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Australian veterinary journal2021; 100(1-2); 40-47; doi: 10.1111/avj.13124

Participation of Victorian Thoroughbreds in the racing industry: a whole-of-population benchmark.

Abstract: The proportion of Thoroughbred (TB) horses that commence training and eventually race, is an important industry-level indicator of how successful it is at producing horses suitable for racing. It is also of interest to the wider community and is central to the issue of whether there is overbreeding in the Australian TB industry. This study investigated the training and racing records for the 2005 and 2010 Victorian TB foal crops to determine the proportion of TBs that train and race, and the age of entering training and first race start. Subsets of the foal crop were also examined to determine if premier yearling sale cohorts would produce selection bias. The Australian Stud Book (ASB) registered 7662 TB horses born in Victoria in 2005 (n = 4116) and 2010 (n = 3546). Of these, 5614 (73%) entered training and 4868 (64%) started in at least one race. Fourteen percent (n = 1045) of the study cohort had their first race start as 2-year-olds and 35% (n = 2644) had their first start as 3-year-olds. A higher proportion of TB horses that attended premier yearling sales entered training (93%) and raced (84%). This study established a baseline for training and racing milestones, such as the proportion and age that horses commenced training, and age of first start using population-level data. It also established that the use of subsets of the population can introduce selection bias.
© 2021 Australian Veterinary Association.
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Publication Date: 2021-09-30 PubMed ID: 34595748DOI: 10.1111/avj.13124Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study researched training and racing records of Thoroughbred horses born in Victorian, Australia in 2005 and 2010, to identify the percentage that entered training and/or raced, and at what ages they commenced these activities. It found that a significant majority entered training and started racing, and it suggests that selection bias may be introduced if only select subgroups of the population are considered.

Population and Data Collection

  • The study focused on the Thoroughbred (TB) horses born in Victoria in 2005 and 2010, whose records were registered in the Australian Stud Book (ASB).
  • In total, there were 7662 TB horses, out of which 4116 were born in 2005 and 3546 in 2010.

Training and Racing Records

  • Of the total 7662 horses, 5614 (73%) entered training and 4868 (64%) had participated in at least one race.
  • The age of horses at the time of their first race start varied: 14% (1045 horses) had their first race as 2-year-olds while 35% (2644 horses) had their first start as 3-year-olds.

Attendance at Premier Yearling Sales

  • Sub-populations attending premier yearling sales displayed a higher involvement in racing activities.
  • A significant 93% of horses from this group entered training, and 84% participated in at least one race.

Key Findings

  • Through its findings, the study established a baseline for tracking racing milestones, such as the age at which horses commence training, and the age of their first race start at a population level.
  • The research recognized that adopting subsets of the total population for understanding trends may introduce selection bias. This indicates that the experiences and behaviors of certain groups of horses (like those attending premier sales) may not accurately represent the larger population.

Implications

  • This study is important for the thoroughbred industry as it provides vital insights into the transition of horses from training to racing. It also gives an industry-level indication of the percentage of horses that eventually race, a key performance indicator of the industry’s breeding success.
  • The detailed statistics can aid the industry in improving breeding techniques to produce horses suitable for racing.
  • Recognising the issue of possible overbreeding in the Australian TB industry, this research addresses community concerns by providing useful, population-level data.

Cite This Article

APA
Flash ML, Crabb HK, Hitchens PL, Firestone SM, Stevenson MA, Gilkerson JR. (2021). Participation of Victorian Thoroughbreds in the racing industry: a whole-of-population benchmark. Aust Vet J, 100(1-2), 40-47. https://doi.org/10.1111/avj.13124

Publication

Australian veterinary journal
ISSN: 1751-0813
NlmUniqueID: 0370616
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 100
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 40-47

Researcher Affiliations

Flash, M L
  • Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Crabb, H K
  • Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Hitchens, P L
  • Equine Centre, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia.
Firestone, S M
  • Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Stevenson, M A
  • Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Gilkerson, J R
  • Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Australia
  • Breeding
  • Cohort Studies
  • Horses
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sports

Grant Funding

  • Racing Victoria

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Legg KA, Gee EK, Breheny M, Gibson MJ, Rogers CW. A Bioeconomic Model for the Thoroughbred Racing Industry-Optimisation of the Production Cycle with a Horse Centric Welfare Perspective. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jan 30;13(3).
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    doi: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0487pubmed: 35765835google scholar: lookup
  3. Ricard RM, St-Jean G, Atwal HK, Wobeser BK. A retrospective study of equine perinatal loss in Canada (2007 to 2020). Can Vet J 2023 Oct;64(10):933-940.
    pubmed: 37780478
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