First genetically engineered super horse, designed to be faster and stronger, could be born in 2019

Genetically modified horses will be faster and stronger than even champion racehorses like Frankel (pictured), and they could be born in 2019.

Genetically engineered super-horses could be born in 2019 after a genetic breakthrough by a laboratory that has previously cloned polo ponies.

Using gene editing technique Crispr, scientists could create faster and stronger racehorses - and they have already created a healthy embryo. 

Under current rules, the genetically enhanced animals would be allowed to compete at all international events, including the Olympics.

WHAT IS CRISPR?

Crispr is a tool for making precise edits in DNA, discovered in bacteria. 

The acronym stands for 'Clustered Regularly Inter-Spaced Palindromic Repeats'. 

The technique involves a DNA cutting enzyme and a small tag which tells the enzyme where to cut.

Experts from Kheiron Biotech, a specialist equine cloning facility based in Buenos Aires, have focused on the myostatin gene sequence which controls and limits the growth of muscles.

By changing this, the horses will be able to develop significantly more muscle mass.

In theory, by altering this process the animals will be able to run quicker for longer.

The process has already created healthy embryos and they are expected to be implanted into surrogate mothers within two years. 

Mr Sammartino, founder of the Kheiron Biotech laboratory, told The Telegraph: 'This technology brings additional progress in horse breeding. 

'It could be possible to achieve better horses in less time.

'Our next big challenge is not only to export our technology, but fundamentally develop these scientific advances in other animals for multiple purposes.'

Genetic engineering can be seen as a short-cut to achieve the same results as traditional breeding but in a fraction of the time.

Genetic modification has been used in equine sports for over a decade, with cloning becoming progressively more common since the first horse was cloned in 2003 by .

Last year, Adolfo Cambiaso rode six horses which were all cloned from the same animal and won the Argentinian open.

Crispr is a tool for making precise edits in DNA, discovered in bacteria. The acronym stands for 'Clustered Regularly Inter-Spaced Palindromic Repeats'. The technique involves a DNA cutting enzyme and a small tag which tells the enzyme where to cut

The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) lifted a ban on cloned horses competing internationally in 2013. It said that a cloned horse is unlikely to offer an advantage over a traditionally bred animal (stock image)

The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) lifted a ban on cloned horses competing internationally in 2013. 

Shannon Gibbons, an FEI spokesman, said: 'The performance of a cloned horse is unlikely to match that of the original horse for a number of reasons, including the maternal uterine environment, nutrition, training and the understanding that clones are not exactly the same as the original.

'Additionally, as progeny of cloned horses will be produced by conventional reproductive methods, such as natural covering or artificial insemination, maintaining fair play is protected.

'The FEI will therefore not forbid participation of clones or their progenies in FEI competitions. However, we will continue to monitor further scientific research.'

Cloning however, does not improve the lineage of a horse and 'improve' it in any way, it simply produces a genetically identical copy of the original. 

This new development would allow breeders and trainers to 'customise' the DNA of their horses in order to produce an animal with the most desirable traits. 

Currently, there are no rules in place to stop genetically modified animals from competing in any international competitions, including the Olympics.  

The results of the research will be published early next year in the journal Cloning and Stem Cells.