Race-Level Reporting of Incidents during Two Seasons (2015/16 to 2016/17) of Thoroughbred Flat Racing in New Zealand.
Authors: Gibson Michaela J, Bolwell Charlotte F, Gee Erica K, Legg Kylie A, Rogers Chris W
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Examining two seasons of Thoroughbred flat racing data from New Zealand, Gibson and colleagues analysed stipendiary stewards' reports to characterise both incident (injuries, fatalities) and non-incident events (poor performance, examinations) occurring during races. Across 2015/16 and 2016/17, poor performance accounted for the majority of non-incident reports (10.3 per 1000 races), whilst musculoskeletal injuries occurred at 1.3 per 1000 races and fractures at 0.6 per 1000 races—rates consistent with earlier New Zealand findings and generally favourable by international standards. Notably, horses competing in open-class races faced significantly higher odds of incident occurrence than those in lower-rating classes, suggesting that race-level classification warrants consideration in risk stratification protocols. The notably low epistaxis incidence (0.8 per 1000 races) likely reflects pre-race screening practices by trainers seeking to avoid regulatory penalties, indicating that regulatory frameworks can indirectly shape welfare management. For equine professionals, these data underscore the importance of risk stratification by race class when advising owners and trainers, and suggest that welfare regulations may inadvertently promote responsible pre-competition health assessment.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Poor racing performance is the dominant concern triggering veterinary examination in flat racing—trainers and veterinarians should investigate systemic issues when horses underperform rather than assuming catastrophic injury
- •Step-up in race class significantly increases incident risk; careful conditioning and gradual class progression may reduce injuries in Thoroughbred flat racers
- •Epistaxis screening and exclusion protocols appear effective at reducing race-day bleeds, suggesting similar pre-entry health screening for other conditions could be beneficial
Key Findings
- •Poor performance was the most common reason for non-incident examinations at 10.3 per 1000 races
- •Musculoskeletal injuries occurred at 1.3 per 1000 races and fractures at 0.6 per 1000 races, remaining low and consistent with historical New Zealand data
- •Horses in open-class races had significantly greater odds of incident reports compared to lower-rating class horses
- •Epistaxis incidence was low at 0.8 per 1000 races, likely due to trainer screening of susceptible horses prior to race entry