15 December 2010

Equinome launches Speed Gene Test in Australia

Dublin, December 15 2010, Equinome officially launched its genetic-testing service to the Australian bloodstock industry at an event held yesterday in Sydney.

The launch, which took place at the residence of the Irish Consul General, Caitríona Ingoldsby, was organised with the assistance of Enterprise Ireland and was attended by many of Australia’s premier bloodstock breeders.

Guests also included Peter McGauran, CEO Thoroughbred Breeders Australia, Andrew Harding, CEO Australian Racing Board, Dr Christine Smith, President Elect of Equine Veterinarians Australia, Michael Ford, Keeper of the Australian Stud Book and Professor Patrick Cunningham, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government.

At the launch Dr Emmeline Hill, co-founder and Chairman of Equinome, delivered a presentation outlining the research, development and commercialisation of the breakthrough Equinome Speed Gene Test. Unveiled earlier this year, the test can predict the optimum racing distance for an individual Thoroughbred by analysing the DNA sequence of a gene related to muscle mass development.

Breeders in Australia can now avail of the Equinome Speed Gene Test and incorporate the information provided by it into their key decision-making processes. This can be used to definitively ensure that a broodmare band will produce more of the desired type of foal, to assist with stallion choice, and to also ensure that breeding objectives are met more consistently.

Racehorse owners and trainers can also use the information to optimise purchasing and training decisions, enabling them to select with more certainty the type of horse that they wish to race and to better target suitable races for horses at the early stages of their careers, maximising their genetic potential and increasing returns on investment.

Stallion masters can also use the information to ensure that a higher proportion of a young stallion’s early crops are of the preferred potential genetic type, thus enhancing its profile.

Equinome, a University College Dublin spin-out company, was established in 2009 by Dr Emmeline Hill in partnership with Mr Jim Bolger, the renowned Irish racehorse trainer and breeder. Headquartered in NovaUCD, the University’s Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre, the company also has laboratory facilities in UCD’s School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine and at Jim Bolger’s training yard in Co. Kilkenny, Ireland.

Speaking at the launch in Sydney, Dr Hill a leading horse genomics researcher at University College Dublin, said, “We are delighted by the high level of interest that we have already received in Australia to the introduction of Equinome’s new genomic technology. The Australian bloodstock industry has always been recognised as one of the world leaders in the production and training of top-class Thoroughbred racehorses and we are very excited about working with breeders, owners and trainers here to assist in maintaining this proud tradition.”

Since the launch of company earlier this year, Equinome has already secured clients in USA, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, UK, France and Singapore.