Australian minister suggests Turks train horses in pools, on walking machines

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Horses could benefit from exercising in swimming pools, on walking machines and latters placed inside pools instead of being trained on the track every single day, according to Australian Minister of the state of Victoria Dr. Denis Napthine. AA photo

Dr. Denis Napthine, the minister of racing for Australia’s state of Victoria, has presented ideas to the Turkish horse-racing industry, including the use of swimming pools, walking machines and even placing the latter inside a pool, to prevent any injuries during the training sessions of the precious racing horses.

“Training horses on the track every day is a large risk,” Napthine told the Daily News on the sidelines of an Istanbul event last week that gathered together a broad business mission from Victoria, which generates one quarter of the overall Australian economy.

“These are walking machines just like the ones we use to exercise,” he said.

Victoria is one of the global capitals of horse racing as it is home to the Melbourne Cup, the country’s top event, which dates back to 1861 and attracts thousands of people every year.

Australian-born horses

The horse-racing mission that accompanied the minister included businesspeople and even dentists for horses.

The visit’s major goals were the sharing of expertise, presenting Australian thoroughbreds to the Turkish industry and introducing special equipment and techniques used on the island, according to Napthine.

An Australian-born, South African-bred horse has raced in Turkey, he said, adding that this number could increase.

On Feb. 27, the group visited The Jockey Club of Turkey (TJK), where they discussed trade and business opportunities with the club’s president, Serdal Adalı.

The delegation toured TJK, learning more about the Turkish racing industry, and invited a Turkish mission to the Melbourne Cup.

Building a better understanding

“This was a wonderful opportunity to meet with Mr. Adalı and his team to learn more about the best ways we can work together and benefit from the expertise and experience we can both bring to the table,” Napthine said in a statement.

“Turkey has a long association with the equine industry, which has expanded over the past 20 years.

This is a starting point to build a strong relationship and a better understanding of the industry in Turkey, create important links and business opportunities whilst also exploring ways we might be able to attract investment back into Victoria.”

“Before investors, a Turkish jockey had already discovered Australia. We have a very successful Turkish jockey,” Napthine said, referring to İbrahim Ethem Gündoğdu, who has been racing on the Island for nearly a decade and won 22 races since August 2012.