Racing: Pushing pacers past the limit

Craig Carmichael wants to help New Zealand's best racehorses beat the Aussies.

Which, considering he is Australian, might not make him all that popular at home.

But that won't stop the developer of the most potent secret weapon in Australian racing bringing it to New Zealand at the first chance he has.

Carmichael is a medical scientist who for years specialised in human athletes before moving on to equines.

And he brought with him the hyper baric chamber technology which has so dramatically aided elite sportspeople.

The pressurised environment of a hyper baric chamber forces 100 per cent oxygen through the body.

That action can greatly assist in recovery from injury or exercise-related fatigue.

Until last year the chambers were available only to humans but Carmichael, who runs Australian Racing Laboratories, believed horses could benefit even more from the process.

It appears he was right.

Carmichael designed the world's largest equine chamber, big enough to fit three horses for each 90-minute session and it has been an instant hit in Australia.

Trainers are queuing up to use it to help horses recover from hard racing and the niggling leg injuries which can cost owners hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost racing earnings.

"We have found it is great for both injuries and recovery as well as increasing stamina in the horses because their blood gets used to carrying more oxygen," said Carmichael.

"That is why it works so well on stayers. It has been great for the long-distance gallopers and even better on the harness horses, because they run such long distances."

Each session costs A$250 per horse, a drop in the ocean compared with what a top horse can win.

"Now the word is getting around the interest is getting huge," said Carmichael.

Getting around may be a bit of an understatement.

Carmichael has designed chambers for export to the Middle East and Europe and expects eventually to sell one to New Zealand.

"I would love to get one over there because you have so many great racehorses and we know how much people there love their horses.

"New Zealand has such a great record with staying thoroughbreds and your harness horses and I know this would help them."

But until Carmichael gets an order from New Zealand he is content to help the Australians to beat our best, as he has twice already this summer.

Two of his most regular harness racing customers are The Warp Drive and Flashing Red, who in the past three weeks have thrashed star New Zealand pacers in the Geelong and Ballarat Cups respectively.

They will try to repeat that in tomorrow night's A$450,000 Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley, in which they take on Auckland champ Elsu.

The Warp Drive has emerged from obscurity to be the $3.40 favourite for tomorrow night's race.

But even if he does win Kiwi horses won't have to fear him in the Interdominions at Alexandra Park next month.

The series has been judged to be too tough for the up-and-comer and he will head for a spell after tomorrow's race.

The majority of the field will however be on a plane to Auckland for New Zealands richest ever racing series, which starts on March 4.

Getting hyper

* A Melbourne scientist has developed a hyper baric chamber for horses.

* It has been used with great success on leading pacers The Warp Drive and Flashing Red.

* Both pacers clash with New Zealand champion Elsu in tomorrow night's A$450,000 Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley.

* The race is the final major lead-up to next month's Auckland Interdominions.