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Tracking muscle damage in racehorses: New test to optimize recovery and performance

Proteomics International's subsidiary OxiDx Pty Ltd, in collaboration with the University of Western Australia, has published results showing its OxiDx blood test can identify and assess recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage in Australian thoroughbred racehorses.

Published in Veterinary Medicine and Science, the addresses a significant gap in equine veterinary medicine—the lack of sensitive biomarkers for muscle injury. The test provides trainers with an objective tool to tailor training and racing schedules, helping optimize recovery and enhance performance.

Muscle injuries are a major issue in the racing industry, and it is difficult to objectively identify them, resulting in many going undetected. Approximately 85% of thoroughbreds sustain at least one injury during their two- and three-year-old racing seasons, potentially as a result of undetected muscle injuries.

For racehorses to compete at their peak performance, they must achieve optimal fitness, which necessitates intense training regimens. However persisting with training and/or competition with muscle damage may result in: (1) decreased performance, (2) an increased risk of major muscle injury—including strains or tears, or (3) the inability to compete.

This study addresses a significant gap in the field of equine veterinary medicine, focusing on the lack of sensitive biomarkers for exercise-induced muscle damage. The research highlights the ability of the OxiDx oxidative stress test as a novel diagnostic for monitoring muscle recovery.

Results across the 34 horses studied indicated, for most, levels of oxidative stress peaked 48 hours post-race and remained elevated for up to five days. However, individual variability was significant, with some horses showing prolonged recovery times of more than seven days. This variability emphasizes the importance of monitoring the recovery of each horse to prevent premature training or competition resumption.

OxiDx's diagnostic sensitivity to muscle recovery offers horse trainers a tool to objectively tailor training and racing schedules for individual horses to optimize post-race recovery and enhance performance.

Proteomics International Managing Director Dr. Richard Lipscombe said, "These exciting results mark a significant milestone in applying the OxiDx test to equine veterinary medicine. OxiDx has the potential to empower trainers to monitor muscle recovery with precision, helping their racehorses achieve peak performance while prioritizing equine health and well-being."

Current standard-of-care to identify and proactively manage a horse's muscle damage involves magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT scan, or ultrasound, which are expensive and time-consuming; muscle enzyme tests, which are imprecise; or observation of the gait/lameness assessment, which is subjective and often post the actual injury occurring.

The world-first, patented OxiDx technology measures levels of muscle damage using a dried blood spot to detect protein biomarkers. There is no equivalent test on the market. This successful study is a significant milestone in the commercialization of the OxiDx test which is targeted for an Australian launch in H2 CY25.