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Escaped race horse shocks commuters at suburban train station

An escaped race horse has been spotted at a suburban Sydney train station, bamboozling confused commuters. CCTV footage captured the moment a retired racehorse wandered into Warwick Farm train station around midnight on Friday, as confused commuters hid from the animal. Sydney Trains CEO Matt Longland said they were alerted to the unexpected passenger, and notified train drivers to keep a look out for a passenger that was "horsing around". “Thankfully we were able to warn our train drivers to take extra care to look out for animals on the tracks” Longland said. “A train stopped at the station, (but) didn’t open its doors.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5mXYfHSINA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <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 style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5mXYfHSINA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 7NEWS Australia (@7newsaustralia)</a> </div> </blockquote> After pacing the platform for almost 30 minutes, the horse was reunited with its owner, top Australian horse racing trainer Annabel Neasham. “Unfortunately, we had an intruder break-in to one of our stables,” Neasham said. “In the meantime, he managed to let our stable pony out.” “(Our) horse is back at home, none the wiser, not even a scratch on him.” Stable hand Keith Morrison said it was “highly unusual” that the horse ended up on the platform and left him with unanswered questions. “I still want to know how it got up the stairs and onto the platform — it didn’t use the lift!” Langland said Sydney Trains were giving the horse, now affectionately nicknamed “Mr Red” by train staff, a “stern warning” for “failing to tap-on at the station”. "It's not every day you see a horse on the platform, but that's what we saw at Warwick Farm," NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said. She said the horse was a well-behaved passenger, adding, "It kept its hooves behind the yellow line, which is a good thing." Image credits: 7News

Family & Pets

Do racehorses even know they’re ‘racing’ each other? It’s unlikely

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathrynne-henshall-572585">Cathrynne Henshall</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a> When racing season arrives, everyone becomes an expert on the horses that are the stars of the spectacle. TV personalities, professional pundits and form guides talk confidently about the favourite’s “<a href="https://www.racenet.com.au/news/tony-brassel-on-the-great-unmeasurable-ticker">will to win</a>”. In close races, the equine contestants “<a href="https://www.justhorseracing.com.au/news/australian-racing/war-machine-to-battle-it-out/120326">battle it out</a>”, demonstrating “heart”, “grit” and “determination”. But do horses even know they are in a race, let alone have a desire to win it? Do they understand what it means when their nose is the first one to pass the post? Based on decades of experience and everything we know about horse behaviour, I think the most plausible answer is “no”. <h2>From the horse’s perspective</h2> From a horse’s perspective, there are few intrinsic rewards for winning a race. Reaching the end might mean relief from the pressure to keep galloping at high speed and hits from the jockey’s whip, but the same is true for all the horses once they pass the finishing post. If the race is close, the horse that eventually wins might even be <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0015622">whipped more often</a> in the final stages than horses further back in the field. So while being first to reach the winning post can be crucially important to the horse’s human connections, there is very little direct, intrinsic benefit to the horse that would motivate it to voluntarily gallop faster to achieve this outcome. So does a horse even know it’s in a race? Again, the answer is likely “no”. Running (cantering or galloping) is a quintessential horse behaviour and horses voluntarily run together in groups when given the opportunity – even in races <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/2022/08/22/riderless-race-horses-take-to-the-streets-in-central-italy-in-pictures/">without jockeys</a>. However, there are a number of reasons to think horses have not evolved a desire to “win” during a group gallop. Horses are social animals. In the wild, to minimise their individual exposure to predators, they <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0258944">synchronise their movement</a> with other horses in their group. This synchronisation includes maintaining similar speeds to other group members (to keep the group together), being alert to the positions of their own body and their neighbours’ to avoid collisions, and adapting their speed to the terrain and environmental cues that indicate upcoming danger or obstacles. In the wild, “winning” – that is, arriving first, long before other group members – could even be a negative, exposing the “winner” to an increased risk of predation. This collective behaviour is the opposite of what owners, trainers and punters want from horses during a race. <h2>The horse’s preferences (and how riders override them)</h2> Horse races depend on two horse-related factors: the horse’s innate tendency to synchronise with other horses, and its ability to be trained to ignore these tendencies in response to cues from the jockey during a race. Trainers and jockeys also harness the preferences of individual horses. Some horses are averse to bunching up with others during the race, so jockeys let them move to the front of the field (these are “<a href="https://www.racingnsw.com.au/news/feature-articles/the-art-of-the-front-runner-timing-a-jockeys-best-friend/">front runners</a>”). Other horses seek the security of the group, so jockeys let them remain in the bunch until closer to the winning post (these are “come-from-behind” winners). Jockeys use several different interventions to override the horse’s innate tendency to synchronise. These might include: <ul> <li> directing the horses to travel much closer to the other horses (risking the sometimes fatal injuries we sometimes see at the track) </li> <li> travelling at speeds not of the horse’s choosing (usually at far higher speeds and for longer durations, and often maintained by use of the whip) </li> <li> preventing the horse from changing course to adapt its position relative to other horses in the field (directing its path via pressure on the mouth from the bit or taps from the whip). </li> </ul> During the early stages of a race, jockeys rely on horses’ innate desire to remain with the group to ensure they maintain the physical effort required to keep in touch with the front runners. This tendency may then be overruled so the horse will act independently of the group, leave it behind and come to the front to hopefully win. <h2>No concept of being in a race</h2> So horses most likely have no concept of being in a “race”, where the goal of their galloping is to get to a certain location on the track before any of the other horses. However, they undoubtedly know what it’s like to be in a race. That is, they learn through prior experience and training what is likely to happen and what to do during a race. And with jockeys and trainers who understand the individual preferences of their horses to maximise their chances during the race, there will always be one horse that reaches that part of the track designated the winning post before the other horses in the group. But as for winning horses understanding they are there to “win”? It’s far more likely it is the combination of natural ability, physical fitness and jockey skill that accounts for which horse wins, rather than any innate desire by that horse to get to the winning post before the other horses.<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/216641/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathrynne-henshall-572585">Cathrynne Henshall</a>, Lecturer, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/do-racehorses-even-know-theyre-racing-each-other-its-unlikely-216641">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

"Get the medic": Grant Denyer collapses in first-look trailer for Amazing Race

The Amazing Race Australia is back and more dramatic than ever, after Gold Logie winner Grant Denyer collapsed on set, needing medical attention. The first-look teaser of the celebrity edition of the reality show has come out, and showcased some of the most tense scenes of the season. The 45-year-old Logie winner is at the centre of the scene, as footage showed him lying on the ground as paramedics struggle to give him urgent medical attention, while his wife Chezzi watches on. “Can we get the medic? He’s shaking, he’s shivering,” a voice said. The upcoming season of the show will feature stars Grant Denyer and his wife, Jackie Gillies and husband Ben, Bec Judd and sister Kate Twigley, and Australian Survivor player "King" George and sister Pam. A few of the other stars competing this season are The Voice Australia co-host Darren McMullen and his nephew Tristan, Kath and Kim comedian Peter Rowsthorn and his daughter, and Too Hot To Handle stars Harry and Teddy. The show is set to air in October on Ten, and the stars will work with their loved ones to compete for $100,000 to their chosen charity, as they race against the clock to complete challenges in countries including India, Cambodia, Malaysia and Borneo. Image: Ten

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

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-sweetman-1331085">Alexander Sweetman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> 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. 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. But what’s going on when your mind is racing at night? And how do you make it stop? <h2>It can happen to anyone</h2> 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. 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. <h2>What is insomnia?</h2> 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. 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. 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? 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. These activities don’t just include worrying. They can be using a mobile phone, watching TV, eating, working, arguing, smoking or playing with pets. 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>”. Here are six ways to spend less time awake in bed with racing thoughts. <h2>1. Re-learn to associate bed with sleep</h2> <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. Follow these simple steps every night of the week: <ul> <li> only use your bed for sleep and intimacy. All other activities should occur out of bed, preferably in another room </li> <li> 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 </li> <li> 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 </li> <li> 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 </li> <li> get out of bed at the same time each morning, no matter how much you slept the night before </li> <li> avoid long daytime naps, which can make it harder to fall asleep that night. </li> </ul> 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. <h2>2. Distract yourself with fond thoughts</h2> 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. 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. 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. <h2>3. Relax into sleep</h2> <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. 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>. 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. 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. <h2>4. Worry earlier in the day</h2> 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. 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. <h2>5. Know waking in the night is normal</h2> Knowing that brief awakenings from sleep are completely normal, and not a sign of ill health, may help. 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. Most of our deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night, and most of our light sleep in the second half. Everyone experiences brief awakenings from sleep, but most people don’t remember these the next morning. <h2>6. What if these don’t work?</h2> If these don’t work, the most effective next step is “cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia” or CBT-i. 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. 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>. 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>. <hr /> 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" /> <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> Image credits: Getty Images 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>.

Mind

Aussies race to the kitchen as CorningWare prices soar

For decades, CorningWare’s collections have been a staple of kitchen cupboards all across the country. And now, those family favourites have collectors everywhere reaching for those old casserole dishes, with prices skyrocketing online. The news may come as a surprise to some, given CorningWare’s US-based parent company Instant Brand’s announcement - just a few days prior - that it had initiated the process for voluntary court-appointed bankruptcy. The brand encompassed the likes of Instant Pot, Corelle, Pyrex, and CorningWare. Its products could be found on the shelves of major retailers all across the country, but with the rising challenge of inflation in the market and a reported $500 million USD in debt, Instant Brands had to make the difficult decision. And while some may have assumed things would go downhill from there, CorningWare items had other ideas, as people took to online marketplaces to list their old collections with never-before-seen price tags on the wares. When one seller listed their “Wildflower Spice of Life” casserole set on eBay, they asked for a staggering $25,000 - a price that topped the previous online auction high of $10,000. Another dish from the range was asking for much less, and still more than many would have bargained for - $13,000. Other dishes included more ‘rare’ designs from CorningWare’s previous collections, with its 1971-1972 “Floral” pieces making an appearance. A 5-piece L’Echaloto would given its next owners more than a few dishes to choose from, as long as they had another $25,000 to spare to get their hands on the set in the first place. And as one seller - who dipped her toes into the CorningWare online marketplace realm a few years prior - told 7News, the success of the dishes was certainly a surprise, though not a bad one. The items she’d managed to sell were off to a better life, too, as they’d just “been gathering dust in our home for years.” “I sold off a few pieces - with my mum’s blessing, of course - and have made about $9000 so far,” she said. “I have another one listed at the moment, which I’m hoping to get around $2500 for. “I would never have thought that it could be so valuable. When I was younger, I thought it was just daggy. “Now it’s making us more money than I ever dreamed.” Images: eBay

Money & Banking

The best and worst outfits from the race that stops the nation

It's the race that stops the nation and the Melbourne Cup did just that. But before punters watched the horses race, they showed off their outfits and some of them were a little worse for wear while others wowed. Christian Wilkins, the 27-year-old model son of Channel 9 presenter Richard Wilkins wore a stunning pastel green tailored silk suit worn with dark green platform heels. MasterChef judge Melissa Leong wore a satin suit, while singer Delta Goodrem was in a floral Dolce & Gabbana dress. This year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival was the first time since the pandemic halted major events around the world. Around 90,000 spectators attended the event with those unable to join in tuned in to the race. The 2022 Melbourne Cup was won by Gold Trip, ridden by Mark Zahra, with Emissary in second place. High Emocean hit the finish line at third place with fan favourite Deauville Legend finishing in fourth. Check out some of the outfits below. Images: Getty/Instagram

Beauty & Style

Wee-lly bad idea sees horse test positive to caffeine

Winning racehorse Explosive Miss has tested positive to caffeine, but it’s not because the racer has been enjoying some pre-race beverages. 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 <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>. 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. After testing soil samples from the spot, investigators confirmed that caffeine was present. “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. As a result, Mr Isdale had to forfeit the $15,000 prize from his horse’s win and had to pay a $2000 fine. Mr Isdale, who has no previous charges for prohibited substances, told the board he was truly remorseful for his actions. “I am a hardworking young trainer in the industry and have worked tirelessly to get to this position in racing,” he said. “I’m truly sorry this happened and take full responsibility and have thoroughly improved my stable practice so nothing like this happens again.” 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. 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”. Image: Getty Images

Legal

Antibiotic resistance: an arms race going on millions of years

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. 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. 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. Given that antibiotics were first used clinically after Alexander Fleming cultured Penicillium 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. 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 The Lancet 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. 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. “Lessons from nature, I call them,” Velkov says. 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. Indeed, Fleming’s discovery of the Penicillium mould’s antibacterial qualities was entirely by accident, says Velkov. “He was growing a bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus, 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.” Fleming’s famously understated remark upon discovering this strange antibacterial interloper was: “That’s funny”. 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 Paenibacillus polymyxa, which is able to kill gram-negative bacteria that enter its territory by producing polymyxins, a particularly aggressive type of antibiotic. “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. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p187842-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.61 init" action="/health/medicine/antibiotic-resistance-millions-years/#wpcf7-f6-p187842-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> 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. So, Velkov is trying to learn how to create new polymyxins, by mimicking soil-based battles. “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.” If it sounds a bit like a pathogenic boxing match, Velkov says that’s much like what he observes. “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. “But the bug, the human pathogen, often fights back secreting stuff to kill the antibiotic-producing microbes.” How does all this lab-based micro-fighting translate to the real-world problem of resistance? 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. “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.” In his research lab, Velkov says he’s discovered a number of new polymyxins, including one that’s in clinical development. 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. “You’re never going to make it go away,” he says. “This has been going on for millions of years.” But the hope is that by learning from how these microbes behave in nature, we can at least try to keep pace.  <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&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" />  <div id="contributors"> <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. Image: Getty Images </div>

Body

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

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. Prolific non-fiction author Alan J. Whiticker has brought the stories of two dozen of these racers to life in his latest book <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Immortals-of-Australian-Horse-Racing/Alan-Whiticker/9781925946963" target="_blank">The Immortals of Australian Horse Racing: the Thoroughbreds</a> (Gelding Street Press $39.99). The Immortals features in-depth statistics about each thoroughbred, with historic photos and artwork scattered throughout depicting the horses in action. <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" /> The Immortals peppers each racer’s profile with historical photos that any history buff is sure to appreciate. Image: Supplied 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. “[Archer’s] tale has become an important part of the Melbourne Cup mythology and helped make the first dual cups winner immortal,” he writes. 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. 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. <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" /> 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 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. 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. 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. 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. “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. “One thing is for certain: they are all unforgettable in their own right.” Images: Supplied

Books

Australia’s best racehorses RANKED by their winnings

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. Over the years these horses have also earned some hefty prizes, with some totalling in the tens of thousands. Alan Whiticker - a longtime racing fan - has compiled the stories, stats and images of these horses among 24 featured in his new book <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Immortals-of-Australian-Horse-Racing/Alan-Whiticker/9781925946963" target="_blank">The Immortals of Australian Horse Racing</a>, including their winnings. Here are the ten of the greatest, ranked by their total winnings (adjusted for <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualDecimal.html" target="_blank">inflation</a>). <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845418/horses1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b108deac40cb47fc9439caf034137bf4" /> Winx ($26,421,176) 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. According to Whiticker, “Winx had a V8 racing motor for a heart”. “And like all champions, her will to win was freakish.” <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845419/horses2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5bf88fbabc9e4f5ea2921bb9589e48af" /> Sunline ($17,149,276) 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. 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. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845420/horses3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b9f05f6a5a2c4f5e86bad5ba62e8fa92" /> Makybe Diva ($14, 526, 685) 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. Following her third Melbourne Cup win in 2005, owner Tony Santic declared she was officially retired. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845421/horses4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62915e6d93e9451fae240a8f7a8349c3" /> Super Impose ($10,973,719) 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. 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. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845422/horses5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/211b76c03b66472c8b298bb9c4b0fff3" /> Octagonal ($10,233,179) 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. In 1997, Octagonal retired with a then-record $5.89 million in prize money, equivalent to $10 million now. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845423/horses6.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62097a6ebe2a4a6fb528033a20bd7aae" /> Better Loosen Up ($9,097,380) 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. Retiring three years later, Better Loosen Up’s winnings totalled $4.77 million. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845424/horses7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/98f76bda6d0144a29fb74fa5ba81ec90" /> Might & Power ($8,489,287) Another winner hailing from New Zealand, Might & Power secured his first win in 1997 at Randwick just before he turned three. Before retiring in 2000, Might & Power earned a hefty $5 million in winnings, which equates to just under $8.5 million today. 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. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845425/horses8.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/10fc9c06acd642759119155ff7f0aeb3" /> Black Caviar ($7,953,936) 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. 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. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845426/horses9.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a9207975e82c4edfbea0d0c24bee12a6" /> Phar Lap ($6,659,594) 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. 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. 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. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845427/horses10.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/af51500da737462ebcaba1da6a9d8e4c" /> Carbine ($6,028, 507) 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. Though he was eventually sold to the Duke of Portland in England, Carbine was considered an icon by Australians. 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. Images: Supplied

Money & Banking

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

An Instagram model has been <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/instagram-model-slammed-for-disrespectful-pose-at-fathers-funeral-c-4336312" target="_blank">called out</a> online after posting a “disrespectful” image from her father’s funeral. US influencer Jayne Rivera sparked a heated discussion on Reddit after she posted a photo of herself posing beside her father’s casket. “Butterfly fly away,” she captioned the photo in what was meant to be a heartfelt tribute. She went on to describe her dad as her “best friend” and said his life was “well lived”. But, it was the image she shared alongside the tribute that prompted it to go viral. 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. 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. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 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> — Mac McCann (@MacMcCannTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MacMcCannTX/status/1453030106528632836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2021</a></blockquote> Initially, her followers urged her to take it down - but its emergence on Reddit sparked further outcry. “Holy crap, is this so incredibly disrespectful,” one commenter shared. “Hey my dad died, let’s get 5000 likes!” another fumed. “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. “I can’t have my future kids grow up like this.” Ms Rivera’s Instagram account has since been deleted. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845135/funeral1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/21fbd12e84124d0a95ce8b2bd1cd6cf7" /> Image: Reddit Another commented on the changing attitudes towards funerals in general. “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. “Human race is doomed there’s no way it will last till 3000, we need a hard reboot,” another wrote.

Beauty & Style

Retired race horses on track to help troubled kids

Image: A Current Affair 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. Children struggling with mental health issues get paired up with clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and retired racehorses to accelerate therapy sessions. “We are seeing lots of children with anxiety, depression, self-harming, suicidal kids, lots of autistic kids,” found Alisha Griffiths told A Current Affair. “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.” Ms Griffiths said she had been around horses all her life and now she wants to share them with others. “They also build a rapport with a psychologist a lot quicker, they trust the psychologist because they’re around a retired racehorse,” she said. 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. “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. There are 46 horses at Ms Griffiths property and most of them are retired racehorses. In order to train them for being a racehorse to a therapy horse, they settle their lives down and “show them a slower pace”. Head horse trainer Alex McDonough said she’s surprised by how well the horses have adjusted. “It’s almost like they know they’re around children,” she said.

Caring

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

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. 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. The three billionaires have been embroiled in a recent race to provide private commercial space travel. “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,” <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>. 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”. “We need to do that to solve the problems here on Earth,” Mr Bezos said. The Amazon founder recently celebrated his second suborbital space flight, which included Star Trek actor William Shatner among its passengers. 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. Prince Charles has been calling for action to stop climate change for decades, often facing ridicule for his stance. The 72-year-old heir to the throne <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> 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. “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. “But it shouldn’t be that there’s a third generation now coming along having to ramp it up even more.” William also warned that not taking action now could be “robbing from our children’s future”. “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. “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. “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.” The prince said the key to tackling the issue was to “bring people with us”. “People have got to feel like there’s hope, there’s a chance we can fix this.” He also echoed his father’s message, saying the upcoming COP26 conference had to result in action. “We can’t have more clever speak, clever words but not enough action,” William said. 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. Image: @KensingtonRoyal / Twitter

Travel Trouble

Thor or Gladiator? Race to play Steve Irwin tightens

Rumours are continuing to grow as a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/biopic-rumours-about-steve-irwin-run-wild">new Steve Irwin biopic</a> gains momentum in the big studios. According to movie insiders, the feature-length dramatised film about the Wildlife Warrior’s life has big names like Chris Hemsworth and Russell Crowe vying for the chance to play Steve. But, Woman’s Day has been told that Terri Irwin is considering lesser-known actors such as Lincoln Lewis too. <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/CJa5G8oFiJ8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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="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 style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJa5G8oFiJ8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Lincoln Lewis (@linc_lewis)</a> </div> </blockquote> Steve’s international appeal, particularly to American audiences, is helping fuel enthusiasm for the project, while friends of the family say the arrival of Bindi Irwin’s baby Grace has given them “a real sense of closure” in terms of losing Steve. “The timing’s right to honour Grace’s grandad,” the insider added. “The family will want Aussie actors for the film, which will pretty much tell Steve’s life story.” The film is also expected to include “real footage of the family as they are now”. The insider said, “It’s a project they’ve considered before, but now they’re finally ready to give it the green light.”

Movies

Dying man granted his final wish

A dying man had his wish of a day at the races fulfilled at Morphettville’s racing track in Adelaide. Paramedics were taking Nigel Latham home from hospital to enter palliative home care when they had a simple question for him. “They asked me if I’d like to stop anywhere on the way,” Nigel said. “I had been watching the racing in hospital, so wanted to go there.” Ambulance officer Bec Sanders and colleague Laura granted the 58-year-old’s request. “In normal circumstances I would've been there for a great day of racing,” Nigel said. “I’ve been a member of the South Australian Jockey Club for the last three years and own shares in a couple of horses. “Bec and Laura worked miracles and got me there. They are commended for their care and sheer goodness of their spirit.” Nigel got to watch the action from the 200m mark with his wife Julie, and became the inspiration for a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey. After learning of Nigel’s dying wish, Craig Williams was overcome with emotion and rode Lady Dunmore to victory. “Nigel Latham, he was the inspiration for her success today,” Williams said. After his victory, Williams rode over to Nigel and gifted him a souvenir. “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. “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.” Another thoughtful racegoer named Matt also joined in on the good spirit, offering him an ice-cold beer. Nigel said the day had become one of the most memorable experiences of his life, especially with his wife by his side. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 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. Hear Bensley read his emotional message of thanks after his day at the Morphettville track on Saturday. Incredible. <a href="https://t.co/KZ9POXfxnv">pic.twitter.com/KZ9POXfxnv</a> — SENTrack (@SEN_track) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEN_track/status/1389026708074885120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2021</a></blockquote> “People are amazing,” he said. “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.” 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.” Bec said Nigel was exhausted but told 7NEWS “it was really lovely to see him home and happy.” Image credit: 7NEWS

Caring

Race to trace new mystery Sydney cases

A NSW health official has made a shocking allegation about a Sydney couple who have tested positive for coronavirus, claiming they did not isolate while awaiting their results. Sydney was put on high alert on Wednesday after a 45-year-old man, who transports international airline staff from the airport, tested positive to coronavirus. Shortly after, a couple, aged in their 60s and 70s from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, also tested positive to the virus. The couple's diagnosis left health authorities scrambling, with warnings issued to those who visited a handful of venues to get tested and isolate. Speaking to The Australian, a health official, not permitted to speak publicly, alleged the couple did don’t isolate. “They took a long time to track down,” the official said. The three infections are NSW’s first cases of community transmission since December 3. People who have attended the following venues are considered close contacts and should get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days – even if they receive a negative result: The Palm Beach female change rooms on Sunday, December 13 between 9 and 9:15 am Coast Palm Beach Cafe on Sunday, December 13 between 10 and 11am Avalon Bowlo on Sunday, December 13 between 3 and 5 pm Sneaky Grind Cafe, Avalon Beach on Monday, December 14 between 10:30 am and 11am People who visited the following venues should tested and isolate until they receive a negative result: Woolworths Avalon Beach on Sunday, December 13 between 3 and 5 pm Oliver’s Pie, Careel Shopping Village, Avalon Beach on Monday, December 14 between 9 and 9:15am

News

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

Roger Federer admits that he may not play in the Australian Open next year, even hinting that he may have played his last match. The 39-year-old shared an update at an awards night in Switzerland, which shocked tennis fans around the world. The 20-time grand slam champion has not played since suffering from an injury before the semi-finals at Melbourne Park last year. Federer has been recovering in his homeland after undergoing knee surgery for this cold time earlier this year. 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. "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. "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. "I'm curious to see whether it will start on February 8. "Of course, it would help if I had a bit more time." After being voted the best Swiss athlete in the last 70 years, Federer gave hinted that he may have already played his last match. "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." <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> The extraordinary statement left tennis fans shaken. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 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> — Simon Graf (@SimonGraf1) <a href="https://twitter.com/SimonGraf1/status/1338244018317250560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Going to therapy tomorrow for the 1st time and all i'm gonna talk about is the fact that roger federer might retire 😭😭 — dihya (@dihyatnn) <a href="https://twitter.com/dihyatnn/status/1338250939862540290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Roger Federer is preparing all fans for the farewell from tennis I am completely surprised and sad tonight 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&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Federer</a> <a href="https://t.co/jyuNClqJyX">https://t.co/jyuNClqJyX</a> — Arthur Delaye 🇫🇷🇫🇷⭐️⭐️ (@ArthurDelaye) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArthurDelaye/status/1338250837995479042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2020</a></blockquote> </div> </div> </div>

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RSPCA calls for total whip ban at Melbourne Cup

The RSPCA Victoria has called for the whip to be banned from horse racing after top jockey Kerrin McEvoy was sanctioned for his excessive use during the Melbourne Cup. McEvoy was fined $50,000 and suspended for 13 meetings after his ride on second-placed Tiger Moth in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. During the race, the jockey used his whip a total of 21 times, including eight times in the last 100 metres. The Age reported that all jockeys were issued a reminder by Racing Victoria before the Cup that excessive whip use would result in extreme penalties, but McEvoy ignored the advice and faced the sanction in the aftermath. Current rules state that jockeys are only allowed to use whips five times before the last 100 metres. But the RSPCA was not impressed. While they agreed with the increased penalties, they argued that "more needs to be done to phase out the use of whips entirely". "Due to the pain and distress whips inflict on horses, RSPCA Victoria is disappointed to hear that a jockey exceeded the whip rules at the running of the 2020 Melbourne Cup. Recently released research shows the majority (69 percent) of Victorians believe whipping horses causes pain, is inhumane, and do not believe the use of whips in horseracing is necessary or reflective of community sentiment," Dr Liz Walker, CEO of RSPCA Victoria said. "Another study released this month showed that whipping horses does not make them run faster, and debunked traditional arguments that the whip is needed for performance enhancement and to maintain racing integrity. Racing performance should not be determined by inflicting pain through whipping but rather by sound breeding, quality training and outstanding horsemanship. "We were pleased to see that the penalty for excessive whip use at the Melbourne Cup was the largest ever handed out. However, increased penalties are not enough. The ultimate outcome should be that whips are not used for the purpose of enhancing horse performance – that is, making them go faster – at all. "We recently welcomed Racing Victoria's call to reduce the use of the whip and believe whip reform is a necessary and positive change. The whip can no longer be defended as a tool for performance enhancement. Other countries have already introduced whip-free racing and we encourage the Australian racing industry to do the same." Every year the Melbourne Cup attracts criticism from animal rights groups and this year was no exception.

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"Sickening": World reacts to Melbourne Cup horse death

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> The world has reacted with anger after learning that Anthony Van Dyck had to be euthanised due to a broken fetlock during the race. The horse's strapper ran out onto the track to be with him as he was loaded into an ambulance, but Racing Victoria said that he was "humanely euthanised". “The horse received immediate veterinary care, however he was unable to be saved due to the nature of the injury sustained,” Stier said. Anthony Van Dyck is the seventh horse to die on Cup Day since 2013 and many have said that racing is a form of animal cruelty. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) held a protest on Monday, with protestors wearing horse heads and carrying signs saying "you bet they die" and "nup to the cup". PETA released a statement condemning racing after the tragedy. “PETA is calling for an immediate investigation into the death of Anthony Van Dyck, the most recent in a long line of dead horses who are victims of the disgrace that stops the nation — the Melbourne Cup — and for his veterinary records to be released,” the statement read. “While the industry focuses on the money made from animal suffering, glossing over the bleeding lungs, broken bones, and death, the reality of the abusive racing industry is that horses are made to run to the detriment of their health. “Before they‘ve even finished maturing, these 500-kilogram animals — supported on ankles as small as those of humans — are pushed past their limits, forced to race at breakneck speeds to the finishing line while being whipped. It’s no surprise that in just the last racing year, 116 horses died on Australian racecourses. “In 2019, PETA revealed that some 3000 Australian horses and their offspring had been cast off by the racing industry and killed for meat in South Korea. How many more deaths will it take before we call time on this disgraceful demonstration of national senselessness?” Others have joined in vocalising their disgust, with Victorian MP Andy Meddick from the Animal Justice Party making his feelings known. Victorian MP Andy Meddick, from the Animal Justice Party, said in a statement: “I am sickened by the death of a young stallion, Anthony Van Dyck, after he ‘broke down’ in the Melbourne Cup this afternoon. “Melbourne Cup is beginning to feel like Groundhog Day. Almost every year, a horse breaks down and is killed. “While the scenes today were confronting, nobody should be surprised. A racehorse dies every three days on Australian racetracks. The only difference is on Melbourne Cup Day, the whole country is watching. “No animal deserves to die or be injured for gambling profits. Racing isn’t the sport of kings — it is a pastime of animal abuse. No amount of industry spin, glitz and glamour or celebrities can hide the truth. “I only hope that Anthony Van Dyck’s death won’t be in vain and after today, more Australians will realise the brutality of the racing industry.” </div> </div> </div>

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

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. No boost after all 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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>

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