Dr Emmeline Hill is an Irish horse geneticist who is credited with discovering a gene for speed in horses.
Dr Hill has published a paper in the peer-reviewed scientific journal PLoS ONE entitled "A sequence polymorphism in MSTN predicts sprinting ability and racing stamina in Thoroughbred horses", which describes the identification of the DNA sequence variant in the horse myostatin gene. [1]
This discovery has major implications for the value of Thoroughbred racehorses and for the global horse breeding industry. [2] It has led to the invention of genetic tests which can predict the racing ability of a horse. [3]
Her grandmother Charmian Hill owned the racehorse Dawn Run. [4]
The American Quarter Horse, or Quarter Horse, is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name is derived from its ability to outrun other horse breeds in races of 1⁄4 mi (0.40 km) or less; some have been clocked at speeds up to 44 mph (71 km/h). The development of the Quarter Horse traces to the 1600s.
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic premise – to identify which of two or more horses is the fastest over a set course or distance – has been mostly unchanged since at least classical antiquity.
The Standardbred is an American horse breed best known for its ability in harness racing where they compete at either a trot or pace. Developed in North America, the Standardbred is recognized worldwide, and the breed can trace its bloodlines to 18th-century England. They are solid, well-built horses with good dispositions.
In genetics and bioinformatics, a single-nucleotide polymorphism is a germline substitution of a single nucleotide at a specific position in the genome. Although certain definitions require the substitution to be present in a sufficiently large fraction of the population, many publications do not apply such a frequency threshold.
The Anglo-Arabian, also known as the Anglo-Arab, is a horse breed that originated in France by cross-breeding a Thoroughbred with an Arabian. The Anglo-Arabian has origins tracing back to the Limousin Horse. It was officially recognized by Emperor Louis Philippe I and produced by the Haras National du Pin. The Anglo-Arabian has long legs, a refined head, larger hindquarters, and are most commonly seen in gray, bay, or chestnut. To be recognized as an Anglo-Arabian with the Arabian Horse Association, the horse must have at least 25% Arabian blood. There are no color or height restrictions to be registered. Due to its lineage and physique, the Anglo-Arabian is utilized for sports-related activities such as dressage, show jumping, endurance, and cross-country.
Weight for Age (WFA) is a term in thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race.
Alleged was an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He is best known for winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1977 and 1978. One of the outstanding racehorses of the twentieth century, he was only beaten once in his career.
Galopin (1872–1899) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from June 1874 until October 1875 he ran nine times and won eight races. He was one of the best British two-year-olds of 1874, winning his first three races before sustaining the only defeat of his career in the Middle Park Plate. In 1875, he won all five of his races including the Derby. At the end of the season he was retired to stud where he became an extremely successful and influential breeding stallion.
The Tetrarch (1911–1935) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was undefeated in a racing career of seven starts and was voted the best British-trained two-year-old of the 20th century according to the National Horseracing Museum. He did not race after 1913 and was retired to stud where he became an influential sire.
The circulatory system of the horse consists of the heart, the blood vessels, and the blood.
Personal genomics or consumer genetics is the branch of genomics concerned with the sequencing, analysis and interpretation of the genome of an individual. The genotyping stage employs different techniques, including single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis chips, or partial or full genome sequencing. Once the genotypes are known, the individual's variations can be compared with the published literature to determine likelihood of trait expression, ancestry inference and disease risk.
Thoroughbred breeding theories, or racehorse theories, are used by horse breeders in an attempt to arrange matings that produce progeny successful in horse racing. Bloodstock experts also rely on these theories when purchasing young horses or breeding stock. A basic understanding of these theories can also help the racing public understand a horse's theoretical genetic potential. The breeding theories stem from the belief that careful analysis of bloodlines can lend predictability to breeding outcomes. A well-designed mating increases the probability of the offspring's success, although many other factors also come into play.
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed developed for horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are considered "hot-blooded" horses that are known for their agility, speed, and spirit.
Phalaris was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse, later a Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland and a Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland. He appears in the sireline of all racehorses which were winners of more than $10 million, as well as all yearlings that were auctioned for more than $7.5 million.
Frankel is a retired champion British Thoroughbred racehorse and current sire. He was unbeaten in his fourteen-race career and was the highest-rated racehorse in the world from May 2011. He was trained by Henry Cecil in Newmarket and ridden in all his races by Tom Queally.
The horse genome was first sequenced in 2006. The Horse Genome Project mapped 2.7 billion DNA base pairs, and released the full map in 2009. The horse genome is larger than the dog genome, but smaller than the human genome or the bovine genome. It encompasses 31 pairs of autosomes and one sex chromosome pair.
Lady Angela (1944–1966) was a British-bred Thoroughbred who became the foundation mare of E. P. Taylor's Windfields Farm in Canada. She was the dam of Nearctic, the Canadian Horse of the Year in 1958 and seven-time leading sire in Canada. Among Nearctic's offspring was the great Northern Dancer, a champion in both Canada and the United States, and subsequently a leading sire in both North America and Europe.
Battaash is retired Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist sprinter who usually competed at the minimum distance of five furlongs, he was noted for his exceptional speed and unpredictable temperament. He won once from five starts as a juvenile in 2016 and was gelded in an attempt to improve his behaviour. In the following year he emerged as one of the best sprinters in the world, winning the Scurry Stakes, Coral Charge and King George Stakes before ending the season with an emphatic win in the Prix de l'Abbaye. In 2018 he won the Temple Stakes and recorded a second victory in the King George Stakes. As a five-year-old he won a second Temple Stakes and a third King George Stakes before producing his best performance of the season to take the Nunthorpe Stakes. In 2020 he was unbeaten in three starts, namely the King's Stand Stakes, King George Stakes and Nunthorpe Stakes. He was retired after two unsuccessful runs in 2021.
Flightline is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who retired undefeated after six starts, including the 2021 Malibu Stakes and the Metropolitan Handicap, Pacific Classic and Breeders' Cup Classic in 2022. In the January 2023 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, he was given a rating of 140, the highest ever awarded to a runner on the dirt. He was named the 2022 American Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse.
The Abaga is a type of Chinese Mongolian horse. Characterized by its generally black coat, it is also larger and faster than the latter, due to its selection for racing.