Applying science to Ireland's thoroughbred horse industry Equinome a new Irish biotech company
Consider this: The Men’s 1,500 metres world record fell by some 31 seconds in the 86 years from 1913 to 1999 when the current world record was set by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco at 3 minutes 43:13. That’s an improvement of about one second every three years. The English Derby, a horse race run over 2,414 metres, was won in 1908 in 2 minutes 39:80, while in 2008, New Approach won it in a time of 2 minutes 36:50. That’s a far less impressive improvement of about one second every 33 years or so.
Why have human world records been falling rapidly compared to horse race times? Dr Emmeline Hill, an equine scientist based at UCD, is starting to change all that. She is helping keep Ireland at the forefront of the thoroughbred horse breeding industry by applying science to horse performance. She wants to understand, at the genetic level, why some thoroughbred horses will develop into champions, while others will not. Such information could be extremely valuable, when it is considered that the world record price paid for a yearling thoroughbred foal is $16 million (€11.7 million).
Dr Hill received an SFI President of Ireland Young Researcher Award in 2004. Dr Hill had three research goal’s in her SFI-funded project entitled: “The genomics of performance in thoroughbred horses.” She wishes to better understand the differences at the single gene level – genes that are important for exercise – between winning thoroughbreds and non-winners. From there, she wishes to identify the genes that have been selected for, and propagated from generation to generation in the 400 year plus breeding programme in thoroughbreds. Finally, she wishes to understand the function of these genes that have been selected for.
Dr Hills research has resulted in the development of the Equinome Speed Gene test. Following the success of the research programme, Dr Hill and Mr Jim Bolger, the renowned Irish racehorse trainer and breeder, co-founded Equinome in 2009 to commercialise the test. Equinome, is a new Irish biotech company, that has launched a breakthrough genetic test that can identify the optimum racing distance for individual Thoroughbred horses. The identification of ‘The Speed Gene’ is the first known characterisation of a gene contributing to a specific athletic trait in Thoroughbred horses and has the potential to transform decision-making processes in the global bloodstock industry.
The Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding industry is an international, multi-billion euro business, with more than 100,000 foals born each year. Using the Equinome Speed Gene test racehorse owners and trainers around the world will be able to identify if a horse is ideally suited to racing over short, middle or middle-to-long distances. With this information, they can then optimise their purchasing and training decisions and better target suitable races for their horses. Breeders, stallion managers and bloodstock agents will also be able to use the test to make more precise selection and breeding decisions to maximise the genetic potential and commercial value of their horses.
For more information see: www.equinome.com and http://www.ucd.ie/research/people/agriculturefoodvetscience/dremmelinehill/home/
