Latest news with #racehorses
News.com.au
20-07-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Hot Money Monday: Proteomics brings science to racehorse recovery, as animal health booms
New blood test reveals hidden muscle damage in racehorses Proteomics' OxiDx helps trainers spot injuries early and avoid breakdowns ASX-listed stocks with exposure to the animal sector. In the high-octane world of thoroughbred racing, muscle is money. Every gallop, every second shaved off the clock comes down to conditioning, training, and recovery. But what happens when something breaks, and you don't even know it? That's the riddle Proteomics International Laboratories (ASX:PIQ) and its subsidiary OxiDx are solving with a groundbreaking new test that can detect muscle damage in racehorses. Last Monday, Proteomics announced a major update. Its patented OxiDx test has now proven – via peer-reviewed research – that it can track oxidative stress and pinpoint muscle injury in thoroughbred racehorses post-race. In short: trainers and vets now have hard data instead of relying on gut feel. Published in Veterinary Medicine and Science, the study tracked 34 Australian racehorses across seven days after racing. Using a dried blood spot from each horse, the OxiDx test measured thiol-oxidised albumin, a protein biomarker of oxidative stress. The findings were clear: oxidative stress levels peaked two days after a race and stayed elevated for up to five. Some horses took even longer to recover. That variability suggests that one horse might bounce back after 48 hours, while another might still be nursing invisible damage a week later. And if you're a trainer pushing too hard, too soon, that kind of hidden strain can lead to breakdowns. In fact, up to 85% of thoroughbreds suffer at least one injury during their early racing years, many of them muscle-related and many going undiagnosed until it's too late. OxiDx redefines racehorse recovery What makes this test so compelling is its simplicity. Forget MRI scans or expensive ultrasounds, and forget relying on subjective gait assessments or enzyme tests. This is a world-first blood test. Non-invasive, stable, and gives trainers and vets something they've never had before: objective insight into how a horse is actually recovering. 'These exciting results mark a significant milestone in applying the OxiDx test to equine veterinary medicine,' said Proteomics' CEO, Dr Richard Lipscombe. 'OxiDx has the potential to empower trainers to monitor muscle recovery with precision, helping their racehorses achieve peak performance while prioritising equine health and well-being.' This is all about protecting high-value assets. After all, elite racehorses are routinely valued in the millions, and breeding stallions commanding even higher figures. OxiDx seems to have a first-mover foothold in this lucrative corner of the market. If all goes to plan, PIQ said the OxiDx test could be hitting Aussie stables by this time next year, potentially becoming a go-to tool for trainers. Animals are serious business While most of the world has its eye on human medicine, the animal health sector has been galloping ahead, quietly becoming one of the hottest areas in biotech. If you dig into the numbers, animal diagnostics is a actually billion-dollar market that's been growing faster than many areas of human healthcare. The market is driven by rising pet ownership and humanisation, growing demand for livestock productivity, and in this case, the high economic value of performance animals. It's serious business, especially when the animals in question are worth more than most houses. Other animal-relates stocks on the ASX Apiam Animal Health (ASX:AHX) Apiam is Australia's biggest rural and regional vet group, with boots on the ground from dairy farms to dog parks in over 70 locations nationwide. It's got 330-plus vets and a serious logistics backbone - warehouses in four states, national lab networks, and even eCommerce for livestock producers. And now, Apiam is rolling out CoVet, an AI-powered clinical tool that's already making traction in its network. Using voice recognition and smart templates, CoVet takes care of the boring stuff like generating notes and discharging instructions so vets can spend less time typing and more time treating. In June, Apiam appointed seasoned executive Bruce Dixon as interim managing director, following the departure of founding CEO Dr Chris Richards. Mad Paws (ASX:MPA) Mad Paws is Australia's go-to marketplace for pet care, connecting pet owners with trusted sitters, walkers, groomers, and a growing range of pet products and services. Launched in 2014, the company was built to solve the age-old question: 'What do I do with my pet when I'm away?' With 73% of Aussie households already owning pets, and spending over $3,000 per year on dogs alone, the market is big, sticky, and recession-resistant. And with consumer trends like pet humanisation on the rise, Mad Paws could be positioned to ride the wave. Aroa Biosurgery (ASX:ARX) While not directly in the pet or animal business, Aroa's use of ovine tissue put it in a unique position at the intersection of animal-derived innovation and human health. The New Zealand-born medtech company uses something pretty special to help the human body heal - tissue from the forestomach of sheep. Led by vet-turned-founder Dr Brian Ward, Aroa discovered that ovine tissue, particularly the extracellular matrix (ECM), closely mirrors human soft tissue and is packed with over 150 proteins vital to healing. After carefully stripping the tissue of cells and DNA, what's left is a natural scaffold that guides the body to regenerate itself, helping tissue repair in complex wounds. With FDA approvals, global distribution across 50+ countries, and standout clinical results, the company is hitting its stride. At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While Aroa Biosurgery is a Stockhead advertiser at the time of writing, it did not sponsor this article.
News.com.au
02-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Our best-ever season': Darby Racing passes century of winners for 2024-25
Scott Darby likens his successful racehorse syndications business to an evolving footy team. 'We are always trying to add an older, established 'player' to Darby Racing while continuing to bring in some younger talent,'' Darby explained. 'It's almost like trying to build a good football side. Although many of our owners might only be in one horse they are following all of our Darby horses so it is very tribal.'' Darby is an avid Wests Tigers supporter but it is fair to say he's having more success on the racetrack than his team is on the footy field. 'I am struggling with the Tigers because the season is going the way it has gone the last few years,'' he said. 'I am very competitive and I'm finding myself turning the Tigers games off before they are finished. I love an underdog and the Tigers are improving slowly, but too slowly.'' Fortunately for Darby, his Darby Racing Syndications business is making winning a habit on the racetrack with the owner's familiar racing colours of white, navy blue Darby Racing logo, navy blue armband and cap being worn by jockeys to more than 100 race wins this season. During 2024-25, Darby Racing-owned horses have won the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes and have had Group 2 wins in The Ingham, Brisbane Cup, Sweet Embrace Stakes, Shannon Stakes and Ajax Stakes, Group 3 wins in the Sydney Stakes, Newcastle Stakes, Parramatta Cup, Queen Elizabeth II Cup and Liverpool City Cup, plus a host of Listed races including the Inglis Nursery and Inglis Banner. 'I think all-round with winners, stakes wins and prizemoney, this has been our best-ever season,'' Darby said. 'We are on track for 120 wins for the season. We have been trying to average 10 wins a month and we have 107 wins going into July.'' Robusto and Raging Force, who are both entries for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, are representative of the Darby Racing ethos. Apprentice Ben Osmond ducks and weaves on Robusto and the @cwallerracing -trained gelding wins first-up ðŸ'Š — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 20, 2024 The Bjorn Baker -trained Robusto, a relatively recent Darby Racing purchase, is a rising six-year-old but has had a career-best season and is chasing another feature race win in the Listed $200,000 Winter Stakes (1400m). Raging Force, the boom Peter Snowden -trained two-year-old, has looked exceptional winning both starts this winter and is looking to extend his winning streak in the Thank You ATC Members Handicap (1100m). Darby purchased Robusto for $160,000 as a tried racehorse last spring and the gelding struck a rich vein of form last summer including his win in the Group 2 $2 million The Ingham. 'Robusto has been unbelievable for us,'' Darby said. 'He was primed for the Stradbroke Handicap but it didn't quite work out for him that day. There is not much else for him and I would say he will run. 'He is better on a firmer surface so as long as it is not too wet, he will be racing.'' Robusto has topweight of 60kg and is at $6 in early TAB Fixed Odds betting behind stablemate Thunderlips ($4.80) for the Winter Stakes. Exciting colt Raging Force also has the number one saddlecloth after being allocated 59kg for the juvenile opener but his brilliant wins in the Red Crown at Muswellbrook and then at Kensington has him rated a dominant $2.10 favourite. That's a big win at Randwick to Raging Force, who makes it two wins in a row! ðŸ'° @TommyBerry21 @SnowdenRacing1 @aus_turf_club @Darby_Racing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 25, 2025 'We had him touted as a Golden Slipper horse early in the season but he went amiss in the Breeders Plate,'' Darby said. 'He went sore behind, it was the same sort of injury that Ozzmosis had early in his career. 'Raging Force surprised me at Kensington. I thought he could win but the way he did it was incredible.'' The Michael Freedman stable has accepted with two Darby hopefuls – the consistent Bunker Hut ($8) in the Foundation Female Member Handicap (1200m) and Queen Of The Mile ($12) in the Captivant At Kia Ora Handicap (1100m). Bunker Hut is resuming from a spell but has a good first-up record and he is effective on rain-affected going. 'Michael has given Bunker Hut three barrier trials so he is ready to go,'' Darby said. 'I would imagine he will kick off on Saturday, at least he can handle it wet. 'If Queen Of The Mile had got a firm track then she would just about win. She has returned in terrific order, her first-up run (fourth to Storm The Ramparts) was very good, but she doesn't like it too heavy. We will see what sort of track we get on Saturday.'' Bunker Hut was too good first up in the opener at Rosehill. @MFreedmanRacing @Darby_Racing @G1TySchil — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 9, 2023 The Ciaron Maher -trained Rise To It ($21) and the superbly-bred Fleet Commander ($23, by Galileo out of Atlantic Jewel) from the Baker stable give Darby Racing two competitive chances in the Catanach's Jewellers Handicap (2000m). 'Rise To It is usually thereabouts, we would like to try and get another win out of him this preparation,'' Darby said. 'Fleet Commander has had two runs back from a spell and is coming up nicely. He's ready to run a good race.'' Darby set up his syndications business 17 years ago and has enjoyed consistent success over the years with the likes of Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign and Group 1 winners Yankee Rose, Overpass, Ozzmosis and Samadoubt. But the syndicator maintains success is borne out of 'hard work and luck' in an increasingly competitive market. $20k purchase She Will Reign wins the 2017 #GoldenSlipper! What a ride from @BMelham! — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 18, 2017 'Obviously, like everyone in the game, we are fighting for some of that entertainment dollar and it can be very challenging,'' Darby said. 'There a lot of people doing syndications these days so it is hard to compete and stay relevant, to be exciting and entertaining, not just on the big days but all year round. 'We have different criteria when we buy yearlings compared to our tried horses but first and foremost we have to do our homework. 'With the yearlings, we need to check them out physically and also look at their pedigrees, with the tried horses we have to study their form 'Our team works very hard but you also need a lot of luck in this business, too. There are only so many boxes you can tick then you need some luck to go your way.'' â– â– â– â– â– Darby to use the Force one final time this prep Boom two-year-old Raging Force gets an opportunity to add his name to Darby Racing's lengthy list of potential spring carnival contenders in the Thank You ATC Members Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Champion trainer Peter Snowden, who recorded the 50th Group 1 win of his career with Tashi in last week's Tatt's Tiara, has a big opinion of Raging Force. 'Raging Force is a lovely horse and he did win with a lot of authority last start,'' Snowden said. 'He has stamped himself as a possibility for the spring and I'd like to give him one more run this preparation. 'He needs to show us he is the real deal because you soon get found out (spring carnival) if you go there too early. 'I think he just lacks a bit of racing toughness so another run wouldn't hurt him to see exactly where he is at but he's very promising.'' Darby Racing's principal, Scott Darby, hopes Raging Force can join his spring team that already includes possible The Everest contenders Overpass and Caballus, brilliant filly Within The Law and Melbourne Cup hopeful Campaldino. Overpass! That's back-to-back Winterbottom Stakes and he extends his unbeaten record at Ascot to four! ðŸ'¯ Job done for @BBakerRacing and jockey @JoshuaParr8 ✅ — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 30, 2024 Darby said he was hopeful of getting $10.5 million earner Overpass and talented young sprinter Caballus to The Everest but said the Sydney Stakes on the same day was the more realistic target for both horses. 'Overpass is back in pre-training and we will get him ready for another Sydney Stakes first-up,'' Darby said. 'There is some thought of Hong Kong for something different but it is hard to knock back Perth when he has won two Group 1 races (Winterbottom Stakes) there. 'Caballus had a throat issue and we had him gelded then when he came back into work he was flying going into the Ortensia Stakes at Scone where he won so well first-up. 'But then he was found to have two little trickles of blood coming out of his nostrils. It was nothing really but we have to treat him like a bleeder now. 'He had two months out and is due to start back in work next week. We thought he would target the Sydney Stakes but if he comes back really well he might be a chances for an Everest slot. 'It's the same with Overpass. His name will always be bandied around and if we knew he would get a slot he would go to The Everest without a lead-up run as his first-up record is incredible.'' Within The Law won three races – Inglis Banner, Inglis Nursery, Sweet Embrace Stakes – during a seven-race two-year-old season that also included narrow losses in the Champagne Stakes and Inglis Millennium. Her only unplaced run was in the Golden Slipper when she fell. The @inglis_sales Nursery goes to Within The Law, giving Jason Collett a Randwick double! @BBakerRacing | @Darby_Racing | @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 14, 2024 'It was difficult watching what happened to Within The Law in the Golden Slipper, you are never prepared for something like that,'' Darby said. 'When you see it live, you think she has broken down and gone through the fence but it wasn't the case. 'She picked herself up and then returned to run well in two more races and almost won a Group 1. 'We feel she is an extra special filly, she is no fuss, nothing fazes her and she has returned bigger and stronger for the spring.'' Darby said he needs to discuss with trainer Bjorn Baker a likely spring campaign for Within The Law although the likely option is the Princess Series for three-year-old fillies which includes the Group 1 Flight Stakes. 'Is Within The Law a filly that will stretch out to a Cox Plate and Oaks or is she more a sprinter miler?'' Darby said. 'I tend to think she might be more a miler-2000m horse so she could do something similar to Yankee Rose and go through the Spring Champion Stakes and possibly the Cox Plate.'' Campaldino won the Orange Cup back in April to start a four-race winning streak culminating in his Brisbane Cup (3200m) win earlier this month. Campaldino is simply too good in the G2 Brisbane Cup with Tim Clark in the saddle! ðŸ�† @GaiWaterhouse1 — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025 'The rise he has made through the grades has been unbelievable,'' Darby said. 'When he won the Orange Cup I thought that day this horse has returned very well but he has kept on winning since. 'The Brisbane Cup was a bit of a sit-and-sprint and I said to the owners if the horse goes to the Caulfield Cup, it will be a very genuine tempo and you need to be a proper stayer. 'But if he can continue his improvement next season he might be a Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup horse.'' Darby said lightly-raced three-year-old Raikkonen would be aimed at the Golden Eagle, Iowna Merc and Sandpaper for the Epsom Handicap, while he rates Imperial Force as a horse to follow next season. 'Bjorn really likes Imperial Force and after he ran a close second in the Arrowfield Stakes we took him to Adelaide for a stakes race,'' Darby said. 'But he was disappointing that day and needed a break but we have had him gelded and think we can turn him into a serious racehorse next season.''
The Sun
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Barry Hills dead aged 88: Tributes paid to legendary racehorse trainer with more than 3,200 wins who started a dynasty
BARRY HILLS, one of Britain's greatest ever racehorse trainers, has died at the age of 88. Hills trained over 3,200 race winners over a career lasting more than 40 years. 1 Based out of in Lambourn, Berkshire, the horse racing icon racked up winners all over the world. Some of his most notable wins include the 1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Rheingold and five British classics. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. . Like us on Facebook at @TheSunFootball.
News.com.au
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Black Caviar and Winx to be elevated to Legend status in Australian Racing Hall of Fame
Winx or Black Caviar? Who was the greatest? The mighty mares were both freakish champions and trying to determine who is the best is the subject of robust debate. There is a school of thought that comparing champions of different eras is a futile exercise but racing – and other sports – is built on comparisons. We all like to consider how Phar Lap would have gone against today's champions. Or, who is the best racehorse, Secretariat or Frankel? It's the same in other sports. In cricket, we are forever comparing the records of modern day batters like Steve Smith to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman. In rugby league, is Wally Lewis better than Andrew Johns? Is Reg Gasnier or John Raper the best of them all? • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! It's the same with AFL. There's plenty in Leigh Matthews' corner, Gary Ablett Senior is in the conversation, as are Ted Whitten, John Coleman and Tony Lockett. There are always comparisons between Michael Jordan or LeBron James as the best basketballer, and does any boxer challenge Muhammad Ali as the greatest of all-time? In tennis, there is ongoing debate about the best player of the modern era – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic? And how do they rate against the only man to win the Grand Slam twice, Rod Laver? The point is comparing champion racehorses is like debating the greats of other sports – it's a fun exercise and we all do it. But when analysing the race careers of Winx and Black Caviar, how do you split them? This was the dilemma facing the Australian Racing Hall of Fame selection committee when determining which of these two mares would be elevated to 'Legend' status at the Hall of Fame-Racehorse of the Year awards in Brisbane on August 31. There are only three racehorses elevated to the Legend category so far – Phar Lap, Carbine and Makybe Diva – and it is the most elite honour in Australian racing. Winx and Black Caviar are both deserving of 'Legend'' status, it was just a matter of when. And trying to decide who would go in first was like asking which mare would win if they clashed over 1400m at weight-for-age? In the end, the selection panel simply couldn't split them and made the unprecedented but sensible call to elevate both Winx and Black Caviar to 'Legend' status the same year. 'It is fitting Black Caviar and Winx are going in as a 'Legend' together,'' said Peter Moody, trainer of Black Caviar. 'They are both great mares and it was only a matter of time, with all due respect, they were both going to get that honour and very deservedly so.'' Perfection! ðŸ'¯ Do yourself a favour & watch Black Caviar's 25 wins from 25 starts ðŸ�¿ Which victory was your favourite? — (@Racing) August 17, 2024 • Hall of Fame chairman Jason Scott echoed the sentiments of the entire selection panel when he said: 'Debate has raged for years over which of the two champion mares is the greatest we've seen, however what is certain is that their legacies transcend far beyond the boundaries of racing. 'It's deserving that they both be bestowed 'Legend' status in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame together, befitting of their stature as two of the best we have and will ever have the (good) fortune to see'. Winx won 37 of her 43 races, including her last 33 races in succession, featuring a world record 25 at Group 1 level. She was so good they made a movie about her. 'I always admired Winx's determination and the uncomplicated way she went about her work and racing,'' Waller said. 'She didn't require any extra fuss. 'She was a high performance athlete with an amazing amount of talent, and she captured the imagination. 'When I talk to people about Winx, there's nothing but ultimate respect for her. It is fitting she has been elevated to 'Legend' status.'' "IT'S EQUINE UTOPIA!" It wouldn't be Cox Plate week without the four-time champion Winx - the most successful Cox Plate horse in history 🙌 If you're looking for more Cox Plate replays, you can head to 's Vault to watch them ðŸ'‰ — (@Racing) October 24, 2024 Black Caviar was simply unbeatable. 25 starts, 25 wins, 15 at Group 1 level. Surely there has never been a better sprinter than this magnificent mare. She won most of her races effortlessly, running fast times and breaking the hearts of her chasing rivals. Even when she wasn't at her absolute best, like the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, they still couldn't beat her. 'Black Caviar changed my life,'' Moody said. 'Every day, I still think about her and then when Royal Ascot comes each year around you relive those great memories again. She was a once-in-a-lifetime horse.''
The Sun
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm so rich that as a kid I had no idea what a job was & my dad had a direct line to the Queen – I though it was normal
A WOMAN has left people gobsmacked after revealing that as a child she had no idea what a job was and thought it was "normal" that her family could easily get in contact with the late Queen. Daphne Blunt, a self-proclaimed " rich kid" has gone viral on social media after posting a video about what life was like for her growing up. 2 2 Many of the claims she made in the video, which has racked up over 10 million views on TikTok, were so wild that she has had to make a second video showing "proof." The first claim made in her video is that she didn't really understand the concept of jobs, as neither of her parents ever worked. "My mum never had a job and my dad retired when I was four," she said. "I didn't even really know that a 9-5 job was a real thing." The influencer, who boasts 96,000 followers on the video sharing platform, claimed that her father would take her out of school in the middle of the day, to buy racehorses. "I was the youngest licensed racehorse owner in the state at the time," she said. In her follow-up video, Daphne shared a photo of her family in the winner's circle at a horse race, alongside proof that her father had gotten a race named after her as a gift for her ninth birthday. The nepo baby added that she had also never heard of a mortgage, as her family were always able to buy houses out right, and as an adult, still doesn't really understand what one is. The influencer, who hails from the United States added that she went to all sorts of events at the White House as a child, and was allowed to go in areas that are not open to the public. In her follow-up video, Daphne shared an invitation to one of these events, which she had kept in a scrapbook, and a photo of herself at the Attorney General's Podium, which she said is not open to visitors. I dump my boyfriends on the spot if I find out they're secretly poor - people call me 'empty' but I love money One of the most outlandish claims in Daphne's video is that as a toddler, she was travelling to the UK with her family, who were told that she did not need a passport. When they got to the airport, they realised that Daphne needed a passport but after making a few calls were given "direct permission from the Queen of England to be able to enter the country without a passport." In her follow-up video, Daphne claimed that members of her family met the late Queen Elizabeth II multiple times and knew how to get in contact with her office directly. Sharing "proof" of the claims, she showed viewers a picture of a passport that was issued by the US embassy in London. "This is the passport they issued me so that I could leave England and re-enter the United States," she said. Daphne's video has likely left many open-mouthed, as it has been flooded with comments from people wowed by her claims, One person joked: "You should do an exchange program, where a random person comes to live with you for a week to experience your life and you go live with that person for a week. I volunteer." A second person said: "Girl you hit the family jackpot. "All I inherited was debt and mental illness."
