IN a sport where dieting is second nature to pretty much everyone, missing out on a carrot or two is a major issue.
The big battle now is to make sure the lack of competitive horse racing – and more spare time – doesn’t lead to the biscuit barrel.
At 5ft 10ins, Yorkshire-based Jack Garritty is one of the tallest jockeys on the Flat race circuit, and keeping on top of his weight is a battle at the best of times.
In normal circumstances, though, at least there is the motivation of some winning prize money at the end of it all.
If dropping a pound of two on the scales leads to an extra thousand or two in the pocket, then it’s worth the wasting.
But suddenly, with racing going the same way as all other sports, that carrot, that incentive, has gone. Initially until the end of next month, but quite possibly beyond even that.
The financial kick in the guts is obvious, but Garritty has also revealed there is also a psychological fight to be won.
He said: “Keeping my weight down is huge thing for me, because I am a tall lad as it is, and it’s a big job. It’s very hard to stay on top of it mentally as much as anything.
When you are dieting in a normal situation, at least there’s the benefit of more money coming in. Mentally it is so draining.
“You’ve not got the goal of winners and prize money – and obviously you’re left with more time on your hands, which makes it easier to nip to the biscuit cupboard.
“And just like they talk of match fitness in football, rugby or whatever, the same applies to race fitness.
“You can be as fit as you like but it’s still not the same as when you are riding in races. It’s just great that Jack Berry House is on the doorstep, so I’m in the gym there a lot at the moment.”
At 23, Garritty – son of former National Hunt jockey Russ – is one of Flat racing’s up and coming stars.
A professional for nearly five years, he rides for a host of Yorkshire trainers such as Richard Fahey, Jedd O’Keeffe, Ruth Carr.
It also means plenty of work riding – and with the racing shutdown still in its early stages, at least that aspect hasn’t changed greatly, so for now the mortgage and bills are catered for.
But it is a situation which can only go on for so long – and gallop riding doesn’t command anything like the riding fee of just over £120 a race.
While the top earners may be able to ride the crisis, for most jockeys, the margins are small.
For example, a survey a couple of years ago showed that in Britain, only three Flat jockeys made as much as the 200th highest-earning golfer on the PGA Tour.
It is a startling comparison, and shows how desperate all involved are that the shutdown doesn’t extend much beyond the current six week plan.
Garritty added: “At the moment the training routine is still pretty much the same. I’m still riding out most mornings and getting paid for that.
“But with no actual races themselves, it’s very frustrating because there’s nothing at the end of it – and obviously earnings are down as well.
“Riding out is good to bring in some money, and it’s usually paid at an hourly rate, like a lot of jobs, but nothing like having three or four rides a day, or ten to 12 a week.
“It’s a contribution, and you’re still grafting, but obviously with no races, there is no prospect of any prize money either.
“I’m lucky in that I’m going in to ride work six days a week, so I’m ticking over quite nicely, but that’s probably going to change if this goes on for long.
“And I’m also in the nice position of having my own house, and my girlfriend Hayley works at Richard Fahey’s, so she knows the racing game.
“Fortunately I’m a tight Yorkshireman and also had good advice from everyone around me, and to be fair my mum and dad pointed me in the right direction.
“I’ve always been lucky to ride for good people and am in a good situation as regards that. But I do have a mortgage and bills to pay, so I don’t know how long it’s sustainable.
“Everyone’s in a very difficult position, and if it went on for, say, three months, it would be very tough for all of us.
“I couldn’t say how long it would be possible to keep going without any racing – but the most important thing is everyone keeping healthy and well.
“It’s a worrying time, but all I can do is carry on as I am. I can’t influence the situation or change things, so you just keep trying to move forward. We’re all in the same boat.
“The racing community has to stick together to get through it, and around here we’re lucky, there are so many of us we’re like a family. We all look out for each other – and never more than right now.”
