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Home / Equine Research Bank / Biol Lett / The cosmopolitan maternal heritage of the Thoroughbred raceh...
Biology letters2010; 7(2); 316-320; doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0800

The cosmopolitan maternal heritage of the Thoroughbred racehorse breed shows a significant contribution from British and Irish native mares.

Abstract: The paternal origins of Thoroughbred racehorses trace back to a handful of Middle Eastern stallions, imported to the British Isles during the seventeenth century. Yet, few details of the foundation mares were recorded, in many cases not even their names (several different maternal lineages trace back to 'A Royal Mare'). This has fuelled intense speculation over their origins. We examined mitochondrial DNA from 1929 horses to determine the origin of Thoroughbred foundation mares. There is no evidence to support exclusive Arab maternal origins as some historical records have suggested, or a significant importation of Oriental mares (the term used in historic records to refer to Middle East and western Asian breeds including Arab, Akhal-Teke, Barb and Caspian). Instead, we show that Thoroughbred foundation mares had a cosmopolitan European heritage with a far greater contribution from British and Irish Native mares than previously recognized.
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Publication Date: 2010-10-06 PubMed ID: 20926431PubMed Central: PMC3061175DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0800Google 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.

This research article investigates the maternal origins of Thoroughbred racehorses, indicating a significant contribution from British and Irish native mares, contrary to common assumptions of exclusive Middle Eastern ancestry.

Study Approach

  • The researchers studied the mitochondrial DNA from 1929 horses to trace back the origins of Thoroughbred foundation mares.
  • Through this genetic study, they aimed at addressing the lack of historic records about the origins of Thoroughbred mares, particularly since most of these records did not even contain the mares’ names.

Speculations Debunked

  • The study found no evidence to support historical claims suggesting exclusive Arab maternal origins for Thoroughbreds, a presumption likely influenced by the known Middle Eastern origin of their paternal lineage.
  • Likewise, the study could not confirm significant importation of Oriental mares, a term used historically to refer to breeds from the Middle East and Western Asia, including Arab, Akhal-Teke, Barb, and Caspian horses.

New Insights

  • Opposite to initial assumptions, the research revealed that Thoroughbred foundation mares instead had a cosmopolitan European heritage.
  • Particularly, a greater contribution from British and Irish Native mares to the Thoroughbred lineage was identified, a fact previously unrecognized by existing recorded histories of the breed’s ancestry.

Cite This Article

APA
Bower MA, Campana MG, Whitten M, Edwards CJ, Jones H, Barrett E, Cassidy R, Nisbet RE, Hill EW, Howe CJ, Binns M. (2010). The cosmopolitan maternal heritage of the Thoroughbred racehorse breed shows a significant contribution from British and Irish native mares. Biol Lett, 7(2), 316-320. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2010.0800

Publication

Biology letters
ISSN: 1744-957X
NlmUniqueID: 101247722
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 7
Issue: 2
Pages: 316-320

Researcher Affiliations

Bower, M A
  • McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. mab1004@cam.ac.uk
Campana, M G
    Whitten, M
      Edwards, C J
        Jones, H
          Barrett, E
            Cassidy, R
              Nisbet, R E R
                Hill, E W
                  Howe, C J
                    Binns, M

                      MeSH Terms

                      • Animals
                      • Breeding
                      • DNA, Mitochondrial / chemistry
                      • Female
                      • Gene Frequency
                      • Genetic Variation
                      • Haplotypes
                      • Horses / genetics
                      • Ireland
                      • Male
                      • Middle East
                      • Pedigree
                      • United Kingdom

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