Horlicks (1983 – 24 August 2011) was an outstanding Thoroughbred racemare from New Zealand. She won the internationally-contested 1989 Japan Cup in a world record time of 2:22 for 2,400 metres. In addition to the Japan Cup, she won five Group One (G1) races in Australia and New Zealand, namely the LKS MacKinnon Stakes, the Television New Zealand Stakes (twice), and DB Draught Classic (twice).
Horlicks was by Three Legs (GB) from the unraced mare, Malt, by Moss Trooper (USA). Malt was later sold to the United States by Australian Bloodstock agent Brian King.
The grey mare was owned by Graham de Gruchy of Hastings and trained by Dave and Paul O'Sullivan.
Horlicks retired from racing with a record of 17 wins and 12 places from 40 starts and career earnings of NZ$4,165,407.</>
Horlicks has also proven to be an outstanding broodmare, as the dam of the 2000 Melbourne Cup winner Brew (by Sir Tristram), and the ill-fated stakes winner Bubble. Another daughter, Latte, was the dam of G1 AJC Australian Derby winner, Fiumicino.
Horlicks is a malted milk hot drink developed by founders James and William Horlick. It is now marketed and manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (Consumer Healthcare) in the United Kingdom, South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Jamaica, and under licence in the Philippines and Malaysia.
In the initial stage of manufacturing, milled malted barley and wheat flour are mashed together in hot water where the starch is converted into sugars. To this sugar solution dairy powders are added. The water content is then evaporated to form a syrup that is dried in vacuum band driers to form a cake. This cake is milled into the finished powder.
Claims are often made by malted milk drinks such as Horlicks that they assist sleep, but these claims have been difficult to verify. According to GlaxoSmithKline: "While ... research indicates that Horlicks drinks can help you to sleep better, the exact way in which Horlicks works is not clear."
Malted drinks may help to stave off hunger overnight, which can lead to sounder sleep.