A new speed gene has been identified in Ireland for racehorses, which will make it much easier to decide whether a young racehorse has a bright future or not.

Scientists at University College Dublin matched the genetic codes of 179 big race winners and found that all had a variant of a particular gene called the myostatin mutation, which is a predictor of success

“Breeders currently rely on combining successful bloodlines together, hoping that the resulting foal will contain that winning combination of genes,” said Emmeline Hill, 36, a geneticist at the university and the study’s lead author. “Whether those winning genes have or have not been inherited could only be surmised by observing the racing and breeding success of a horse over an extended period of years.

Now for $1400 dollars a small sample of the horse's blood can take much of the guesswork out of the equation.

“This information is for owners only,” Hill said. “If anyone wants to reveal the genetic type of their horse, then that’s at their discretion.”