An international team of researchers led by researchers at University College Dublin (UCD) and the University of Cambridge has successfully traced the origins of a gene in thoroughbred horses that is linked with greater speed.

The team of researchers analyzed DNA from twenty-two Eurasian and North American horse breeds, museum specimens from twelve thoroughbred stallions, more than three hundred elite performing modern thoroughbreds, forty donkeys as well as two zebras.

They concluded by tracking the so-called “speed gene” to a single British mare that was bred in the 17th century.

Dr. Emmeline Hill, who carried out genetic tests, said, “We have been able to identify that the original speed gene variant entered the thoroughbred from a single founder, which was most likely a British mare about 300 years ago.”

Dr. Hill added that they were expecting the gene to trace back to a stallion and were astonished when it was traced back to a mare.

The findings were published in the most recent edition of science journal Nature Communications.