Placeholder Content Image

Trump's insult to Biden after he drops out of presidential race

<p>Joe Biden has officially withdrawn from the presidential race against former president Donald Trump. </p> <p>Biden, who is the oldest US president at 81, has been facing mounting calls to drop out of the election from both his opponents and supporters, amid fears of his failing health, mental clarity and age. </p> <p>On Sunday, the 46th president shared a lengthy statement to share that he would be dropping out of the race, saying it is "in the best interest" for both his Democratic Party and the country to take a step back. </p> <p>“While it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Mr Biden wrote in a letter he posted on his X account.</p> <p>“I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision. It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President.”</p> <p>Biden shared a second announcement to social media following his bombshell withdrawal, saying he would be endorsing his Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee to run for President in the November election against Trump. </p> <p>"My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President, and it’s been the best decision I’ve made," he began.</p> <p>"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this."</p> <p>Mere hours after Biden's announcement, former President Donald Trump reacted to the news on TRUTH social, his own social media platform, exactly as many expected. </p> <p>“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve — And never was!” Trump said.</p> <p>“All those around him, including his doctor and the media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly.”</p> <p>In a phone call with CNN minutes after Biden announced his exit from the 2024 race, former Trump described Biden as going “down as the single worst president by far in the history of our country”.</p> <p>Mr Biden will remain President until the end of his term next January.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Bonnie Cash / Pool via CNP/ Ron Sachs/CNP /Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

How do I stop my mind racing and get some sleep?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-sweetman-1331085">Alexander Sweetman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a></em></p> <p>Martin turns off the light to fall asleep, but his mind quickly springs into action. Racing thoughts about work deadlines, his overdue car service, and his father’s recent surgery occupy his mind.</p> <p>As he struggles to fall asleep, the hours start to creep by. He becomes frustrated about how he will cope tomorrow. This is a pattern Martin has struggled with for many years.</p> <p>But what’s going on when your mind is racing at night? And how do you make it stop?</p> <h2>It can happen to anyone</h2> <p>In bed, with no other visual or sound cues to occupy the mind, many people start to have racing thoughts that keep them awake. This can happen at the start of the night, or when they awake in the night.</p> <p>The good news is there are effective ways to reduce these racing thoughts, and to help get some sleep. To do this, let’s take a step back and talk about insomnia.</p> <h2>What is insomnia?</h2> <p>If you are like Martin, you’re not alone. Right now, up to six in every ten people have regular <a href="https://www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/insomnia/epidemiology">insomnia symptoms</a>. One in ten have had these symptoms for months or years.</p> <p>Insomnia includes trouble falling asleep at the start of the night, waking up during the night, and feelings of daytime fatigue, concentration difficulties, lethargy or poor mood.</p> <p>Just like Martin, many people with insomnia find as soon as they get into bed, they feel alert and wide awake. So what’s going on?</p> <p>The more time we spend in bed doing things other than sleep, the more our brain and body start to learn that bed is a place for these non-sleep activities.</p> <p>These activities don’t just include worrying. They can be using a mobile phone, watching TV, eating, working, arguing, smoking or playing with pets.</p> <p>Gradually, our brains can learn that bed is a place for these other activities instead of rest and sleep. Over time the simple act of getting into bed can become a trigger to feel more alert and awake. This is called “<a href="https://www.med.upenn.edu/cbti/assets/user-content/documents/ppsmmodelsofinsomnia20115theditionproof.pdf">conditioned insomnia</a>”.</p> <p>Here are six ways to spend less time awake in bed with racing thoughts.</p> <h2>1. Re-learn to associate bed with sleep</h2> <p><a href="https://www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/insomnia/bbti/insomnia-stimulus-control-therapy">Stimulus control therapy</a> can <a href="https://www.med.upenn.edu/cbti/assets/user-content/documents/Bootzin%201972.pdf">help</a> re-build the relationship between bed and sleep.</p> <p>Follow these simple steps every night of the week:</p> <ul> <li> <p>only use your bed for sleep and intimacy. All other activities should occur out of bed, preferably in another room</p> </li> <li> <p>only go to bed if you are feeling sleepy (when your eyes are heavy and you could easily fall asleep). If you are not feeling sleepy, delay getting into bed. Use this time to do something relaxing in another room</p> </li> <li> <p>if you are still awake after about 15 minutes in bed, get out of bed and go to another room. Do something else relaxing until you are feeling sleepy again, such as reading a book, listening to the radio, catching up on some chores or doing a crossword puzzle. Avoid anything too stimulating such as work or computer gaming</p> </li> <li> <p>repeat the above two steps until you are asleep within about 15 minutes. This can take several cycles of getting in and out of bed. But during this time, you body’s natural need for sleep will increase, and you will eventually fall asleep within 15 minutes of getting into bed</p> </li> <li> <p>get out of bed at the same time each morning, no matter how much you slept the night before</p> </li> <li> <p>avoid long daytime naps, which can make it harder to fall asleep that night.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Over several nights, this therapy builds the relationship between bed and sleep, and reduces the relationship between bed and feeling alert and having racing thoughts.</p> <h2>2. Distract yourself with fond thoughts</h2> <p>Negative thoughts in bed or worrying about the consequences of losing sleep can make us feel more alert, worried, and make it more difficult to sleep.</p> <p>So try something called “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2012.07.004">cognitive re-focusing</a>”. Try to replay a fond memory, movie, or TV show in your mind, to distract yourself from these negative thoughts.</p> <p>Ideally, this will be a memory you can recall very clearly, and one that causes neutral or slightly positive feelings. Memories that are overly positive or negative might cause an increase in alertness and mental activity.</p> <h2>3. Relax into sleep</h2> <p><a href="https://www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/insomnia/bbti/insomnia-relaxation-techniques">Relaxation therapy</a> for insomnia aims to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780123815224000043">reduce alertness</a> and improve sleep.</p> <p>One way is to progressively tense and relax muscle groups throughout your body, known as <a href="https://youtu.be/pyxvL1O2duk">guided progressive muscle relaxation therapy</a>.</p> <p>You could also try breathing exercises, soothing music, visual imagery or other <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-for-insomnia-cbt-i.html">relaxation exercises</a> that feel right for you.</p> <p>Part of relaxing into sleep is avoiding doing work in the late evening or screen-based activities right before bed. Give yourself a “buffer zone”, to allow yourself time to start relaxing before getting into bed.</p> <h2>4. Worry earlier in the day</h2> <p>Schedule some “<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201811/simple-effective-trick-stop-worrying-so-much">worry time</a>” earlier in the day, so these thoughts don’t happen at night. It can also help to write down some of the things that worry you.</p> <p>If you start to worry about things during the night, you can remind yourself you have already written them down, and they are waiting for you to work through during your scheduled “worry time” the next day.</p> <h2>5. Know waking in the night is normal</h2> <p>Knowing that brief awakenings from sleep are completely normal, and not a sign of ill health, may help.</p> <p>Sleep occurs in different “cycles” during the night. Each cycle lasts for about 90 minutes, and includes different stages of light, deep, and dreaming (REM) sleep.</p> <p>Most of our deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night, and most of our light sleep in the second half.</p> <p>Everyone experiences brief awakenings from sleep, but most people don’t remember these the next morning.</p> <h2>6. What if these don’t work?</h2> <p>If these don’t work, the most effective next step is “cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia” or CBT-i.</p> <p>This non-drug therapy targets the underlying causes of insomnia, and leads to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.08.002">long-lasting improvements</a> in sleep, mental health and daytime function.</p> <p>You can do a self-guided online program, or access it via your GP or a psychologist. More details, including links to online programs, are available via the <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-for-insomnia-cbt-i.html">Sleep Health Foundation</a>.</p> <p>We are providing free access to online CBT-i through a research study. To find out more, <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/people/alexander.sweetman">contact me</a>.</p> <hr /> <p><em>The Sleep Health Foundation has several <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/fact-sheets.html">evidence-based resources</a> about sleep health and insomnia.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207904/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></em></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-sweetman-1331085">Alexander Sweetman</a>, Research Fellow, College of Medicine and Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-i-stop-my-mind-racing-and-get-some-sleep-207904">original article</a>.</em></p>

Mind

Placeholder Content Image

Wee-lly bad idea sees horse test positive to caffeine

<p dir="ltr">Winning racehorse Explosive Miss has tested positive to caffeine, but it’s not because the racer has been enjoying some pre-race beverages.</p> <p dir="ltr">The horse tested positive to a random post-race drug test for the substance, which is prohibited in racing, though her trainer, avid coffee-drinker Clinton Isdale, had no idea how it could have happened, as reported by the <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/caffeine-in-trainers-urine-causes-horse-to-fail-post-race-drug-test/NX2UXT52SUDQVPOJ5DO3YA6D5M/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Isdale told the Racing Integrity Board that he had no idea caffeine ended up in Explosive Miss’ system, but said he would drink roughly three cups of coffee a day and then urinate in the same corner of the stables, behind the horse stalls, every morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">After testing soil samples from the spot, investigators confirmed that caffeine was present.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is believed that the probable cause of Explosive Miss’ positive has been via contamination by Mr Isdale urinating in the corner of the stables by the stall,” the board said in its decision.</p> <p dir="ltr">As a result, Mr Isdale had to forfeit the $15,000 prize from his horse’s win and had to pay a $2000 fine.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Isdale, who has no previous charges for prohibited substances, told the board he was truly remorseful for his actions.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am a hardworking young trainer in the industry and have worked tirelessly to get to this position in racing,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m truly sorry this happened and take full responsibility and have thoroughly improved my stable practice so nothing like this happens again.”</p> <p dir="ltr">This isn’t the first case of horses testing positive to caffeine thanks to their trainers, with a similar case resulting in a trainer being fined $2,000 in March last year after it was found they had also been urinating in the corner of the horse’s stall.</p> <p dir="ltr">Caffeine is banned in horse racing because it’s purported to give animals an edge, with the Equestrian Sports NZ website warning trainers to “be aware when drinking soft drinks around your horse, or eating snacks such as biscuits or chocolate bars as caffeine is a common positive test result”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c054e756-7fff-d935-129e-5e4801cf1b39"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Antibiotic resistance: an arms race going on millions of years

<p>In 2012, a team of microbial scientists, curious about the origins of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, decided to take samples from the walls of a deep, ancient underground cave system beneath the modern US state of New Mexico. </p> <p>The maze-like complex of <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0034953" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="URL" data-id="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0034953">Lechuguilla cave</a> stretches for more than 200 kilometres, and much of it is sealed from aboveground by an impermeable rock layer known as the Yates Formation. So, it was the perfect place to hunt for microbes unsullied by the modern world. </p> <p>What they found was both startling and spooky: the microbiome of the cave samples contained bacteria that were resistant to at least 14 different antibiotics currently on the market, even though they had been isolated for more than four million years.</p> <p>Given that antibiotics were first used clinically after Alexander Fleming cultured <em>Penicillium</em> moulds in 1928, antibiotic resistance is generally thought of as a distinctly modern problem – and there’s no doubt our use and abuse of these wonder-molecules have created a huge and growing issue. </p> <p>A <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2821%2902724-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recent study</a> reported in <em>The Lancet </em>suggests more than 1.2 million people died in 2019 as a direct result of antimicrobial resistance. By some estimates, the death toll could reach 10 million per year by 2050 if nothing is done (by contrast, about  eight million people die from cancer each year). The <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antibiotic-resistance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a> identifies resistance as one of the biggest threats to global health. </p> <p>Tony Velkov, an Associate Professor in biochemistry and pharmacology at the University of Melbourne, says not enough attention is being paid to finding answers from nature; more specifically, the organisms that make their own, naturally occurring antibiotics in a dynamic environment.</p> <p>“Lessons from nature, I call them,” Velkov says.</p> <p>The majority of antibiotic medicines used clinically today are derived from natural antibiotics produced by microbes in soil and which attack rival microbes, as part of a miniature war over precious resources.</p> <p>Indeed, Fleming’s discovery of the <em>Penicillium </em>mould’s antibacterial qualities was entirely by accident, says Velkov.</p> <p>“He was growing a bacterium called <em>Staphylococcus aureus, </em>and he decided to go on a long weekend and left the plate on the bench,” he says. “He came back about a week later and he found this mould growing in one corner of the plate, and he found the bacteria that he’d been growing were scared of this mould, and they were all dying or keeping away from it.”</p> <p>Fleming’s famously understated remark upon discovering this strange antibacterial interloper was: “That’s funny”. </p> <p>Velkov is particularly fascinated by the function of antibiotics in nature, as part of epic microbial conflicts taking place at every moment. A big part of his work is looking at a pugnacious little soil microbe called <em>Paenibacillus polymyxa, </em>which is able to kill gram-negative bacteria that enter its territory by producing polymyxins, a particularly aggressive type of antibiotic.</p> <p>“Polymyxin is used in hospitals when you’re really, really sick, because it’s pretty toxic,” he says. For that reason, it’s often a medicine of last resort, which means it hasn’t had as many opportunities as other more common antibiotics, to trigger the evolution of antibiotic resistance traits in pathogens.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p187842-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> <p>Nonetheless, polymyxin-resistance genes <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31122100/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">have been identified</a> in bacteria across Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America and Oceania. If the power of polymyxins is usurped by these resistant pathogens, it could spell disaster for people suffering from drug-resistant bacterial infections.</p> <p>So, Velkov is trying to learn how to create new polymyxins, by mimicking soil-based battles.</p> <p>“I get the bacterium that makes that [polymyxin], and then I challenge it,” Velkov says. “I grow it opposite the bugs it hates, and they fight each other.”</p> <p>If it sounds a bit like a pathogenic boxing match, Velkov says that’s much like what he observes.</p> <p>“They actually have a bit of a battle,” he says. “You’ll see the one that makes the antibiotic starts growing towards the bacteria to push it out of the territory [the petri dish with nutrients on it], and then it secretes the polymyxins to kill it.</p> <p>“But the bug, the human pathogen, often fights back secreting stuff to kill the antibiotic-producing microbes.”</p> <p>How does all this lab-based micro-fighting translate to the real-world problem of resistance?</p> <p>According to Velkov, in medicine, humans mostly focus on producing one type of antibiotic at a time. But in the “wild”, he says, microbes can often produce a whole bunch of subtly different substances in the fight.</p> <p>“In the petri dish, when these guys are fighting each other, they make really different ones,” he says. “Ones we haven’t seen or discovered, they respond in ways we haven’t looked at.”</p> <p>In his research lab, Velkov says he’s discovered a number of new polymyxins, including one that’s in clinical development.</p> <p>So, by staging these kinds of epic battles in miniature in the laboratory, can we stave off antibiotic resistance altogether? According to Velkov, probably not. But we can optimise our participation in the evolutionary arms race.</p> <p>“You’re never going to make it go away,” he says. “This has been going on for millions of years.”</p> <p>But the hope is that by learning from how these microbes behave in nature, we can at least try to keep pace. </p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=187842&amp;title=Antibiotic+resistance%3A+an+arms+race+going+on+millions+of+years" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/medicine/antibiotic-resistance-millions-years/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/amalyah-hart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amalyah Hart</a>. Amalyah Hart is a science journalist based in Melbourne. She has a BA (Hons) in Archaeology and Anthropology from the University of Oxford and an MA in Journalism from the University of Melbourne.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

A MUST for any racing fan: Immortals of Australian Horse Racing review

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australia has a long history when it comes to horse racing legends, with the likes of Phar Lap and Makybe Diva taking to the tracks over the years and quickly becoming legends.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prolific non-fiction author Alan J. Whiticker has brought the stories of two dozen of these racers to life in his latest book </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Immortals-of-Australian-Horse-Racing/Alan-Whiticker/9781925946963" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Immortals of Australian Horse Racing: the Thoroughbreds</span></a></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(Gelding Street Press $39.99).</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Immortals</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> features in-depth statistics about each thoroughbred, with historic photos and artwork scattered throughout depicting the horses in action.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845861/horse-review2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c1d0f6663e6141108ec25c94654d7062" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Immortals peppers each racer’s profile with historical photos that any history buff is sure to appreciate. Image: Supplied</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also takes the chance to bust some common myths about these famous horses, while still acknowledging the roles these tall tales play in Australia’s racing mythos.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[Archer’s] tale has become an important part of the Melbourne Cup mythology and helped make the first dual cups winner immortal,” he writes.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along with Archer, Whiticker’s pickings include the horses almost everyone will recognise - Phar Lap, Black Caviar, Tulloch, Kingston Town, Winx, Manikato, and Makybe Diva - plus a selection of crowd favourites such as Peter Pan, Might and Power, Gunsynd and Sunline.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But horses with celebrity status aren’t the only ones to make the cut; Whiticker also includes the lesser-known stories of freakish Vain, ‘super mare’ Wakeful, tragic Dulcify, and underrated Northerly.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845860/horse-review3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2ae98417b1494ab4ac59345586d10baa" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many have come to (falsely) believe that Archer travelled from Nowra to Melbourne by hoof, but Whiticker points out that this contributes to his immortality. Image: Supplied</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whiticker tracks each horse’s story from their birth and their debut on the track to the pitfalls and moments of victory that made them immortal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meanwhile, the ‘ranking’ of thoroughbreds also lays out Australia’s racing history from the start of the Melbourne Cup to Winx’s retirement in 2018, and each horse is compared to those that came before and after them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though less knowledgeable readers may be daunted by the statistics and racing jargon at first glance, Whiticker compensates for this with his engaging and flowing style of prose.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All in all, racing fans and history buffs will enjoy the in-depth stories that Whiticker creates, writing as if he were commentating from the sideline.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I trust this book will settle several arguments about the greatest thoroughbreds of all time and no doubt start a few more,” Whiticker writes of his selection.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“One thing is for certain: they are all unforgettable in their own right.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Supplied</span></em></p>

Books

Placeholder Content Image

Australia’s best racehorses RANKED by their winnings

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australia and New Zealand have long histories as the home of many champion racehorses - from Phar Lap and Tulloch to Makybe Diva and Black Caviar.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the years these horses have also earned some hefty prizes, with some totalling in the tens of thousands.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alan Whiticker - a longtime racing fan - has compiled the stories, stats and images of these horses among 24 featured in his new book </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Immortals-of-Australian-Horse-Racing/Alan-Whiticker/9781925946963" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Immortals of Australian Horse Racing</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, including their winnings.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are the ten of the greatest, ranked by their total winnings (adjusted for </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualDecimal.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">inflation</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">).</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845418/horses1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b108deac40cb47fc9439caf034137bf4" /></p> <p><strong>Winx ($26,421,176)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Winx, the ‘Wonder Mare’, not only collected more than $26 million in her five-year racing career, but also received a swathe of awards and honours. She was Australia’s Champion Racehorse of the Year for four years running, the World’s Top-Ranked Turf Horse in 2017 and 2018, and entered Australia’s Racing Hall of Fame in 2017.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to Whiticker, “Winx had a V8 racing motor for a heart”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“And like all champions, her will to win was freakish.”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845419/horses2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5bf88fbabc9e4f5ea2921bb9589e48af" /></p> <p><strong>Sunline ($17,149,276)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Zealand-born racer was a popular contender both in her home country and Australia, with many arguing Sunline has been the best horse to come out of New Zealand since Phar Lap.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Between 1998 and 2002, Sunline collected more than $11 million in winnings, equivalent to about $17 million today. She was crowned both the Australian and New Zealand Racehorse of the Year three times, and entered the Hall of Fame in both countries in the early 2000s.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845420/horses3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b9f05f6a5a2c4f5e86bad5ba62e8fa92" /></p> <p><strong>Makybe Diva ($14, 526, 685)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Born in Somerset, England, Makybe Diva went on to win three Melbourne Cups - winning one in the same year that she placed first in the Sydney Cup.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following her third Melbourne Cup win in 2005, owner Tony Santic declared she was officially retired.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845421/horses4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62915e6d93e9451fae240a8f7a8349c3" /></p> <p><strong>Super Impose ($10,973,719)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Zealander has become well-known for winning both the Doncaster and Epsom handicap races twice - and is the only horse that has done so.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He retired in 1992 with a record $5.6 million in winnings, before going on to live a life of comfort until his death at 22-years-old.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845422/horses5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/211b76c03b66472c8b298bb9c4b0fff3" /></p> <p><strong>Octagonal ($10,233,179)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">New-Zealand bred Octagonal, nicknamed ‘The Big O’, came into his own as a three-year-old and secured seven wins across Randwick, Rosehill, Canterbury, and Caulfield in just a year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 1997, Octagonal retired with a then-record $5.89 million in prize money, equivalent to $10 million now.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845423/horses6.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62097a6ebe2a4a6fb528033a20bd7aae" /></p> <p><strong>Better Loosen Up ($9,097,380)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Better Loosen Up, named after his sire Loosen Up, achieved victory on an international scale with his win in the 1990 Japan Cup. In the same year, he also took the top spot in the Australian Cup and several other stakes races.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Retiring three years later, Better Loosen Up’s winnings totalled $4.77 million.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845424/horses7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/98f76bda6d0144a29fb74fa5ba81ec90" /></p> <p><strong>Might &amp; Power ($8,489,287)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another winner hailing from New Zealand, Might &amp; Power secured his first win in 1997 at Randwick just before he turned three. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before retiring in 2000, Might &amp; Power earned a hefty $5 million in winnings, which equates to just under $8.5 million today. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He was also crowned World Champion Stayer in 1998 and has since been entered into the Halls of Fame in both Australia and New Zealand.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845425/horses8.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/10fc9c06acd642759119155ff7f0aeb3" /></p> <p><strong>Black Caviar ($7,953,936)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another racehorse with plenty of accolades to her name, Black Caviar also achieved the near-impossible by winning every single one of her races across her four-year career.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Almost four years to the day of her debut at Flemington, it was announced that she would retire to stud, taking $7.9 million in prize money with her.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845426/horses9.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a9207975e82c4edfbea0d0c24bee12a6" /></p> <p><strong>Phar Lap ($6,659,594)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As one of racing history’s most well-known horses, Phar Lap became an icon in Australia and New Zealand and prompted both countries to claim him as their own.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New-Zealand born racer went on to win 37 of his 51 races, including the Melbourne Cup, and earned £66,738 in winnings that equates to over $6.5 million today.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His death in 1932 came as a shock to racing fans, with rumours emerging that claimed he was deliberately poisoned ahead of the Agua Caliente Handicap race in Tijuana, Mexico. However, Whiticker posits that his death may have been due to contaminated feed or travel sickness.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845427/horses10.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/af51500da737462ebcaba1da6a9d8e4c" /></p> <p><strong>Carbine ($6,028, 507)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to Whiticker, Carbine was “the 19th century’s giant” of horse racing in Australia. The New Zealand racer not only won the 1890 Melbourne Cup, but also carried a record weight, beat the largest number of racers, and ran the fastest time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though he was eventually sold to the Duke of Portland in England, Carbine was considered an icon by Australians.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By the time he retired in 1891, Carbine had earned 29, 626 in prizes and come first in all but six of his 43 races.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Supplied</span></em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

“Human race is doomed”: Model slammed over pose at her father’s funeral

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An Instagram model has been </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/instagram-model-slammed-for-disrespectful-pose-at-fathers-funeral-c-4336312" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">called out</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> online after posting a “disrespectful” image from her father’s funeral.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">US influencer Jayne Rivera sparked a heated discussion on Reddit after she posted a photo of herself posing beside her father’s casket.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Butterfly fly away,” she captioned the photo in what was meant to be a heartfelt tribute. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She went on to describe her dad as her “best friend” and said his life was “well lived”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, it was the image she shared alongside the tribute that prompted it to go viral.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the snap, the influencer is wearing a black strapless dress, casting her eyes downward, and posing with her leg bent in a “foot prop” pose that has become popular on social media.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a second image, Ms Rivera was captured in a close-up shot with her hands together and standing right in front of her dad’s open casket.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">this Instagram model’s father passed away,,,, and she did a photo shoot with the open casket…. <a href="https://t.co/u1EVNxaajz">pic.twitter.com/u1EVNxaajz</a></p> — Mac McCann (@MacMcCannTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MacMcCannTX/status/1453030106528632836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Initially, her followers urged her to take it down - but its emergence on Reddit sparked further outcry.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Holy crap, is this so incredibly disrespectful,” one commenter shared.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hey my dad died, let’s get 5000 likes!” another fumed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I found her on Instagram and started following her, because one day I’ll have kids of my own, and I need to see where all these parents went wrong,” a third commented.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I can’t have my future kids grow up like this.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Rivera’s Instagram account has since been deleted.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845135/funeral1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/21fbd12e84124d0a95ce8b2bd1cd6cf7" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Reddit</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another commented on the changing attitudes towards funerals in general.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Last funeral I went to everybody just wanted it to be over so we could go to the bar and tell funny stories about the deceased,” they shared.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Human race is doomed there’s no way it will last till 3000, we need a hard reboot,” another wrote.</span></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Retired race horses on track to help troubled kids

<p><em>Image: A Current Affair </em></p> <p>New charity ‘Rehab 4 Rehab' is saving the lives of children and retired racehorses on the Mornington Peninsula through a ground-breaking equine therapy program.</p> <p>Children struggling with mental health issues get paired up with clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and retired racehorses to accelerate therapy sessions.</p> <p>“We are seeing lots of children with anxiety, depression, self-harming, suicidal kids, lots of autistic kids,” found Alisha Griffiths told<span> </span><em>A Current Affair.</em></p> <p>“They are practicing exactly what they would do in the normal four white wall environments but they’re doing it on a farm with retired racehorses.”</p> <p>Ms Griffiths said she had been around horses all her life and now she wants to share them with others.</p> <p>“They also build a rapport with a psychologist a lot quicker, they trust the psychologist because they’re around a retired racehorse,” she said.</p> <p>Clinical psychologist Jo Paterson crossed path with Alisha’s charity when she was looking for somewhere to keep her own horse – and she ended up with a job.</p> <p>“When you’re talking about things that are distressing and through trauma, then you’ve got something there that can help regulate, when they get upset,” Ms Paterson said.</p> <p>There are 46 horses at Ms Griffiths property and most of them are retired racehorses.</p> <p>In order to train them for being a racehorse to a therapy horse, they settle their lives down and “show them a slower pace”.</p> <p>Head horse trainer Alex McDonough said she’s surprised by how well the horses have adjusted.</p> <p>“It’s almost like they know they’re around children,” she said.</p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

“An absolute disaster”: Prince William calls out billionaires’ space race

<p dir="ltr">Prince William has called out the billionaires currently competing in a space tourism race instead of focusing their efforts on the environmental problems on Earth.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Duke of Cambridge directed thinly-veiled criticism at Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson during a BBC interview at Kensington Palace.</p> <p dir="ltr">The three billionaires have been embroiled in a recent race to provide private commercial space travel.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We need some of the world’s greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live,”<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-15/prince-william-urges-billionaires-put-planet-before-space-race/100541038" target="_blank">William said</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The interview comes after Mr Musk announced his focus on reaching Mars, and after Mr Bezos said that his inaugural space flight was part of building a road to space “so that our kids and their kids can build a future”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We need to do that to solve the problems here on Earth,” Mr Bezos said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Amazon founder recently celebrated his second suborbital space flight, which included<span> </span><em>Star Trek<span> </span></em>actor William Shatner among its passengers.</p> <p dir="ltr">The British royal family has made a trend of speaking out on environmental issues, with William following in the steps of his father Prince Charles and late grandfather Prince Philip.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Charles has been calling for action to stop climate change for decades, often facing ridicule for his stance.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 72-year-old heir to the throne<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/prince-charles-shocked-that-morrison-not-confirmed-for-glasgow-climate-conference?fbclid=IwAR0yBM3BrGS_5kZp0-E8kfD0lmaoVumFZDUhBcq0LmueyAmeR1gHv8fOk8I" target="_blank">recently described</a><span> </span>the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow as a “last chance saloon” for combating climate change, sharing how he tries so hard to encourage world leaders to attend and take action.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s been a hard road for him. He’s had a really rough ride on that, and I think he’s been proven to being well ahead of the curve,” William said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But it shouldn’t be that there’s a third generation now coming along having to ramp it up even more.”</p> <p dir="ltr">William also warned that not taking action now could be “robbing from our children’s future”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For me, it would be an absolute disaster if [my son] George is sat here in 30 years’ time, still saying the same thing, because by then we will be too late.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now I’ve got children as well and speaking to other parents, it’s a bit of a cliche, but you do start to see the world differently.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I want the things that I’ve enjoyed - the outdoor life, the nature, the environment - I want that to be there for my children, and not just my children but everyone else’s children.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The prince said the key to tackling the issue was to “bring people with us”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“People have got to feel like there’s hope, there’s a chance we can fix this.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He also echoed his father’s message, saying the upcoming COP26 conference had to result in action.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We can’t have more clever speak, clever words but not enough action,” William said.</p> <p dir="ltr">In response to the issue of climate change, William created the Earthshot Prize, with the aim of using new technologies or policies to solve Earth’s biggest environmental problems.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @KensingtonRoyal / Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Dying man granted his final wish

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> A dying man had his wish of a day at the races fulfilled at Morphettville’s racing track in Adelaide.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Paramedics were taking Nigel Latham home from hospital to enter palliative home care when they had a simple question for him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They asked me if I’d like to stop anywhere on the way,” Nigel said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I had been watching the racing in hospital, so wanted to go there.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ambulance officer Bec Sanders and colleague Laura granted the 58-year-old’s request.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In normal circumstances I would've been there for a great day of racing,” Nigel said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve been a member of the South Australian Jockey Club for the last three years and own shares in a couple of horses.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Bec and Laura worked miracles and got me there. They are commended for their care and sheer goodness of their spirit.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nigel got to watch the action from the 200m mark with his wife Julie, and became the inspiration for a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After learning of Nigel’s dying wish, Craig Williams was overcome with emotion and rode Lady Dunmore to victory.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Nigel Latham, he was the inspiration for her success today,” Williams said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After his victory, Williams rode over to Nigel and gifted him a souvenir.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“To Nigel, I said to my horse if she’d get over the line we’d make sure we give him the winning goggles and she did her job really well.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’d like to be grateful to people like Nigel who support the industry and have his last dying wish (of) coming here today for a great race day.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another thoughtful racegoer named Matt also joined in on the good spirit, offering him an ice-cold beer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nigel said the day had become one of the most memorable experiences of his life, especially with his wife by his side.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Given only days to live, Nigel Latham had a wish to go to the races one last time in Adelaide. The hospital and ambulance drivers made it happen. <br /><br />Hear Bensley read his emotional message of thanks after his day at the Morphettville track on Saturday. <br /><br />Incredible. <a href="https://t.co/KZ9POXfxnv">pic.twitter.com/KZ9POXfxnv</a></p> — SENTrack (@SEN_track) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEN_track/status/1389026708074885120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“People are amazing,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve had brilliant care at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. They have all tried so hard for me and then getting me to the races yesterday meant so much.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He praised the kindness of the paramedics, saying, “Thanks to Bec and Laura for making it happen, to Ian (Richardo, Morphettville track manager) for facilitating it. For Matt for the beer and for Craig for caring so much.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bec said Nigel was exhausted but told 7NEWS “it was really lovely to see him home and happy.”</span></p> <p><strong>Image credit: 7NEWS</strong></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Roger Federer’s worrying news: “Race against time”

<p>Roger Federer admits that he may not play in the Australian Open next year, even hinting that he may have played his last match.</p> <p>The 39-year-old shared an update at an awards night in Switzerland, which shocked tennis fans around the world.</p> <p>The 20-time grand slam champion has not played since suffering from an injury before the semi-finals at Melbourne Park last year.</p> <p>Federer has been recovering in his homeland after undergoing knee surgery for this cold time earlier this year.</p> <p>However, while he hoped for a quick recovery, he revealed that despite the season’s major first major being in February rather than January, it still may not be enough time.</p> <p>"I would have hoped that I would be 100 per cent in October. But I am still not today. It will be tight for the Australian Open," FedeThe Swiss maestro conceded that if the tournament is pushed back three weeks to its likely February 8 start date, it will no doubt help his cause.</p> <p>"It will be complicated for the Australian Open. I don't want to take the next step until I'm ready. These three weeks could help me a bit.</p> <p>"I'm curious to see whether it will start on February 8.</p> <p>"Of course, it would help if I had a bit more time."</p> <p>After being voted the best Swiss athlete in the last 70 years, Federer gave hinted that he may have already played his last match.</p> <p>"I hope there is still something to see from me next year. But if that was it, that would have been an incredible ending for me at these Sports Awards."</p> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>The extraordinary statement left tennis fans shaken.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Not sure, how serious he was. But <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rogerfederer</a> ends with the words: "I hope there is still something to see from me next year. But if that was it, that would have been an incredible ending for me at these Sports Awards." Personally, I am sure he'll do everything to be <a href="https://twitter.com/Wimbledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wimbledon</a></p> — Simon Graf (@SimonGraf1) <a href="https://twitter.com/SimonGraf1/status/1338244018317250560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Going to therapy tomorrow for the 1st time and all i'm gonna talk about is the fact that roger federer might retire 😭😭</p> — dihya (@dihyatnn) <a href="https://twitter.com/dihyatnn/status/1338250939862540290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Roger Federer is preparing all fans for the farewell from tennis <br />I am completely surprised and sad tonight <br />I cannot imagine the future of tennis without <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rogerfederer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Federer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Federer</a> <a href="https://t.co/jyuNClqJyX">https://t.co/jyuNClqJyX</a></p> — Arthur Delaye 🇫🇷🇫🇷⭐️⭐️ (@ArthurDelaye) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArthurDelaye/status/1338250837995479042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2020</a></blockquote> </div> </div> </div>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Heartwarming update on F1 legend Michael Schumacher

<p><span>Former Ferrari boss Jean Todt has given an incredibly heartwarming update on F1 legend Michael Schumacher.</span><br /><br /><span>Todt told media outlets that he has been closely following the motorsport career of his son Mick.</span><br /><br /><span>Schumacher is one of the world’s most successful F1 drivers, but his career came to a screeching halt when he suffered severe brain injuries while on a skiing trip in the French Alps back in 2013.</span><br /><br /><span>The formula legend has not been seen in public since.</span><br /><br /><span>Information on the 51-year-old’s condition has also been a tightly kept secret, with only tiny snippets of information being released so far.</span><br /><br /><span>However, Todt has always been a reliable source of information given his extremely close relationship with the Schumacher family.</span><br /><br /><span>The 74-year-old was team principal at Ferrari during five of Schumacher’s seven titles, and has revealed that Michael is closely watching the meteoric rise of his 21-year-old son Mick.</span><br /><br /><span>Mick Schumacher is currently on the verge of securing an F1 seat at Haas in 2021 after an extremely successful stint in FIA Formula 2.</span><br /><br /><span>“Of course he is following him,” Todt told <em>RTL France.</em></span><br /><br /><span>“Mick is probably going to race in Formula 1 next year which will be a great challenge.</span><br /><br /><span>“We would be delighted to have a new Schumacher at the highest level of motor racing.”</span><br /><br /><span>The comments have led the public to believe the F1 legend is conscious, following years of speculation he’s been in a vegetative state ever since his skiing accident.</span><br /><br /><span>Todt however has not given much details on the health of Schumacher.</span><br /><br /><span>“This is a question on which I am going to be extremely reserved,” Todt said of the former Ferrari superstar.</span><br /><br /><span>“I see Michael very often – once or twice a month. My answer is the same all the time – he fights. We can only wish for him and his family that things get better.”</span><br /><br /><span>The Frenchman is one of just a few family and friends allowed into Schumacher’s mansion on Lake Geneva, where the German racing legend is believed to be recovering.</span><br /><br /><span>The former Ferrari boss revealed back in 2019 that he watched an F1 race on TV with Schumacher.</span><br /><br /><span>“I’m always careful with such statements, but it’s true. I saw the race together with Michael Schumacher at his home in Switzerland,” Todt told <em>Radio Monte-Carlo.</em></span><br /><br /><span>“Michael is in the best hands and is well looked after in his house.</span><br /><br /><span>“He does not give up and keeps fighting.”</span><br /><br /><span>“His family is fighting just as much and of course our friendship can not be the same as it once was.</span><br /><br /><span>“Just because there’s no longer the same communication as before.”</span></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Put the baking soda back in the bottle: Banned sodium bicarbonate ‘milkshakes’ don’t make racehorses faster

<p><em> </em></p> <p>The controversial and banned practice of giving horses baking soda “milkshakes” before a race doesn’t work, according to our analysis of the available research.</p> <p>Racing folklore says sodium bicarbonate milkshakes can boost racehorses’ endurance because the alkalinity of the baking soda helps counter the buildup of lactic acid in the blood when running.</p> <p>But our systematic research review, <a href="https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1bv2Z2dbxqYqLj">recently published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science</a> reveals milkshakes don’t boost horses’ athletic performance.</p> <p>This means any trainer still tempted to flout the ban on this tactic would be endangering their horses’ welfare and risking heavy sanctions over a practice that is basically snake oil.</p> <p>Despite the fun-sounding name, milkshakes are anything but. The process involves inserting a tube up the horse’s nose, down its throat and into the stomach, and then pumping in a concentrated solution of sodium bicarbonate dissolved in water.</p> <p>This can be stressful to the horse, and potential <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2004.08.014">side-effects</a> include lacerations to the nasal cavity, throat and oesophagus, gastrointestinal upset, and diarrhoea. It can even be fatal if the tube is mistakenly inserted into the trachea and the solution is pumped into the lungs.</p> <p>It’s little wonder Racing Australia has <a href="https://www.racingaustralia.horse/uploadimg/Australian_rules_of_Racing/Australian_Rules_of_Racing_01_March_2019.pdf">banned</a> the use of “alkalising agents” such as milkshakes on race day, with potentially career-ending ramifications for trainers caught doing it.</p> <p><strong>No boost after all</strong></p> <p>The effect of baking soda on athletic performance has been studied in human athletes for decades with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31191097">inconclusive results</a>, but has only been analysed in horses since the late 1980s.</p> <p>Our analysis included data from eight experimental trials featuring 74 horses. Overall, sodium bicarbonate administration in the hours before treadmill tests or simulated race trials did not improve horses’ running performance in either type of test.</p> <p>In fact, in treadmill exercise tests in which horses were not ridden by jockeys, sodium bicarbonate actually had a very small negative effect on running performance, albeit not a statistically significant one.</p> <p>Whereas human athletes might gain a placebo effect from sodium bicarbonate, this is unlikely to apply to horses who don’t understand the intended point of the milkshake. And while some racehorse trainers may be educated in exercise physiology and the importance of blood pH, others may believe they work simply because received wisdom and racing folklore say so.</p> <p>Racing aficionados steeped in tradition might respond with scepticism, or argue that research can’t replicate the unique conditions of race day. But given that our comprehensive analysis of a range of research trials shows no evidence that milkshakes work, we argue any recalcitrant trainers have a moral responsibility to listen to the science.</p> <p>Milkshakes are already banned. But our research shows they deliver no benefit anyway. Trainers who are happy to continue this illicit practice and run the gauntlet of potential sanctions should consider whether it is worth it at all, and whether instead they should reconsider on moral, medical and scientific grounds.</p> <p><em>Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-denham-1165121">Joshua Denham</a>, RMIT University and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-hulme-401293">Adam Hulme</a>, University of the Sunshine Coast. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/put-the-baking-soda-back-in-the-bottle-banned-sodium-bicarbonate-milkshakes-dont-make-racehorses-faster-148907">The Conversation.</a> </em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

The truth about “horrible” Michael Schumacher claims

<p>Former Ferrari boss Ross Brawn has exposed the truth about claims Michael Schumacher was a “despicable, horrible character”.</p> <p>The man who was by the German driver’s side during his seven F1 world titles said Schumacher was a very different person when off the track.</p> <p>The legendary racer was known to be a ruthless driver on the track, which swayed public opinion.</p> <p>The 51-year-old was accused of driving “dangerously” as he needed to win no matter what, but Brawn said Schumacher changed people’s opinions once they met him away from the track.</p> <p>“I don’t know if he quite enjoyed the impression he created because he was quite an intimidating character in many ways,” Brawn told Sky’s new docu-series<span> </span><em>Race to Perfection</em>.</p> <p>“But if you knew him personally he was quite the opposite, very engaging, very personal.</p> <p>“So many times I introduced him to people who, before they met him, thought he was a despicable, horrible character and you introduce them, and once they got to know him they completely changed.</p> <p>“I had that happen so many times because there was Michael the racing driver out on the track and there was Michael the human being away from the track.”</p> <p>Brawn says whoever had the chance to get to know Schumacher on a personal level thought the world of him.</p> <p>“I don’t know of anyone who worked with Michael who had a bad word to say about him,” Brawn said.</p> <p>“Lots of people who raced against him had a different opinion but nobody I know who ever worked with Michael ever had a bad opinion about him because of his integrity, his commitment, his human side.</p> <p>“He was a very strong team member of any team he was part of and it’s a tragedy what’s happened but he’s a lovely human being.”</p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Michael Schumacher’s former manager reveals F1 driver’s “stupidest decision”

<p><span>When Michael Schumacher retired from Formula 1, he was untouchable as the greatest champion in the sport’s history.</span></p> <p><span>Five straight championships and seven all up, Schumacher was in a league of his own.</span></p> <p><span>In the 250 races he took part in between 198 and 2006, Schumacher had 68 pole positions, 154 podiums and an astounding 91 wins.</span></p> <p><span>Schumacher was breaking records left right and centre – until he signed on to a three-year deal with Mercedes in 2010.</span></p> <p><span>In his last 58 races over three years, Schumacher claimed just one podium, finishing third behind Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso at the 2012 European Grand Prix, where he was the oldest driver to make a podium since Jack Brabham at the 1970 Grand Prix at the age of 43.</span></p> <p><span>While the end of his career left some of his records under pressure from a driver such as Hamilton, Schumacher’s former manager Willi Weber revealed that he tried to talk Schumacher out of a return in 2010.</span></p> <p><span>“Let’s say, this was, even in hindsight, the stupidest thing he could do,” Weber told Motorsport-Total.com.</span></p> <p><span>“He told me he was bored, he had to drive. Then I say, ‘Michael, what do you want? You can only lose. You can’t win anymore. You won everything. You are the best racer in the world. You stand on the highest pedestal that exists. You can only lose now’.</span></p> <p><span>“But, he just didn’t want to hear it.”</span></p> <p><span>Schumacher ended up sticking to his decision and the two ended their professional relationship.</span></p> <p><span>But despite his comeback wasn’t what many expected, he’s still considered one of the greatest drivers of all time. </span></p> <p><span>After sustaining a head injury in 2013 during a skiing accident, Schumacher is now rarely sighted as his family has remained notoriously tight lipped about his condition.</span></p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Michael Schumacher is “very altered, deteriorated and not how we remember him”

<p>Michael Schumacher is “very altered” six years on from the horror ski accident which left him with a shocking brain injury, according to a leading neurosurgeon.</p> <p>The Formula One champion was close to death when a skiing accident saw him fall and hit his head on a rock in the French Alps in December 2013.</p> <p>Despite the iconic racer coming out of his long-term coma, surgeon Nicola Acciari claims he won't be the man his millions of adoring fans remember.</p> <p>“We must imagine a person very different from the one we remember on the track, with a very altered and deteriorated organic, muscular and skeletal structure,” Dr Acciari told Italian newspaper Contro Copertina.</p> <p>“All as a result of the brain trauma he suffered.”</p> <p>Dr Acciari has not treated the sporting star herself.</p> <p>Schumacher’s former boss at Ferrari revealed last year that the 51-year-old is making progress in his recovery and enjoys watching F1 races on TV.</p> <p>Jean Todt, one of Schumacher’s closest friends, gave a rare insight during an interview with Radio Monte-Carlo (RMC).</p> <p>Speaking to the station, Todt said he had been making good progress, with the pair watching the races on TV together.</p> <p>He added: “I’m always been careful with such statements, but it’s true. I saw the race together with Michael Schumacher at his home in Switzerland.”</p> <p>While declining to provide too much detail on Schumacher’s health, out of respect for his family, Todt said: “Michael is in the best hands and is well looked after in his house.</p> <p>“He does not give up and keeps fighting.”</p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Michael Schumacher's wife the centre of startling new claim

<p>Michael Schumacher’s former manager has claimed that the Formula One legend’s wife has been keeping her husband’s condition private for fear of “the truth” going “public”.</p> <p>Schumacher has not been seen in public since his skiing accident in December 2013.</p> <p>Speaking in a German TV documentary, Schumacher’s long-term manager Will Weber claimed that requests to visit his former client have been denied by the seven-time world champion’s wife Corinna Schumacher.</p> <p>“I know that Michael has been hit hard, but unfortunately I do not know what progress he makes,” Weber said on <em>The Michael Schumacher Tale</em> RTL special.</p> <p>“I’d like to know how he’s doing and shake hands or stroke his face. But unfortunately, this is rejected by Corinna.</p> <p>“She’s probably afraid that I’ll see right away what’s going on and make the truth public.”</p> <p>However, Weber said he believed fans will see Schumacher again.</p> <p>“I firmly believe in Michael’s recovery, because I know he is a fighter,” Weber said.</p> <p>“If there is a chance, he will use it. That cannot be the end.</p> <p>“I pray for him and am convinced that we will see him again.”</p> <p>Weber’s comments came as Corinna gave her <a href="https://au.sports.yahoo.com/michael-schumacher-condition-former-manager-willi-weber-claims-wife-corinna-cover-up-071053930.html">first interview</a> since the skiing accident.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>She Magazine</em>, Corrina paid tribute to her husband, whom she said helped her develop a passion for horses. “When I was 30, I very much wanted to have a horse and Michael went with me to Dubai, where I intended to buy an Arabian horse,” she said.</p> <p>“He did everything for me. I will never forget who I have to thank. That would be my husband Michael.”</p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Mick Schumacher hugs F2 driver Anthoine Hubert’s family after tragic death

<p>Motorsport is mourning the death of Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert, who was killed in a heavy crash during a race at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.</p> <p>Drivers observed a minute’s silence in memory of Hubert alongside the late French racer’s mother and brother with heads bowed in the Spa-Francorchamps paddock on Sunday.</p> <p>Mick Schumacher, son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, embraced Hubert’s family before they stood in silence to honour the young sportsman.</p> <p>Schumacher was taking part in the same F2 qualifying session when Hubert’s collision occurred. He joined other racing drivers in paying their respects to the Frenchman.</p> <p>“Fate is brutal. The loss is endless. Anthoine, we miss you already,” Schumacher wrote on Twitter.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Fate is brutal. The loss is endless. Anthoine, we miss you already.</p> — Mick Schumacher (@SchumacherMick) <a href="https://twitter.com/SchumacherMick/status/1167870176613715969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Mick Schumacher, Anthoine Hubert family, Belgian Grand Prix tragedy <a href="https://t.co/zBtkn8YR7P">https://t.co/zBtkn8YR7P</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sports</a></p> — THE PRESS (@pres5ar) <a href="https://twitter.com/pres5ar/status/1168150008069316608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Five-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, who led a minute’s silence ahead of the Grand Prix, shared a tribute on his Instagram account.</p> <p>“Yesterday a great young talent passed away here. Let’s remember him today,” he wrote on Sunday. “Rest in peace Anthoine Hubert.”</p> <p>Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc said Hubert’s death was “a big shock”. “We lose someone on track, a track where you need to race the day after. It’s obviously quite challenging to then close the visor and go through the exact same corner [where the crash happened].”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B11gQn0oWAI/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B11gQn0oWAI/" target="_blank">I can't believe it. Rest in peace.</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/charles_leclerc/" target="_blank"> CHARLES LECLERC</a> (@charles_leclerc) on Aug 31, 2019 at 10:01am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Hubert died at the age of 22 after his car collided with 20-year-old US driver Juan Manuel Correa’s car at an estimated speed of 160mph (257kph).</p> <p>Correa suffered fractures to both his legs and a minor spinal injury, and is recovering in intensive care at the CHU Liege hospital.</p>

Caring