular with nonracing horse owners as a base for the diet during this period. However, many of these ‘cool’ feeds, whilst low in energy, were still high in starch, and protein quality was not always appropriate for an athlete in the making.

Research has shown that high-starch feeds are more likely to elicit excitable behaviour than low-starch, highfibre containing feeds. In addition, amino acids from protein are needed for tissue growth and repair as well as muscle development or hypertrophy, which is vital to the ongoing training process. Digestibility and amino acid profile of protein sources is key.

Where racehorses in pre-training or early work look rather pot bellied and lack top line with lacklustre costs, this may reflect the protein quality and digestibility of their feed. Protein quality refers to the blend of amino

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acids, which are the building blocks of protein that a feed provides as well as its digestibility. Soya, whether full fat or soya meal, is largely regarded as a high-quality protein source, whereas cereal byproducts such as oatfeed or straw pellets or nutritionally improved straw provide a much lower quality of protein. Whilst the latter do have a place in feeds to balance energy and protein levels, when used as a major component, the results may not be optimum.

Feeds that have been well formulated for box rest, light work or pre-training will take all of these points above into consideration and will deliver a feed with relatively low energy, low starch and high-quality protein, with some added oil as an alternative energy source and for coat quality. Pre-training or feeds for light work should be fed up to the level that the manufacturer recommends in order to deliver sufficient vitamins and minerals and a balanced diet. If the horses do not need this quantity of feed, a good balancer can be fed as an alternative or can be used to underpin the ration.

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• Moving on to harder work

Moving on to harder work with the racecourse in sight generally means another shift in feed composition. In most, although not all, racing regimes, there is an increased emphasis on higher protein, cereal-based feeds, delivering a high-energy and amino acid intake, as well as greater glucose delivery, via starch and other sugars, to facilitate muscle and liver glycogen synthesis. Forage intake is also often reduced during this period, either by design or where the horse self limits intake.

A reduction in forage intake should not ideally go below 1.25% of bodyweight for hay or 1.5% intake for haylage, as a rule of thumb. It is also worth noting that glycogen resynthesis rates have not been proven to be advantageously higher in high-starch versus moderate or low-starch feeds three days after glycogen-depleting exercise. Some glycogen synthesis also occurs via gluconeogenesis of volatile fatty acids, particularly propionic acid. This means that where races for example are at least a week apart, sufficient glycogen resynthesis occurs without the need for a very high-starch feed.

It is also worth noting that muscle glycogen is not considered to be a limiting factor for race performance.

There are a growing number of very successful trainers that have embraced feeds with a more moderate starch level, combined with digestible fibre and oil. This latter feed profile has the advantage of being more sympathetic to gastric mucosa and promoting calmer behaviour. Again, the success of trainers using this type of feed for full work and racing suggests that lower-starch, high-fibre, high-oil feeds equally do not compromise the intangible will of horses to win.

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| SALES RING TO RACECOURSE |

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| VETERINARY |

O R T H O PA E D I C PROBLEMS IN YOUNG THOROUGHBREDS GERALD LEIGH MEMORIAL LECTURES 2021

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Matt Coleridge, Rhiannon Morgan & Celia Marr

H

elping these future athletes achieve a protective conformation is vital with respect to their welfare, athletic career and sales potential.

Orthopaedic conditions have the potential to blight a promising athletic career and prevent young horses reach their full potential.

Early diagnosis and management are critical if horses are to be given the best chances of a successful and long career. And this, of course, depends on horsemen being able to pick up on problems as early as possible so they can be dealt with effectively. The Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust is a charity that aims to help disseminate knowledge in the thoroughbred breeding and racing communities with the ultimate goal of improving horse welfare.

Each year, the charity organises the Gerald Leigh Memorial lectures which are fantastic resources for horsemen. The lecture series is supported by the Gerald Leigh Trust in honour of Mr Leigh’s passion for the thoroughbred horse and its health and welfare. Most years, the lectures are presented in person in an event at the UK’s National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket; but for 2021, an in-person gathering was not possible and instead, the lectures are available online. For 2021, the charity chose the theme of orthopaedic problems, which are such a common challenge in young thoroughbreds.

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| VETERINARY |

FIG 1

ANGULAR LIMB DEFORMITIES: EVALUATION AND TREATMENT IN FOALS AND YEARLINGS

FIG 1: Examples of valgus (left) and varus (right) ALD: A valgus deformity is a lateral deviation of the limb below the location of the deformity (e.g. toeing out) whereas a varus deformity is a medial deviation of the limb below the location of the problem (e.g. toeing in).

Dr Matt Coleridge

SCAN THE QR CODE TO WATCH THE LECTURE BY DR MATT COLERIDGE, ROSSDALES EQUINE HOSPITAL.

Recognising, diagnosing and understanding angular limb deviations in young thoroughbreds are critical skills for horsemen and an important part of both stud management and veterinary care. Angular limb deformities (ALD) refer to deviation of the limb in its frontal plane, or side to side when evaluating the individual from the front or back. A varus deformity is a medial deviation of the limb below the location of the problem (e.g., toeing in), whereas a valgus deformity is a lateral deviation of the limb below the location of the deformity (e.g., toeing out). Angular limb deformities must be distinguished from a flexural limb deformity, which is in the sagittal plane, i.e., from front to back when evaluating the individual from the side.

• How do ALD occur?

ALD can be both congenital and acquired. Congenital means the condition has been present from birth and causes include incomplete ossification or immaturity of the small cuboidal bones, which make up the hocks and knees as well as weakness of the ligaments supporting the joints and periarticular laxity. These issues tend to result in valgus knees and hocks. We also know that ALD can be inherited and that as a breed, thoroughbreds tend to be varus (toe in).

Acquired ALD develop after birth and come about through overloading of the physis (growth plate), which is usually caused

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either from hard ground, an over-conditioned foal or a combination of the two. The biomechanics of equine limb lead horses to bear more weight through the inside of the leg; therefore, the inside of the growth plate, which is inhibited more than the outside and when there is overloading the net effect is that the foal will toe in.

• How do ALD impact a foal’s future career?

Carpal and fetlock injuries in racing thoroughbreds account for a large majority of the reasons racehorses spend time out of training. Intervening while foals are growing and developing to help them achieve a protective conformation gives them the best chance of maximising their potential and enjoying their racing career.

• Diagnosis of ALD

Evaluating young stock is certainly best achieved using a team approach involving owners/managers, farriers and veterinarians. Regular evaluation from a young age is key, as is examination of the foal while static and while walking. Severe deviations should also be evaluated radiographically.

• Treatment of ALD

Conservative treatment options can include exercise restriction, corrective farriery and nutritional management.

Hoof correction and toe extensions can be extremely helpful in managing foals and yearlings with minor deviations; and farriery can often correct such issues without needing to resort to surgical treatment options.

The surgical treatment of choice for correcting ALD is the transphyseal screw. In general, it achieves the most effective and cosmetic outcome of the surgical options.

The procedure involves placing a screw across the growth plate on the side of the leg that is growing too fast. For example, for a foal that is toeing in, the screw is placed on the outside of the leg. This allows the inside of the growth plate to grow faster and so correct the deviation. The screws are placed under a short general anesthetic. The screw does need to be removed to avoid over-correction, but often they can be removed with the horse standing using a mild sedative once the desired correction is achieved.

FIG 2: Radiograph of a foal’s fetlock post surgery; a transphyseal screw was placed on the outside of a front fetlock to correct a varus (toeing in) deviation.

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| VETERINARY |

OSTEOCHONDROSIS – RECENT ADVANCES AND DIAGNOSIS \

SCAN THE QR CODE TO WATCH THE LECTURE BY DR RHIANNON MORGAN, EQUINE DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING, ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE.

Osteochondrosis is one of the most important developmental diseases in young athletic horses. It occurs in young, large-breed horses, including thoroughbreds, and can cause a variety of clinical signs. The age at which the disease starts to cause clinical signs varies from a young foal to horses over 10 years old. This is because lesions can remain silent and only cause clinical signs later on in life. But even in the absence of any clinical signs, the pathological lesions will have been present since the horses reached skeletal maturity.

• How does osteochondrosis affect athletes?

Osteochondrosis often starts to cause problems when the horse is put into training—when they are athletically challenged.

This age will differ for different populations, starting earlier in thoroughbred racehorses than in warmbloods destined for sports horse disciplines. Often the horse will be sound, or can experience different degrees of lameness and may present with joint effusion. This disease affects more than one joint in an individual in over 50% of cases, and it usually occurs in the same joint on the contralateral limb; but it can also affect multiple different joints.

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• How does osteochondrosis develop?

In foals, areas of growth cartilage within the joints will continue to ossify (become bone) after birth. When this process is complete and the animal is skeletally mature, a thin layer of normal articular cartilage will remain supported by subchondral bone.

Osteochondrosis is caused by a “failure of endochondral ossification,” which simply means the growth cartilage fails to become healthy bone. A defect, with or without a fragment, is then created in the articular surface of the bone. This dynamically changing area is susceptible to trauma or high biomechanical loads. Recent advances in research, carried out in Norway by Dr Olstad, suggest that failure of endochondral ossification is likely caused by loss of blood supply to these areas of growth cartilage, which prevents it from ossifying. This has been linked to a heritable predisposition, among other factors such as rapid growth, dietary imbalance, exercise, environment and prior joint sepsis.

• Diagnosis of osteochondrosis

Thorough clinical examination and radiography remain at the forefront of osteochondrosis diagnosis. This disease occurs at joint-specific predilection sites as a result of site-specific biomechanical forces and differences in the age at which that site becomes skeletally mature. For example, in the femoropatellar joint (pictured), the most common site of osteochondrosis is the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur. This is predilected by the thick cartilage surface, later age of maturation/ossification, and by the shear forces the patella exerts on the ridge as the stifle flexes and extends. Ultrasonography can also be very sensitive in detecting osteochondrosis in the stifle. Research performed

by Dr Martel in Canada suggests early detection of subclinical lesions in the stifle have been found in foals aged 27-166 days old.

| O R T H O PA E D I C P R O B L E M S I N Y O U N G T H O R O U G H B R E D S |

• Conclusion

Gerald Leigh was an incredibly successful thoroughbred breeder and owner based in the UK. The 2021 lectures honouring his passion for the thoroughbred provide a useful update on two common conditions of the young thoroughbred and add to the contribution the charitable trust established by Mr Leigh’s family, which continues to make in supporting the thoroughbred industry.

FIG 3

FIG 3: The photograph on the left shows femoropatellar joint effusion of the left stifle. The radiograph on the right shows a large osteochondrosis lesion of the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur within the femoropatellar joint.

Gerald Leigh, 1930-2002.

• Management of osteochondrosis

Lesions can spontaneously resolve, and the majority will have done so by 12 months old. Otherwise, management recommendations to limit lesion development include keeping horses exclusively at pasture up to 1 year old, not using rough terrain, in large group sizes (>3 brood mares) or in a large pasture size (large pasture size > 1 hectare before 2 weeks old and > 6 hectare before 2 months old). Strict box rest is discouraged, and a convalescence paddock of 33ft x 56ft (10m x 17m) for 60-90 days may help stabilise lesions.

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| RACING |

FOCUS ON TWO-YEAR-OLDS

IS THE PROGRAMME WORKING?

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| FOCUS ON TWO-YEAR-OLDS |

Lissa Oliver Alamy, David Betts, Sarah Bauer/galoppfoto.de, Healy Racing, gallopfrance.com

W

e are living in an age of consumerism and disposable products, instant gratification the main aim for many. Now it seems that mentality is spilling over into horse racing. The two-year-old thoroughbred is fighting more than one battle—the balance of precocity over physical development, tough opposition on the racetrack, even tougher opposition in the marketplace competing against the readymade horse in training, and the ultimate challenge of the limitation of the two-year-old racing programme.

If the trainer had more say in the programme, there would appear to be a consensus of agreement on how the juvenile programme might look. Whether French, German, British or Irish, there are similar needs to assist the average two-year-old to progress and go forward at three. But as Dominik Moser highlights, the programme and framing of races may not be the only contentious issue.

“I think we are beginning to lose the point of why we do this—why we breed and race horses,” Moser says. “In Germany, still, we have a big family line; the pedigree is why we race. My father was a jockey, and I come from the breeding side. I see how much time and luck it takes to bring a horse to the racetrack, and our breeders understand that. We breed for more than one season of racing.

“I want every horse to be a good broodmare or stallion, and this is my job; but the new generation focuses more on a fast return of investment rather than achieving black type performance with a horse. We have auction races with big prize money for two-year-olds, so the new generation of owners can get their money back quickly and buy a new horse and a future career is not important. It doesn’t matter to them if the horse breaks down; they can just buy a new one.”

Breeding for precocity—or as some would say, for the sales ring— is not a new problem and has been an increasing concern in recent years. But surprisingly, the two-year-old programme doesn’t seem to be catering to the young speedsters either. By mid-summer, the two-year-old sprinter is beginning to run out of opportunities, and this seems to be an issue across the board throughout Europe.

“I would say we’re reasonably happy with the two-year-old programme in Ireland, although the more you get into the season, the fewer the opportunities at 5f (1000m) and 6f (1200m), which is something we keep a careful eye on,” says Michael Grassick, CEO of the IRTA. “Where those races are staged, they attract fewer runners, so it’s hard to argue a stronger need for them.”

Willie McCreery takes that further, arguing, “In Ireland, they don’t cater for sprinters at all. I would love our two-year-olds to have more sprint options at the end of the year. We cater a lot for the top-quality horses—the ones with the big pedigrees who cost big money and will make up into Derby types.”

There is a similar situation in France, Gina Rarick pointing out, “The whole programme is geared to precocious youngsters and speed, but then there are not enough races to place them in. The two-yearolds from Britain and Ireland come over and win all the top two-yearold races because France Galop is not giving us a programme. The early horse has got enough options at the start of the season, but some that are only starting now have no races at their optimum distance.

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Principe trained by Andreas Wöhler wins the 2020 Ferdinand Leisten Memorial at Baden-Baden Racecourse.

ABOVE: German trainer Dominik Moser.

Willie McCreery

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“The biggest problem for two-year-olds is if they can’t run over 7f (1400m) by September, then basically they’re screwed. There is almost nothing for them at 5f (1000m)—maybe a few 6f (1200m) races for horses that have not run before. It’s really hard to find a race for them over a shorter distance, especially within a reasonable travel distance from the yard.”

Gavin Hernon agrees, pointing out, “There are races there for the sprinter, but from 1 September to the end of November, there are only two conditions races on a straight track and only five races under 1400m (7f ). I think there will be more focus put on those opportunities in the future—it’s part of the France Galop plan. The programme is good for the mile to 2400m (12f ) twoyear-old, but people don’t buy those horses. Even in August, we’re already having 1800m (9f ) maidens, and in September we have 2000m (10f ) races.”

In Germany, the later spring and later foals dictate the programme to an extent, with two-year-olds not starting until May, and many of them the middle-distance three-year-old in the making, around which the programme is designed. However, the programme is not the biggest difficulty German trainers are facing.

“We can’t start our two-year-olds earlier than May, and nearly 20% of our two-year-olds in training start,” explains Dominik Moser. “I don’t mind this. I like to protect them, and I’m not under pressure from my owners. They’re not thinking about a two-year-old career; they prefer to wait for the big races for threeand four-year-olds.

“You can do too much with a two-year-old and break them so easily. I train with heart frequency measurement, and I can see from the data and with experience when I am asking enough of them and when to stop. Some two-year-olds look very athletic, and you can end up asking them to do too much. I’m very lucky;

| FOCUS ON TWO-YEAR-OLDS |

Gavin Hernon

I can speak to my owners about the progress of their horse and they trust me. I have no problem about waiting until a horse is ready to race. The horse must be ready.

“I would say that there are requirements in the Animal Welfare Act that present great challenges,” Moser warns. “These rules have been around for a long time, but now governments will enforce them. Here in Germany, we get more and more rules relating to the welfare of young horses going into training for the first time and new rules for yearlings. Before they are ridden for the first time, they must attend a vet and a physiotherapist to ensure they are physically able to be ridden and trained. I think for two-yearolds especially, this is super important and for thoroughbreds generally; but it is making it difficult for horsemen in Germany.

We are coming under strong pressure from animal welfare groups.

“We have so many new rules and many more rules being introduced for next year. All horses must spend a number of hours out in the paddock each day, and they must be assessed by a vet before going into training. I have paddocks for my horses, but I don’t currently have enough for all of them to be out every day, so I have to build more paddocks. My aim is that all of my horses will be able to go out after they have finished training at 1 p.m. until

the evening. The training centres, such as Cologne, will have a big problem because there is not enough space for the number of paddocks needed.”

As Moser explains, this isn’t simply a new idea from Deutscher Galopp and is a future problem hanging over every racing jurisdiction. “These rules are coming directly from (the) government not from Deutscher Galopp. I like that we think more about the horses; we have recently been thinking more about the people—the jockeys and staff, and the horse had stopped being our number one concern.

This is the right way, but the rule is not easy to adapt to. We haven’t been given time to prepare.”

Gina Rarick also touches on this when she discusses travelling to race. “Some racecourses are eight hours from Chantilly. The animal rights people were coming down on us very heavy, and not that long ago we only narrowly avoided a four-hour maximum travel rule! France Galop is trying to get more horses to participate in regional racing, but to send a two-year-old off in the truck for eight hours? I don’t think any of us want to be doing that, and I definitely won’t.”

Animal welfare regulations are out of our hands, but the races on offer themselves don’t appear to be meeting the needs of many two-year-olds. We’ll remain with Moser, as he airs the same lament of all trainers, no matter their base.

“I’m not happy with the options available for our two-yearolds,” he says. “If you have a winner, then you have no options. We need more mild races for a winner to enable them to take small steps to grow up. It’s important a two-year-old is given time to grow up; they must say when they are ready.

“The handicapper takes too long to bring a horse back down the rating. Maybe they should be assessed again every three races. When they are left too long at the wrong mark, we lose horses who have no chance for a later entry.”

Deauville Racecourse

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| FOCUS ON TWO-YEAR-OLDS |

Gina Rarick with Olivier Peslier

Willie McCreery encounters the same issue in Ireland. “The open maidens are not filled. You could be coming up against a future Derby horse, and if you run second, your horse will be handicapped very badly—far too harshly. The two-year-old rated 85 is never going to be at that mark as a three-yearold; it’s only a 60, so you have to sell them at the first chance at two because they won’t step up at three, and they’ve no chance to come back. Claonadh won a maiden for us (the) first time out and got rated 92; and she’s run four times since and not got close. The handicapper is very harsh and very slow to bring them back down.

“We’ve a terrible lot of good conditions races, but what we need are median auction races for horses who cost €60,000 or less. There are a lot of good median auction races and maybe there should be more, but then again we don’t want too many. We can’t afford to dilute the quality of our horses too much because we rely on that high quality to sell abroad. Cigamia recently won a median auction race, and I had specifically waited for that race for her, as I knew the open maiden would be tougher. Really, though, I would love to see more sprint races for two-year-olds.”

At the IRTA, Michael Grassick agrees. “We would like to see more winners’ races—they are an ideal stepping stone to Listed races.

But the problem here is that when a horse steps up from a maiden race to a winners’ race, the level of quality is so high, it’s like running in a Listed race; so there’s a little bit of an imbalance there. Because of that, they tend to only attract a handful of entries, and HRI doesn’t feel they are financially viable enough to stage.

“What we would really like to see more of are races for two-yearolds that didn’t cost more than €25,000 or €40,000. It would encourage people to buy yearlings rather than buying older horses in training. There should be more reward for winning a

Claonadh and Billy Lee (centre) win the 2020 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

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two-year-old race than for winning a 45-60 handicap. It would encourage people to go to the yearling sales and would benefit breeders as well.”

As we can see, the types of race available and the conditions of two-year-old races are something of a universal headache for trainers. Gina Rarick tells us, “France Galop got rid of a lot of twoyear-old claimers, which doesn’t make any sense. They generated a lot of commerce and options and were very useful to have. They have been replaced with median races.

“There are plenty of maiden races, just not at the distances many horses need. There are new maidens now restricted to the progeny of stallions that stood for a covering fee of less than €12,000. If we are allegedly trying to “promote excellence,” is that really the way to do it? I can see they are giving the cheaper stallions their chance, so there’s merit to that, but they need to decide which way the programme is trying to work. Eliminating claimers to add maidens restricted to progeny of cheaper stallions seems counter-productive.

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| RACING |

Oscula broke new ground for trainer George Boughey when winning the Gp.3 Prix Six Perfections at Deauville in August, pictured here winning recently at Brighton Racecourse.

“What is a bit confusing here in France is that a horse can still run as a maiden even if it has won, as a claiming race win doesn’t count. That makes no sense.

“I’d like to see more conditions races for horses that have not won a certain amount of money, not more than €40,000 for example.

The next step up is Class 1 and; and if you get to Class 1, you have no chance. It would be better to have a mix of distances and to have more two-year-old races closer to the main training centres.”

Gavin Hernon recognises that things may be changing for the better and hopes the programme in France will improve for twoyear-olds in the near future. “The French programme for twoyear-olds has undergone a significant reform this year, reducing the number of claimers by about 30 and having more maidens instead and some conditions races for the progeny of stallions standing at less than €12,000.

“But French two-year-old races attract very few runners, so France Galop can’t really be giving a broader option as there are not enough entries to justify. It’s very hard to judge it off this year, as they have adapted the two-year-old programme so much. In general, we can’t complain, and France Galop’s hands are tied because of too few runners.

“They could be putting on more conditions races,” he suggests.

“There’s a culture now that if you don’t think your horse is of Paris ability, you take your horse to the smaller provincial tracks. The problem I find is that if you win a provincial maiden, it’s treated the same as a Paris maiden. So when you win, it’s crippling and you don’t have anywhere to go; the class 2 races are hard to win.

There are so little opportunities. When you’ve won a maiden, there’s nothing in the way of a class 3 or 4 race.

“We have very few two-year-old handicaps. There are only two in September, five in October and six in November. We have a

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handicap every day worth €60,000 for older horses rated 60-70, but there’s nothing for the two-year-olds. In the past you could have taken a chance running in a claimer, as the price tags were so high you could be confident of not getting claimed. The claiming game has taken a hit, possibly because some trainers were farming it, so France Galop has reformed it a bit.

“There are a couple of unraced maidens every month. Maidens for stallions standing at less than €12,000 is an excellent idea, but a lot of those are down in the provinces. It’s a nice race but not worth the cost of travelling.

“I think we have a two-year-old programme that’s developing and going the right way to develop (a) the quality of our horses and( b) the number of two-year-olds in training because we tend to get a hiding in the black type races. An awfully high percentage of our best-bred yearlings get exported, and our owners and trainers are reluctant to go over to Britain and Ireland to buy, as there is no French-bred premium.

“This year France Galop has introduced some helpful initiatives.

Owners don’t have to pay the fees for the training centres for their two-year-old horses until July, and the bonus scheme has been increased for two-year-olds. I do have massive faith in France Galop, and I’m confident we’re on the right footing; but it’s something that will take two or three years.”

In Britain, the BHA has also introduced changes as it tweaks the two-year-old programme, in 2021 by adapting the two-year-old novice and maiden programme. Restricted races have been merged into one race type to increase the number of races available for each horse to run in, whilst also providing a suitable balance of opportunities across the race programme for different types of horses.

Horses now qualify for these races through their auction value, or median auction value, meaning there are no longer any two-

| FOCUS ON TWO-YEAR-OLDS |

year-old auction or median auction races, but instead five categories of novice or maiden races, ranging from Band D (median <£12,000) to Band A (median <£60,000) and Open. Any horse running in a Band A-D Restricted Race will receive a 2lb weight allowance for each Band it runs in (see above) of which it is qualified for.

Some of the French complaints are also proving positives for enterprising British trainers who are prepared to seek out opportunities and who aren’t afraid to travel. One such trainer is George Boughey, who is enjoying an incredible strike rate with his two-year-olds this season and gained his first win at Group level when Oscula won the Gp. 3 Prix Six Perfections at Deauville.

Corazon quickly followed up with a Gp. 3 win in the 5f (1000m) Prix d’Arenberg.

As might be expected, Boughey sees no issues with the current British two-year-old programme and says, “Personally, I think the system works very well. Whatever race you win, they can win again, even under a penalty, up to a certain level. It’s just a matter of scanning the programme to find a race they can win.

“For me, it works pretty well. If I can win with a horse that cost £30,000 or less, I can find something to win at the Band C or D level, and we might be likely to find another suitable race before having to step up to a

better race. We now have conditions races where a placed horse’s mark isn’t raised, which is one of the better things they’ve done to tweak the programme.”

Understandably, Boughey doesn’t think there’s a huge problem with sprint opportunities for later two-year-olds, highlighting the races in France and Ireland he has targeted, as well as the British races that Irish trainers—such as Michael O’Callaghan—are not afraid to travel over for.

“If they had good two-year-old sprinters, they’d win those races,” he says. “For me, there are endless opportunities if you are happy to travel to win races.”

RIGHT: George Boughey (centre) celebrates after winning the Cazoo Woodcote EBF Stakes with Oscula.

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Easley / Nout-Lomas / Pezzanite / Seim

Alamy, Shutterstock

‘WOBBLER’ HORSES

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| WOBBLER SYNDROME |

Wobbler syndrome, also known as cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy (CVCM), is the most common cause of neurological disease in horses and affects many breeds. Although numerous spinal surgeries are performed on humans, this is the only condition of the spinal cord for which surgery in horses is often performed.

W

obbler syndrome involves compression of the spinal cord due to narrowing or abnormal development of the spine in the neck, which results in neurologic deficits—specifically ataxia. Ataxia is a term used by veterinarians to describe incoordination and inability of an animal to properly place their legs and maintain balance when they are standing and walking.

It is easy, therefore, to see why horsemen describe CVCM horses as ‘wobblers.’ CVCM has been described in many breeds, and it was estimated to affect up to 3% of thoroughbreds in one UK study. There is a high prevalence in young male horses, and these horses comprise 75 to 80% of cases. The condition negatively affects athletic performance, and up to 2/3 of horses diagnosed with CVCM are euthanised due to severity of the ataxia or perceived poor response to therapy and subsequent loss of use of the horse.

Treatment recommendations are controversial due to the fear that horses cannot recover function when diagnosed with this condition, as well as concerns regarding the cost of treatment, its invasiveness and complications associated with current surgical procedures.

Cranium Eye Socket

Also, at the current time, it is still very unlikely a veterinarian can accurately predict the degree of improvement and prognosis for a specific horse undergoing treatment. Furthermore, veterinarians do not always agree amongst themselves how severe the ataxia is, which makes it even more difficult to measure improvement following treatment and compare treatments. Despite these concerns, there are many horses that do improve and return to athletic use after neck spinal surgery.

• What are the current options for spinal surgery?

The goal of spinal surgery for CVCM is to remove the ability of two vertebral bodies to move by fusing the two adjacent bones together. The result is that over time, the two bones and joints will change in configuration, the fused bones shrink and more space becomes available for the spinal cord. By removing the compression of the spinal cord, neurological function improves. Current surgical treatments for CVCM include methods for ventral interbody fusion: kerf cut cylinders and ventrally placed locking compression plate and dorsal laminectomy (the top portion of the vertebral body is removed entirely to reduce any compression on the spinal cord).

Skeletal system of Equus Caballus

Cervical (neck) Vertebrae

Malar (cheek) Bone Nasal Bone

Thoracic (chest) Vertebrae

Pelvis

Infraorbital foramen

Sacral (pelvic) Vertebrae

Lumbar (loin) Vertebrae

Incisive Mandible (lower jaw)

Teeth

Coccygeal (tail) Vertebrae

Facial crest Scapula (shoulder blade)

Spine of scapula Humerus Femur Ribcage Ulna

Patella (knee cap) Tibia

Radius

Fibula Calcaneus (fibular tarsal)

Carpus (knee)

Metacarpal (cannon) Bone Long Pastern Bone Short Pastern Bone Coffin Bone

Talus (tibial tarsal bone) Sesamoid (fetlock) Bones

Metatarsal (cannon) Bone

Tarsus

Long Pastern Bone Short Pastern Bone Coffin Bone

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The goal of spinal surgery for CVCM is to remove the ability of two vertebral bodies to move by fusing the two adjacent bones together.

Fusion with using the kerf cut cylinder remains the most commonly performed surgical procedure for cervical stabilisation, but this does not provide stability when the spine is in extension. Locking compression plate technologies are difficult to apply due to the shape of the vertebral body and limited flexibility in placement of the fusion construct and the associated screws. Despite great advancements in equine surgery over the past years, these surgical methods for equine cervical stabilisation require specialised equipment and extensive surgeon experience and still have a high risk of complications, including implant migration or failure and vertebral fracture with a high chance of associated horse fatality.

• Recent developments in spinal surgery

Because CVCM is relatively common and there is huge interest in returning affected horses to athletic function, there is a demand to develop surgical techniques that are less technically challenging while reducing complications associated with surgery to safely return horses affected by CVCM to their intended use. Overall, there remains room for improvement in surgical treatment of CVCM to both increase biomechanical stability and reduce complications associated with implant placement.

• A new technique for spinal surgery

In a recent pilot study by our group at the PreClinical Surgical Research Laboratory at Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO, USA), a new technique using advanced surgical implants known as pedicle screws and connecting rods with an interbody fusion device (IFD) were evaluated as an alternative to current

techniques for cervical fusion in horses. The idea to use these novel implants came from human surgery, where interbody fusion devices are considered the standard technique for lumbar spine fusion in people, resulting in improved success rates in neurologic function and return to activity. The IFD device was evaluated initially in four horses, showing that the construct integrated with surrounding bone within eight months and did not result in any severe complications, such as implant failure, migration or fracture (as has been reported with other techniques).

In addition, we noted that the polyaxial pedicle screw head allowed for increased screw placement options compared to previously described techniques. In particular, this is an improvement compared to the locking compression plate technology, which is limited by the conformation of the ventral keel of the cervical vertebrae. The results obtained in this pilot study prompted further investigation of polyaxial pedicle screw and rod technology in equine patients clinically affected by CVCM.

• The Colorado team’s results

We found 10 horses at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital that were diagnosed with Wobbler syndrome based on examination and diagnostic imaging including x-rays, myelogram, and CT scan. The owners of the horses approved to have them undergo this new surgery with placement of the IFD and polyaxial pedicle screw and rod construct. The 10 horses were closely followed, and clinical outcomes and owner reports were recorded and described in our recent publication in Equine Veterinary Journal.

FIG 1

Fig 1: Drawing of polyaxial pedicle screw and rod construct with screws placed on right and left side of ventral keel and placement of a porous metal interbody fusion device in situ.

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| WOBBLER SYNDROME |

FIG 2

The breeds of horses treated included warmbloods, Tennessee Walkers, Arabians and quarter horses. No horses in this case population were intended as racehorses. The median age of horses at the time of surgery was two years (24 months, range 12-168). Male horses were overrepresented as is typical for CVCM, with four geldings, four stallions and two mares treated.

Preoperative grade of ataxia ranged from 1 to 3 out of 5 based on the Modified Mayhew neurological grading scale. Surgical fusion was performed at one site in three horses and two sites in ai163189201417_4cyte ad 86 x 128mm.pdf 1 17/09/2021 16:20:17 seven horses. In 6 out of 8 horses with ≥1-year follow-up, ataxia

Fig 2: Postoperative radiograph (x-ray) showing interbody fusion device in the vertebral disk space with the spinal unit stabilised with pedicle screws and connecting rods.

improved by 1–3 grades, with an average improvement of 1.25 grades. In four horses, ataxia improved to grade 0 (normal) or 1 (mild ataxia). In two horses, the gait was unaffected, but neck comfort improved according to owner follow-up. There were no fatal complications associated with the placement of implants.

Complications encountered included swelling around the incision site (seroma), pain and fever. Although we found more serious complications including screw breakage in two horses, a vertebral fracture in one horse, and implant infection in one horse, none of these horses required additional surgical procedures to remove the implants. Two horses were euthanised within the first year after surgery. In one horse with severe neurological deficits preoperatively, surgery did not result in improvement of signs; and the horse was euthanised at six weeks postoperatively. The second horse developed upper respiratory tract obstruction immediately following general anesthesia and was euthanised at the time.

Long-term follow-up with owners was performed by phone and survey consultation. All eight owners, for which at least one year follow-up after surgery was available, reported that their horse’s clinical signs and quality of life were improved; and for all horses, the level of exercise was increased since surgery. Five horses were being ridden at the time of follow-up, and one additional juvenile horse was beginning training.

EPIITALIS® FORTE

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| WOBBLER SYNDROME |

Shamardal was diagnosed as a Gr. 3 wobbler in 2002 but achieved great success as a racehorse and had a stellar stallion career for Darley.

All four horses that had been ridden before surgery had improved under saddle. Overall, owner satisfaction with the procedure was reported as excellent in five cases or good in two cases, with one owner not responding to the question. All eight owners reported that they were overall positive about the procedure and would recommend this surgery to other horse owners in the future.

This new surgical technique to treat horses with Wobbler syndrome resulted in at least one grade of gait improvement in 6/10 cases and 6/8 cases for which ≥1-year follow-up was available, which is a similar result when compared to other methods. Advantages of this surgical procedure over others to treat this syndrome in horses include that this technique requires less bone removal from the vertebral column and that the implant itself (polyaxial screw head) may be more easily applied to the vertebral body, as its shape can be varied and so can be tailored to each individual horse. Importantly, this technique offers greater stability in two planes (tension and compression), which is not provided by other techniques such as the Bagby basket or kerf cut cylinder. There were no fatal complications related to implant

placement in this procedure. This is in contrast to other techniques such as the basket or kerf cut cylinder, where euthanasia of the horse is the more typical outcome if the implant fails and vertebral fracture occurs due to the extent of damage that usually results in spinal cord injury with subsequent severe neurologic signs.

In summary, this technique may represent a safer alternative to current techniques of ventral interbody fusion while achieving similar outcomes in performance. Polyaxial pedicle screw and rod systems for cervical fusion should be considered as an alternative to minimise fatal complications associated with surgery while achieving one to three grades of improvement in neurological signs in horses with Wobbler syndrome. However, this study was performed in a small number of horses, so continued study of this method remains critical, as well as further development and optimisation of other surgical techniques that may result in lower frequency of complications and greater neurologic improvement.

The link to this article in EVJ is: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.13449

DO YOU WANT TO BE PART OF OUR NEXT ISSUE? IF SO CALL US BY FRIDAY, 10 DECEMBER, 2021 CALL +44 (0)1380 816777 OR VISIT anderson-co.com/eut for further details

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BREATHE EASY How do FLAIR® Strips make breathing easier?

UPPER AIRWAYS

Unlike humans, horses only breathe through their noses during intensive exercise.

The horse’s respiratory system is essentially a long tube that extends from the nostrils to the lungs.

The respiratory system is divided into the upper airway (nostrils, nasal passages, larynx and trachea) and the lower airway (lungs). The only way to bring air into the horse’s lungs is through the nose.

When a horse breathes in during exercise, over 50% of the resistance to airflow is in the nasal passages.

During exercise, resistance to moving air into the lungs increases. 90% of the resistance occurs in the upper airways and over half of that occurs in the nasal passages1. One reason for this is that a significant portion of soft tissue overlying the nasal passages in horses is unsupported by bone or cartilage, including at the narrowest part of the upper airway: the nasal valve.

As breathing intensity increases, this unsupported tissue collapses during inhalation, reducing the size of the airway and greatly increasing resistance to air flow.

LOWER AIRWAYS

RESISTANCE TO AIRFLOW DURING EXERCISE Upper Airway: Nasal Passages Upper Airway: Larynx and Trachea Lower Airway

Inhalation

FLAIR Strips reduce airway resistance during exercise to make breathing easier.

The physics principle of Poiseuille’s law tells us that for each incremental increase in the size of a tube, resistance to flow decreases by 16 fold. FLAIR Strips improve airflow by supporting the nasal passages to reduce the soft tissue collapse that occurs in all horses during inhalation.

Using a FLAIR Strip can be compared to drinking from a large, thick straw rather than a regular straw...it’s much easier to get what you need.

Exhalation

ENDOSCOPIC VIEW OF NASAL PASSAGES OF HORSE AT REST2

Without FLAIR Strip

1 Art, T. et al. “Effect exercise on the partitioning of equine respiratory resistance.” Equine Veterinary Journal. Volume 20: Number 4, 268-273, 1988. 2 Holcombe, Susan J. VMD, PhD et al. “Effect of Commercially Available Nasal Strips on Airway Resistance in Exercising Horses.” American Journal of Veterinary Research. Volume 63: Number 8, 1101-1105, August 2002.

Clinical Studies prove FLAIR Strips reduce airway resistance.

Clinical studies at leading research institutions show that by reducing airway resistance FLAIR Strips make breathing easier, reduce fatigue, reduce lung bleeding, conserve energy, and quicken recovery. See the science at fl airstrips.com/learn.

76 3 -97 2 -9 0 5 6 I N F O @ F L A I R ST R I P S .C O M F L A I R ST R I P S .C O M

With FLAIR Strip

| TRAINING |

BUILDING A

STRONGE

RACEHORS WITH

D Y N A M I C M O B I L I S AT I O N E X E R C I S E S

Y

oga, Pilates, cross training, pre-habilitation—whatever you prefer to call it—are strength-training exercises also known as dynamic mobilisation exercises, which can greatly benefit your racehorses.

You can perform these exercises on your horses to help with correcting posture, gaining strength, flexibility and core stability.

All of these positive gains will help a racehorse be more balanced in his movements. Incorporating these exercises daily will of course help alleviate tensions in the body that could potentially turn into problems or pathologies down the road, while reducing the risk of repetitive use injuries.

The concept is the same as cross training in human athletic training. A horse also needs several types of exercises to help keep the body balanced and able to handle the intensity of competition, reduce performance issues and aid in the body’s recovery after competition. As human athletes have known this, one size—one exercise—does not fit all. The body’s systems all need to be challenged to produce an all-around balanced athlete. This logic needs to be addressed with training racehorses as well.

Regular sessions of these types of exercises will result in the improvement of the horse’s posture and ability to carry a rider in a balanced way. A horse with good posture will allow for optimal performance for a longer period with less exhaustion and muscle fatigue.

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Kimberly Schaffer-Marrs

| CORE CONDITIONING |

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| TRAINING |

• Muscles at work

A dynamic mobilisation stretch is mostly done using a bait and are referred to sometimes as carrot stretches. While performing a stretch, certain muscles are activated so that they move and stabilise the intervertebral joints.

Then the activated abdominal muscles help to bend and round the back. This is especially important for a racehorse unlike horses who are trained to carry a long low frame, which will help them engage their body’s core. Racehorses will tend to train with their head high and with a hollowed back. Over time, this can predispose a horse to back pain, kissing spines, lumbosacral issues—all which can then lead to compensatory issues.

If you take a series of two-year-old thoroughbred racehorses, a high proportion of them will have radiological evidence of kissing spines, and quite a lot will have associated back pain.

So joint stabilisation is particularly important to help with improving performance and the prevention of injuries. Research has also shown that with regular performance of these exercises, the equine back becomes enlarged. Subsequently, this will strengthen the back muscles and enable the horse to carry the rider more efficiently with a lessening of back stress.

To demonstrate this, I have a person put a 11 to 22 kg sack of feed over their shoulder. Next, I have them walk between 7 to 9 metres as they would normally walk. Then I have the person stand up straight, hold in their core (abdominals) with correct posture and walk back 7 to 9 metres.

The difference is usually substantial, and the person can feel less stress on the limbs with a straighter and more balanced way of moving. Now they get why the horse’s core strength is so important!

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| CORE CONDITIONING |

• Get started on a routine

I have been doing these exercises for some time and have seen amazing results in my horses’ overall posture, toplines, reduction of back pain and suppleness in their musculature. To get started with your dynamic mobilisation routine, keep in mind that performing these exercises are safe. Do take care though: If your horse has a musculoskeletal or neurological issue, clear it with the vet first before starting dynamic mobilisation exercises. Also keep in mind that many of these exercises are also utilised in rehabilitation from injuries.

When implementing these exercises, ensure the horse follows the bait in a nice smooth manner, and get the horse to hold the stretch. This can sometimes be easier said than done. Some horses will try to snatch and then snap their head back forward. So be patient; there is a learning curve with each individual horse. The more you perform these moves, the better you’ll get, and the smoother the stretches will become.

• Basic daily routine

On a daily basis, I perform the following six exercises, and my horses love it! There are certainly more exercises you can add into this series if you choose, and they can definitely be tailored to an individual horse’s needs.

1. Neck to tail stretch

I get the chin to follow the carrot to the back of the horse’s flank.

I try to get the horse to hold 10 seconds, and I will repeat this three times. This exercise stimulates lateral bending of the neck.

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| CORE CONDITIONING |

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2. Lateral side bend

With the chin bowing around my body, I lead the carrot towards the back leg. I get the horse to hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat two to three times.

Lateral bending exercise is done to stimulate maximum lateral bending of the neck and thoracolumbar spine. It also activates the abdominal muscles and pelvic stabilisation muscles. (Repeat these stretches on both sides of the horse.)

3. Under the leg neck stretches

I use the carrot to bring the horse’s chin down between its front legs and hold the stretch for 10 seconds; I will do that two to three times. These are rounding exercises and are done to stimulate deep flexion of the middle and lower neck.

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4. Neck extension stretches

I will get the horse to stretch out its neck and hold for 10 to 15 seconds, or even longer.

5. Belly lifts

With pressure on the ventral midline underneath the horse, this will stimulate lifting the base of the neck, sternum and withers which activate the thoracic sling and abdominal muscles.

I also perform belly lifts while grooming at least two times for 15 to 25 seconds daily.

6. Butt tuck

I run both hands along the top of the tailhead and scratch to get the horse to tuck its butt under and bow the back to open the spinous processes, elongating the back and hind-end muscles.

I will try to get the horse to hold the tuck for 10 to 15 seconds and will repeat.

Lumbosacral lifts stimulate the abdominal and sublumbar muscles. This causes them to flex and lift both the lumbar and lumbosacral joints.

As you regularly implement dynamic mobilisation exercises in your routine, you will achieve a more flexible, stronger horse while helping aid in reducing a lot of common issues we encounter during training. When done properly, these exercises will help keep them sound and able to perform to the best of their abilities so that they can have longer careers, on and off the racetrack!

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| OPINION |

T

he thoroughbred industry is fairly diverse, with factions arguing their own importance.

Without breeders, we have no horse. Without owners, we have no racing. And without the racehorse, we have no need of racecourses. Racecourse Manager Bill Farnsworth identifies this basic point when he speaks of the stabling facilities at Musselburgh. But sadly, many racecourses in Britain and Ireland are missing the point altogether, and the horse—as Farnsworth refers to an athlete—is the least of their priorities.

The image of half a bale of shavings in a box at Killarney racecourse is a stark one. It is physically awkward to cut a bag and to carry an open bag.

How many of us would bother to go to such pennypinching lengths at home? Indeed, one Irish trainer pointed out that the provision of just half a bale of shavings per box in a racing yard would certainly incur penalties from any IHRB (Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board) stable inspection. Although the IHRB does not include racecourse stabling standards within its Rules, its veterinary department accepts that half a bale is adequate for race day use.

Yet in England, there has been at least one withdrawal due to the minor injuries sustained by a horse rolling in a box with inadequate shavings.

With multiple complaints from British and Irish trainers, a naming and shaming of offending racecourses would have made for a very long and already well-known list. Instead, we might look at those countries who have got it right throughout their tracks, and the racecourse in Britain consistently mentioned as setting the gold standard.

In Germany, trainers seem surprised to be asked about the quality of racecourse stables. Dominik Moser is typical when he explains, “We don’t have a problem with racecourse stabling—90% are on straw, 10% shavings; and where we have shavings, we have three bales per box. The cost of straw has increased this year due to the heavy rains and slight shortage, but it isn’t a problem. I like to see goodsized boxes. I don’t like to see a horse lying down if it doesn’t have enough room.”

Similarly, it isn’t lack of bedding that’s an issue in France but sometimes in the province’s lack of stabling. “We have no problem with hygiene or bedding at racecourse stables,” Gavin Hernon says, “but the problem we have is at smaller tracks when there might be no stable available or we could be sharing with an earlier runner. To be fair, I’ve never had a complaint.”

In recent years, in cases of positive post-race tests in France, the most common cause has been cited as contamination of racecourse stabling, which has led to much more stringent hygiene. “I suppose you could say that one good thing, as a result of that, is that now when you come to the racecourse stables, each box has a plastic seal and you have to break it to enter,” reveals Gina Rarick. “So we can be sure that every box has been disinfected and has clean straw.

“Most of our bedding in France is straw, and there is always enough at the races. If you want to have shavings instead, you have to book in advance and it’s quite expensive. You’ll pay €50-€60, and for that you’ll only be given two bales.

“The worst case I found was in Lyon—there was so much straw in the box and such a lot of dust, the horse started coughing immediately. Deauville

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Lissa Oliver

Alamy, Amanda Mooney, Eclipse Sportswire, Healy Racing, Frank Sorge

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always has plenty of bedding, and they use good quality straw. It’s really nicely done, and I find they are really accommodating.

Other racecourses can be hit and miss; there is no rule on any set standard.”

Like Hernon, Rarick finds it is the lack of boxes that can be an issue at smaller tracks, particularly after a long journey to get there.

Bear in mind that some tracks can be more than eight hours from the main training centres. “The biggest problem I find is that sometimes there are not enough boxes; and at some racecourses out in the country, there are none at all. You are working from the truck,” she says. “When there are too many runners and not enough boxes, the later runners use the same boxes as the earlier runners, which is not really great if you have a later runner. And then in contrast, you might get Chantilly, for example, (who uses) the number of available boxes as an excuse not to have a race; while at other racecourses, they are happy to double up.”

And Rarick raises another point when she notes, “I think it’s unique to France, but there is also a security issue. It seems as though anyone can just wander into the racecourse stables with very few questions asked. So if you’re concerned about that and your horse’s safety, you have to take it upon yourself to be looking after your horse for the whole time it’s there. But really, I think as trainers we kind of like that—not having to be constantly showing the right passes at every gate. It’s very relaxed.”

So that, at least, is how ‘the other half ’ live with the complaint of too much straw, no doubt breaking many Irish hearts. Like in France and Germany, the standard of stabling at Irish racecourses is not written into the Rules.

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ABOVE: A yard worker turns straw in front of a box at Chantilly.

Michael Grassick, CEO of the IRTA (Irish Racehorse Trainers Association) explains, “It’s at the discretion of the racecourse, but half a bale of shavings is standard, with paper available as an alternative on request. I know a lot comes down to the cost, but the reason behind the half bale is that if there were a deeper bed, it would encourage the horse to roll. We don’t have overnight stays here in Ireland, and horses don’t have so far to travel to the races; so it’s not the issue it is in the UK or some other countries.

I would say 99% of trainers find the stabling at Irish racecourses reasonable.”

| S TA B L E S TA N D A R D S |

A meagre half a bale of shavings supplied in a box at Killarney Racecourse.

What the half bale equated to.

RIGHT: Racecourses in France are generally more generous with the amount of box bedding supplied on race day.

However, several trainers, including those based in Northern Ireland who still come under the IHRB jurisdiction, are far from happy. With so much media attention on equine welfare, the argument is that half a bale of shavings is totally insufficient for a horse, which might arrive at the races four hours early.

Amanda Mooney tells us, “I am a small trainer in County Meath, and horses are everything to me. All are treated as individuals in my yard and all their needs met to a high standard.

I am at a loss when I go racing and feel it’s so wrong that a top athlete—who needs a good thick bed underneath them to pee or feel relaxed—is then asked to deliver what they are trained for, but it is not made comfortable by racecourses.

“As instructed by the IHRB veterinarian, they only need half a bag of shavings in the stable at the racecourse even though they could be stood in the stable for a good few hours before and after their race. If I were to leave a racehorse in a stable at home with just half a bag of shavings on concrete, would this be acceptable to a vet?”

Most trainers raised the issue of the horse’s reluctance to urinate where lack of bedding caused splashing. A comparison to eventing was made, where temporary boxes are made up to match the comfort the horse would be used to at home.

The provision of a safe, non-slip area for trotting up for veterinary inspections was another common appeal. Amanda Mooney points out, “I have a horse who has a very slightly enlarged fetlock, which has never given him any problems and was like this when purchased from Godolphin. I, like all trainers

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| OPINION |

| S TA B L E S TA N D A R D S |

LEFT: The trot up surface at Down Royal Racecourse.

BELOW: Co Meath-based trainer Amanda Mooney.

BOTTOM: A box at Kilbeggan Racecourse.

in Ireland when getting our licence, have undertaken to look after all the horses in my care to a top standard, which includes not running a horse if lame or sore. Every time he runs, he is subjected to rigorous joint movement and then required to trot up, which I’ve refused on the grounds of unsuitable surfaces. I have even given a full vet report on the horse for all vets to read at the course.

“At Down Royal he was inspected within 45 minutes of the race off and was asked to trot up on stones! I find this is totally unacceptable and not within the best animal welfare of an athlete about to compete.”

Mooney is not alone. “The racecourse stabling here in Ireland is very poor—some are just swept out. There’s no disinfecting, no cleaning,” Willie McCreery sums up the situation. “You get half a bale of shavings, €3.50 worth, or stale shavings from the previous time the box was used, which you don’t want. If you ask, you might get another half. I think it’s something that Dr Lynn Hillyer should be taking sides with us on welfare grounds. But then again, there are some trainers who won’t put any bedding down because of the dust.”

In Britain, the situation ought to be better, as the BHA (British Horseracing Authority) does make provision for racecourse stabling within its Rules. Its general instructions state there are two levels of hygiene required for racecourse stables.

Level 1 requires that “between occupancy all material (except clean bedding) such as soiled bedding, droppings, food etc. must be removed and fresh bedding added as necessary. The area should then be thoroughly sprayed with chemical disinfection.”

Level 2 requires “racecourse stables must be thoroughly cleaned, removing all bedding and steam cleaning or pressure hosing all surfaces, and chemically disinfected, to an organised and correctly documented programme, available at any time to the Inspector of Courses or Veterinary Officer on duty, that will guarantee a maximum elapsed period (during which there is racing) of three months between each treatment of any stable. “(ii) When a stable has been occupied by a horse suffering from an infectious or contagious disease or given medication. “(iii) When a stable has been occupied by a horse coming from abroad (including Ireland), any horse not in training or travellers which have not run within the past four days or are not entered to run within the next four days. “(iv) After occupation by outside bodies, such as Sales or Pony Clubs.”

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While the adding of fresh bedding “as necessary” is included, the amount of bedding is not. NTF CEO Rupert Arnold encourages trainers to lodge a complaint if they are not satisfied with the cleanliness of a racecourse stable or the amount of bedding.

“We have a form, which trainers or their staff are encouraged to use on the day to report unsatisfactory cleaning of stables,” says Arnold. “The important thing is that they report to the veterinary officer and stable manager immediately if they find a problem.”

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| OPINION |

| S TA B L E S TA N D A R D S |

Ilka Gansera-Leveque

The form itself—which must be handed to the BHA veterinary officer for verification on the same day—states the veterinary officer should discuss the concern with the clerk of the course and the BHA racecourse inspector.

“Another interesting example is the use of water in the winners and unsaddling enclosures,” Arnold adds. “There are supposed to be different supplies for washing down and drinking, but very often you see the same water used for both, meaning that horses are sharing drinking water. This seems unhygienic, but perhaps it is less risky than we think.”

This is an observation also raised by some British trainers.

When a horse needs to be tested after racing, the shared use of water buckets has been queried. Neither is there always enough space provided for testing, with complaints of horses having to walk in tight circles.

The limited number of wash bays is another major issue at some tracks—runners having to wait post-race to be washed down.

Temperature and water pressure are also consistent problems.

Some trainers have noted water left running throughout racing, with huge amounts of wastage and seemingly no one overseeing this or taking responsibility.

Ilka Gansera-Leveque is one of the trainers affected by poor stabling standards. “Our filly, Merci Percy, arrived at Wolverhampton to run. There were barely any shavings, but we thought she’d be OK just standing in waiting for her race. I was in the next box preparing our other runner for his run when we

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WHAT SANITISING AGENTS ARE RACECOURSES USING? WE ARE NOT TOLD WHAT THEY ARE USING; THERE’S NO REAL REGIME. I HAVE KNOWN PEOPLE COMPLAINING THEIR HORSES ARE COMING BACK FROM THE RACES WITH RINGWORM.” heard her go down for a roll. By the time we arrived with her, she was getting back up, but she was cut and bruised and I had no option but to withdraw her. It’s so hard having to go and make that phone call.”

She also questions the transparency of racecourse stable hygiene, asking, “What sanitising agents are racecourses using? We are not told what they are using; there’s no real regime. I have known people complaining their horses are coming back from the races with ringworm. Biosecurity is everything; it’s so important. When we use a public toilet in public spaces, we are used to seeing a simple chart displayed, showing the time it was last cleaned and the person who did so. That’s something I would like to see displayed on every box row at the racecourse; it wouldn’t be hard to do.”

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| OPINION |

Obviously, it is up to the trainer or their representative to take responsibility and check stabling before unloading the horse, but the reality is they have runners to deal with who can’t be left standing in the horsebox following a long journey. Is it really acceptable to expect a trainer or groom to find the necessary person, request whatever is needed, wait for that to be delivered or denied, and then complete a form and discuss the complaint with the veterinary officer on duty? How would we feel if we retired to our hotel room and found a single bed sheet left out on an unmade bed? How long does it take before we lose our will to complain?

“I’M SURPRISED THAT POOR STANDARDS IN RACECOURSE STABLES IS AN ISSUE, I CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHY ANY RACECOURSE CAN’T PROVIDE THE BEDDING REQUIRED BY A RACEHORSE. OUR POLICY HERE IS THAT WE JUST GIVE THE GROOMS AS MANY BALES OF SHAVINGS AS THEY ASK FOR.”

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It can only be hoped that there are racecourse managers reading this who are now hanging their heads in shame, while others are happy that they are keeping up standards. One racecourse manager who can serve as a guiding light is Bill Farnsworth, manager of Musselburgh Racecourse in Scotland.

“I’m surprised that poor standards in racecourse stables is an issue,” he says. “I can’t understand why any racecourse can’t provide the bedding required by a racehorse. Our policy here is that we just give the grooms as many bales of shavings as they ask for. We put two bales of shavings in a box, or one-and-a-half bales of paper; but we say to the grooms, they may have as many as they like—they only have to ask.

“We are dependent on attracting racehorses in order to stage racing, so we ensure the best possible care; and if their grooms want six bales, then we’ll give them six bales. They know what their horse needs better than anyone.

“Our stables were built in 2010 and are very good quality, but they are on concrete. So, we appreciate the horses require ample bedding. We’re very aware of trying to reduce wastage and recycle where we can; so at the end of a meeting, we bag up any clean shavings left and our groundsman distributes it to local stables, who are very grateful to receive free bedding.

“The bedding comes out of our own funds, and it is an added cost. But we just have to accept that there’s a cost to putting on a race day, and we have to bear that cost. You have to provide the

| S TA B L E S TA N D A R D S |

basics, and it’s just foolish to make cuts to the basics. We’re very careful on what we spend, but to cut the cost on horse welfare just isn’t an option. It’s the same with jockeys and stable staff. We put staff up in the Premier Inn. “There are basic requirements you have to provide. We don’t regard those as the areas to look to cut costs, and if you can’t do them properly, quite frankly you shouldn’t be staging race meetings. These are things you have to get right.

“Some racecourses are run from spreadsheets, but our visiting grooms have the final say—not our accountant. We have to look to make savings, just as every racecourse must; but certain areas are just sacrosanct.

“We are very lucky we have Stable Manager Brian Melrose and a team of three men. Brian is an ex-policeman, and our head groundsman is from a hunting background; so they are all horsemen and all old school—their standards of cleanliness are very high. And they are all very pleasant people, and that friendliness makes a difference.

“We’re not perfect, and I’m sure mistakes are made. Some trainers and staff have possibly had a bad experience, but we do try to do our best. Our previous clerk was Harriet Graham, who is now clerk at Hamilton, and she is also a trainer. So, I’m sure it makes a difference that sometimes she is the recipient. At Musselburgh we all have equine backgrounds, and no one leaves the job until it is finished.”

Farnsworth concludes with a key take-home message. “We’re conscious that we’re at the end of the motorway, and I think I can say it’s the same at all the Scottish tracks. We appreciate (that) people have travelled a long way to get here, so we make sure they are looked after well; and we make it as easy as possible for them after what may have been a difficult and tiring journey. We really appreciate their support, otherwise we haven’t got races.”

Musselburgh Racecourse Manager Bill Farnsworth.

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| INDUSTRY |

Dr Paull Khan

Alamy, Caroline Norris, Sabine Brose/galoppfoto.de

LOOKING AFTER OUR JOCKEYS Q&A INTERVIEW WITH DENIS EGAN

I

n this issue, we conclude our series of Question and Answer sessions with the chairs of the various committees that operate in the EMHF region.

Following our features on the Pattern and doping control, we turn our attention to the well-being of our human athletes, the jockeys.

Denis Egan, who until recently was CEO of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, has also been the driving force

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within the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) when it comes to the welfare of riders. Not only does he chair the European Racing Medical Officers Group, but he has also been at the helm of the global International Conference for the Health, Safety and Welfare of Jockeys (ICHSWJ) since its inception some 15 years ago.

This time, our questions have been posed by various jockeys’ associations.

| EMHF |

Q: What is the ICHSWJ?

Denis Egan

DE: The ICHSWJ is a biennial conference for racing administrators, racecourse doctors, researchers and jockeys’ associations. The first conference was held in Tokyo (Japan) in 2006, and the ICHSWJ was officially recognised as one of the sub-committees of the IFHA in 2009. There have been eight conferences to date, which were held in Tokyo, Japan (2006), Antalya, Turkey (2008), Monmouth Park, USA (2012 & 2013), Hong Kong (2015) and Dubai, UAE (2010, 2017 and 2019).

The conference features presentations from the world’s leading racing administrators, racecourse doctors and researchers who work closely with jockeys both on the racecourse and through research studies. We are hoping to hold the next conference in Dubai in 2022, subject to COVID-19 restrictions being lifted.

Q: What is the charter of the ICHSWJ? DE: The mission of the ICHSWJ is to provide a forum to discuss and implement strategies to raise the standards of safety and the standards of care provided to jockeys and to create a safer and healthier everyday life for jockeys when they participate in the sport.

The ICHSWJ has seven strategic objectives, namely to:

• RAISE awareness of jockeys’ health, safety and welfare issues • HARMONISE standards and procedures throughout the world • HARMONISE the collection of injury data • PROVIDE a forum for the sharing of information • SHARE research findings and foster collaboration • PROPOSE strategies to deal with issues on a global basis • SET UP a more effective communication mechanism between countries

Q: What do you see as the main focus by the attendees and presenters re jockeys’ health, safety and welfare?

Is it bone health, making weight in a healthy manner (e.g., saunas, nutrition and fluid intake), concussion, injuries and falls, psychological/mental health issues, PPE (e.g., helmets and vests), or all of the above?

DE: It is all of the above with an increasing focus on mental health, concussion and making weight safely.

If you look back at the agendas for the eight conferences that have taken place, the focus of the initial conferences was on what could be described as ‘traditional’ jockey issues such as weights, injuries and safety equipment, with little or no research having been carried out in any of the areas. Now everything has changed, and the focus is on the increasing amount of research that has been carried out in jockey health and safety-related issues. In Ireland we have been funding research since 2003, and many other countries have now developed their own research programmes. There is now much greater research collaboration between countries than there would have been in the past, and this has contributed to better results.

The one thing that has surprised me most is the huge focus that is now on mental health. The first time it appeared on a conference agenda was in 2017, and it has now become such a major issue everywhere. There have been numerous studies carried out that have found there are significant levels of depression amongst jockeys; and the industry is now addressing this with most countries putting better support in place for jockeys.

Studies have found that the life of a jockey has major highs and lows, and while success is a high, there are far more lows such as wasting, injuries, failing, travelling and social media abuse, which can be very hard to take. Studies have also found that there is a complex interplay between physical and psychological challenges: weight, dehydration, making weight and mood.

Q: What do you think is the number one issue facing jockeys at the moment?

DE: There is no doubt that the number one issue facing jockeys at the moment is mental health; and the fallout from this is being addressed by both the governing bodies in collaboration with the jockeys, which is the way to go. Many countries make sports psychologists available for jockeys if they want to use their services.

We have been doing this in Ireland for many years, and while some jockeys may have been reluctant to use these services in the past, more and more have come to realise the benefit of the service.

Q: There has been a lot of research into mental health and wellbeing issues in jockeys, especially in Ireland and the UK. What can governing bodies do to either proactively improve jockeys’ mental wellbeing or support those with issues?

DE: Practically every governing body is now aware of the importance of jockeys’ mental health and wellbeing. The best way of helping jockeys is to be aware of the issues they are facing and to work with the jockeys’ associations to address these issues. The recent collaboration between the Professional Jockeys Association in Great Britain and the BHA is testament to what can be achieved by working together where an outcome was delivered that benefited everyone.

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Q: The last conference in Dubai discussed formulating methods to predict bone fractures in jockeys. Do you see a day when aspiring, and/or already licensed riders are routinely screened and those exhibiting high-risk factors are prevented from riding? If not, how do you see this knowledge being put to best effect?

DE: There has been a lot of research into bone density. However, I do not see riders exhibiting high-risk factors being prevented from riding—certainly not in the short to medium term anyway.

When more information becomes available from the studies, this can then be used to address the issue.

Q: How can jockeys be encouraged to continue their professional development beyond the claiming phase of their career?

DE: My view is that it should be mandatory under rules for riders to do a minimum amount of professional development each year and that they should be given credit for doing it perhaps by being able to contrast the time used doing the development against a suspension. In other words, if a rider does two days’ training in a year, it should be possible to contrast that against a two-day ban.

I know it is a fairly radical suggestion, but ongoing training can focus riders’ minds on greater adherence to the rules, which in turn should lead to fewer suspensions.

Q: As elite athletes, and often the faces of racing in the media, how can the sport best promote good conduct and a culture of respect amongst the jockeys? To what extent should jockeys be encouraged or discouraged from using social media?

DE: Respect in any walk of life is critical, and riders need to be The other way governing bodies can assist is through education and the provision of support services to jockeys, which are easily accessible. Jockeys sometimes need to be educated in the sense of making them aware of what is available and how the services can be accessed. It is sometimes difficult to encourage jockeys to use mental health support services as some see it as a sign of weakness that they need to access these services; and they don’t want their weighing room colleagues to know that they perceive themselves as having issues. In reality, it is a sign of mental strength that they (are) able to make the decision that they need the service.

Q: The issue of burnout is one that is increasing across all sports. How do you feel governing bodies deal with or recognise this as an issue?

DE: It is now being dealt with far better than it was in the past.

Great Britain recently announced that jockeys will be restricted to riding at one meeting per day in 2022. This is the second year that this has occurred, and this was agreed in cooperation with the jockeys’ association there. In Ireland there was a holiday for the professional jump riders for a three-week period in early June this year. This worked very well as it gave the jockeys an opportunity for some down time to recharge and take a holiday.

Burnout may not be as big an issue for riders in countries where there are a small number of racecourses or where there is a restricted racing season, but nevertheless, all governing bodies need to be aware of it.

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respected. They are human like us all and make mistakes; and it is too easy for the keyboard warriors to anonymously abuse them.

Most people don’t realise that riders have a split second to make a decision, and if they get the decision wrong, they lose; if they get it right, they are heroes. No one has a right to abuse anyone else, and people should put themselves in the rider’s position before they criticise.

I don’t see any issue with riders using social media. Most of them use it responsibly and to promote the sport. However, by being on it in the first place, they are exposing themselves; and some of the abuse given to riders that I have read recently is uncalled for and has no place in any sport.

Q: The sad truth is that a decline in a jockey’s career is not often reversed and is very apparent to the racing public. To what extent do you feel jockeys’ expectations are managed, and should they be encouraged to keep alert to the likely need for a second career within the medium term?

DE: Like any sportsperson, riders have to make a decision at some stage to give up. Some of them keep postponing the decision because riding has been their life. However, in recent years, there has been a greater emphasis on riders focussing on an alternative career before they retire so that they can seamlessly ease into that career. JETS in Great Britain and the Jockeys Pathway in Ireland have done great work in this area, and riders now have greater support from an early stage to help them look to life after the saddle.

| EMHF |

Q: Unlike sports such as football, cricket and rugby— where the player associations receive central funding to run themselves and offer support—jockey associations worldwide are largely self-funded. Do you think more central funding should be provided to assist with the provision of welfare services, insurances, etc.?

DE: I am always an advocate of ensuring that the best services are provided for jockeys, no matter where the money comes from!

However, governing bodies’ resources are limited, and there are many competing demands for funding from all parts of the industry. I don’t believe that governing bodies should be funding jockeys’ associations; however, I do believe they have some role to play in supporting welfare services, provided the jockeys themselves also contribute. This could be done perhaps by a levy on prize money, which could be used to part-fund the relevant service. For example, in Ireland, this has worked particularly well, where 1% of all prize money is paid into an emergency fund for jockeys, with the result that there is funding available to look after any rider who suffers paralysis which requires 24-hour care.

The fund is, in effect, a self-funded insurance scheme, and it has been found to be a far cheaper and better way of providing for such injuries rather than insuring the risk.

Q: Do some of the major players (national racing authorities, IFHA, etc.) support the conference?

DE: There has been great support from the racing authorities and in recent years, from the various jockeys’ associations. The eight conferences have been attended by representatives from 23 different countries, and the conference itself provided the backdrop to the setting up of the International Jockeys Federation in 2017.

Q: How important is Al Basti to the ICHSWJ? DE: The commitment of Al Basti Equiworld to the conference is huge, and without the support of Mr Al Basti, we would struggle to make the conference the success that it is.

With his support, we have been able to have the past two conferences in the Meydan Hotel in Dubai; and the next conference will also take place there. Meydan is one of the most iconic racecourses in the world, and it is fitting that the conference takes place there.

Most people know that Al Basti Equiworld is a major international sponsor of a wide variety of thoroughbred racing and breeding events and facilities across the globe. Mr Al Basti is passionate about the welfare of those involved in the day-to-day activities of the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry, particularly jockeys; and anyone who looks at racing on a regular basis will be familiar with the Al Basti logo, which is worn by many leading jockeys.

Q: What one change would you like to see within five years to benefit jockeys?

DE: The one change that I would like to see in the next five years, which would benefit jockeys most, is the raising of the weight structures right across the board. Jockeys are no different than the general population and are getting bigger, but the weight structures have not been adjusted enough to reflect this. Many studies have highlighted the long-term effects of making weight on a continuous basis on jockeys’ health, particularly on bone density and indeed on mental health. There is considerable work going on behind the scenes between the medical officers and the researchers who are putting together a proposal on raising the weights, which will be considered by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities that we hope they will consider favourably.

Q: Policymakers seem to be stuck in something of a pincer movement, with those advocating for jockey welfare, clamouring for higher weights and those for horse welfare, for lower weights. Surely, there is little scope to put up the top weights, so the effect of your recommendation will be to restrict weight ranges. Do you think the industry will accept the inevitable reduction in the overall competitiveness of races?

DE: I don’t accept that there is little scope to put up the top weights. Everyone knows that horses are being ridden on the gallops each morning by riders who are riding at heavier weights than the horse has to carry in a race. There was a race in Ireland recently where a two-year-old carried almost 65kgs over a mile and won, so I don’t think raising the top weights should be an issue.

Q: Do you ever see a time when there will be one set of codified rules common to major racing nations with regard to drug testing, minimum weights, concussion protocols and other significant health—including mental health—issues?

DE: I do, and I think this could happen sooner than we expect, notwithstanding that there is a bit to go yet. Great work has been on the harmonisation of rules by the International Harmonisation of Raceday Rules Committee, and one of their biggest achievements to date has been the almost universal use of the Category One Interference rule by most of the major racing countries. The fact that this was achieved, despite the initial opposition, bodes well for harmonised rules in the area of jockeys’ health and safety.

ISSUE 75 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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| PRODUCT FOCUS |

THE NEW WAY TO MEASURE YOUR HORSE

HeightLight is an important step forward in the management of equine development, providing an efficient means to measure horses from foal stage onwards.

Accurate and straightforward to use, the laser technology

The handheld laser uses patented technology, utilising

of JJ-Pferdewaage in Germany, who commented:

employed by HeightLight can be relied upon to record height with precision.

Since launching in June 2021, HeightLight has been sold globally to equine vets, trainers, breeders, bloodstock agents and other professional practitioners within the equine industry.

One such person is Jannis Van Geldern, owner and director

trigonometry, enabling HeightLight to provide the ability to effectively measure down through a solid object, in this

“We are a horse measurement and weighing company

case a horse.

based in Germany. We have been using the HeightLight

Where measuring sticks can prove difficult to use with younger or nervous horses, HeightLight’s compact handheld design makes approaching difficult to measure horses an altogether easier procedure. Whilst the measurement is still taken from the withers, the absence of a measuring stick provides a more stress free environment.

laser system professionally since the very beginning.

We compared a lot of devices and the HeightLight system is extremely precise.It is very easy to use.

A big advantage is that the horses stay very calm.

Even fearful horses can be measured very easily and quickly. We can recommend the laser to everyone.”

HeightLight is powered by 2 x AA batteries and comes with a carry case and a wrist lanyard, user manual and each device has its own certificate of calibration. There is a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.

For further information please visit www.heightlightstore.com 78

TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 75

| PRODUCT FOCUS |

EQUISSISTANT.COM

A NEW MANAGEMENT PLATFORM DEVELOPED BY A TRAINER FOR TRAINERS Three years ago, Dan Cross and Jo Davis saw an opportunity to revolutionise the equine industry. The concept was simple – to bring record keeping and management of yards into the 21st Century.

Davis approached this problem from the trainer’s perspective.

You can also choose to include owner communication in any

Having 30 years’ experience, she formed a clear idea about how

aspect of yard updates to inform owners of horses’ progress or

software could work, so she set about looking for a developer

upcoming appointments, as well as uploading pictures, videos,

to help her achieve her aim.

and web links for owners to log in and view.

Dan Cross, a web developer, saw an opportunity to create

Equissistant manages QR codes to access information

something better when visiting stables in Lambourn. He quickly

conveniently. Scan a generated door card and go straight to the

realised that without industry specific knowledge, the task would

information you need. SMS alerts are also available to remind

be impossible.

any user in the system of important events or tasks.

They found each other through a Go Racing Green event – a

Having all the information in one place means that anything

brilliant initiative that helps people face life challenges through

you have access to is available in seconds. For example: export

a love of horses and racing. Combining their knowledge and

an entire history of a horse when transferring, so that the

skills, over a period of 2 years, Equissistant became a reality.

recipient is aware of any important information and ongoing

Packing in modern features in one place means that writing down notes in books, or trying to remember what happened

veterinary treatment.

As billable items are gathered throughout the month, periodic

when you get back to your computer, is a thing of the past. With

invoicing is effortless, with split invoicing available by owner

Equissistant, one can update information on a variety of different

percentage.

computers and mobile devices, from any location.

This also applies to yard staff, or visiting vets and farriers who can log in and update their work or provide notes on their visit.

Everyone on the yard can be connected through Equissistant,

Horse welfare is at the forefront of everything we do, and part of our future plan is to create performance and injury prevention tools, tapping into advances in equine knowledge.

There are many more amazing features on Equissistant!

while security features allow access only to the information you want your users to see.

Make Equissistant your own by configuring your own pick lists with the information you want. These lists can be in your own language or terminology, so that you don’t have to change how you work.

Entering medical records is convenient from mobile devices or computers; the medical records report is exportable in a variety of formats.

To learn more about Equissistant please visit equissistant.com ISSUE 75 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM

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WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO IMPROVE YOUR BIOSECURITY?

Over recent years, the equine industry has battled with a number of biosecurity threats.

Even in the absence of an infectious outbreak, the horses under our care are susceptible to ‘opportunistic pathogens’ such as Aspergillus and encapsulated viruses.

Often we find out too late following the ingestion of certain

Meeting standards EN1656 / EN1657 amongst countless others,

pathogens, and some of them can be extremely difficult to

these tests are carried out for use in veterinary care facilities and

eradicate. To combat these risks, Equine BIO Genie has brought

animal husbandry which is not met by many products in the

the latest technology and advancements made in the human

sector.

sector to benefit the horse.

Equine BIO Fluid is the result – it is the outcome of countless

Equine BIO Fluid is available at a price in line with existing products – while bringing vertical progress in technology for the

tests under specific conditions. Efficacy tested in clean and dirty

sector, we have maintained a horizontal pricing structure. We

conditions using a 5% equine serum and boasting credentials

have the horses at the core of our process, and want as many of

not shared by any other equine product.

them as possible to benefit from our research. In so doing, we

The use of ionic silver combined with H202 creates a highly stable, indiscriminate killer of bacteria, viruses and fungal spores while maintaining a 100% biodegradable and organic compliant

benefit the user so neither horse, stable lad or rider is at risk of ingesting harmful chemicals.

There are so many areas of advancement in the world of

profile, which has no taste, odour, colour or toxicity…but you can

racing. We strongly believe it’s now time for the area of biocidal

see it work!

and bio-security protocol to follow suit. Great steps have been

Equine BIO Fluid stands alone in its efficacy compared to the widely used QUAT based products.

There are no gaps in activity spectrum (still effective regardless

made outside of racing and we are proud to now bring it within.

A horse performing at its best is a healthy one – and with the use of a highly advanced and easy to use product, we can help

of pH and organic matter), wide germicidal range and effective

make the stable an environment that gives the horse its best

‘biofilm’ remover; it is also effective against gram positive and

possible chance at being healthy.

negative bacteria and viruses.

Crucially, and importantly for the user, the horse and the ecosystem…there is no chemical residue remaining after application, and there is no need for rinsing; the product degrades to water and oxygen alone, which renders it safe to be administered onto feed, bedding, mangers and troughs. This product is ‘food safe’.

For ease of use, Equine BIO Fluid is available as a ‘ready to use’ formula or as a concentrate to be diluted with water and can be used in any regular spraying device. In addition, it can be used for dipping bridles, soaking equipment, fogging and use in the washing machine.

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TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 75

For further information please visit www.equine-bio-genie.co.uk

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JOHNNY MURTAGH

SONNYBOYLISTON Winner of the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (Gr. 1) Trainer Johnny Murtagh Jockey Ben Coen Owner Kildare Racing Club

Contact our specialist thoroughbred team: Ireland: +353 599 775 800 UK: +44 1386 552066 France: +33 6 98 67 51 38 Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland Email: info@redmills.com

www.redmills.com