Charles Sturt University researchers have scored a world first with the development of a test for drug abuse in horses.

Growth hormone doping is a problem confronting all sports administrators, particularly horse racing and athletics authorities, but until now use of such drugs has been undetectable.

CSU Professor Martin Sillence and PhD student Glenys Noble have found a way to reveal use of the new performance enhancing drugs, to help prevent cheating in horse racing and protect animals from its illicit use. Use of growth hormone leads to an increase in muscle. This could give an unfair edge to both athletes and horses, and high doses can cripple a horse in its prime, but its use was previously undetectable because it is a naturally occurring product.

The research has been jointly funded over the past three years by Charles Sturt University and the Australian Racing Board (ARB), which has heralded the results as a major global breakthrough, and safeguard of the integrity of the Australian Thoroughbred Racing Industry.

"The Board's collaboration with Charles Sturt University has achieved a world first with the development of an assay that is capable of detecting growth hormone administration in the horse… the initiative has led to intense interest from overseas racing authorities who also are seeking to solve this issue," the ARB announced after its last meeting.

The CSU scientists developed a test detecting changes in blood chemistry. They conducted trials in which horses were treated with newly-available equine growth hormone.

This revealed that growth hormone causes another hormone - insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) - to be produced in large quantities in the blood. This work was presented at the British Endocrine Societies annual meeting in Birmingham last week. Ms Noble presented the research findings to horse racing authorities and scientists in Britain and South Africa last year.

In a collaborative effort, researchers have now measured IGF-1 levels in almost 2000 horses from the three countries since then. She and Professor Sillence will also be presenting their work to the Duke of Edinburgh when he visits the Wagga Wagga Campus and CSU's Equine Centre tomorrow (Tuesday 21 March).

Professor Sillence said preventing hormone drug abuse was not just a 'doping' or unfair race issue, but also one of animal welfare.

"Low doses of growth hormone can be used to repair bone and cartilage, but high doses will cripple a young horse," he said. "Hopefully we can prevent that."

Further research is continuing as horseracing laboratories around the world consider adopting the new test.

Ms Noble is also being sponsored by the ARB to return to England in August to present her findings at the 13th International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians.