EUROPE’S only openly gay jockey is back and he’s ready to prove a point.
Apprentice Jack Duern came out in 2014 – but as of yet no other riders have followed his lead.
It was a brave move and one which unfortunately had negative consequences for his promising career.
He rode 20 winners from 139 rides during the 2014 season before revealing his sexuality on social media in September of that year.
The following season, he had just 14 rides and didn’t have a single winner.
Several older trainers refused to use him and he was made to feel like an outsider in a sport which was his life.
His opportunities continued to dry up until he reached a point in 2019 when he decided to pack it in.
It didn’t make financial sense to continue and he was under constant emotional strain.
But he has returned to the saddle after two years away and has been welcomed with open arms by his weighing room colleagues.
Duern, 27, said: “I definitely missed racing while I was away, and I missed the lads in the weighing room because they’re good friends of mine.
“I spent a couple of years breaking in two-year-old’s and show jumpers at my yard near Birmingham.
“But this is what I want to be doing and I’m very grateful to have the support of Simon Dow and Steph Hollinshead.
“I ride out for Simon several times a week – which means leaving home in Lichfield at 2am to get to Epsom.
“I don’t mind the long hours one bit. I fell out of love with riding a little when things were tough, but since I’ve been back it’s been great.”
Racing chiefs launched the Diversity in Racing Group in 2017 and last year founded Racing With Pride.
Both organisations are meant to provide a support network for those in horse racing from the LGBT community.
It’s a start, but Duern still reckons that a jockey’s career could be jeopardised if they came out.
He said: “Most of the trainers who used to give me problems have all retired now.
“I never had any issues with any owners, but there were some old-fashioned trainers who would make life difficult for me. They made it clear my services weren’t required.
“It makes no difference to the lads in the weighing room. they have been brilliant. Statistically, there has to be more gay jockeys out there.
“There may be some people who don’t want to ruin their careers so they will keep it quiet.
“You’d hope that attitudes have changed by now but the danger of it harming your career is real.
“It’s a sad state of affairs in this day and age but some people might not want to take the risk of being open.
“Racing and society has made progress but there still has to be a fear of a backlash if they were to come out.
“There are a few organisations now that are trying to change perceptions, but it is quite hard to break through in racing.
“And in fairness it’s not dissimilar in other sports – hence why there are very few openly gay footballers and athletes.
“My main goal now is to prove everyone wrong. I’ve got the ability and I’m committed to this job – at the end of the day that is all that matters.”
Snow joke
ACCORDING to the bookmakers Snowfall has been ‘all the rage’ for the Arc after her easy win in the Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday.
Really? Who in their right mind is backing her at odds of 9-4? She will be a bigger price on the day.
And that’s if Snowfall even turns up. October by the Seine can be a pretty muddy affair and Aidan O’Brien’s fair lady won’t want to get down ‘n dirty.
Yes, she is a dual Oaks winner but the fillies she has been beating up have been a poor bunch.
And her latest success at York came when she got weight with her main rival Wonderful Tonight hating the hard ground.
I would have Adayar, Hurricane Lane, Mishriff and Tarnawa ahead of Snowfall.
Small field woes
RACING has been blighted by small fields so far this month.
At the half-way point in August, there had been 88 races with five runners or fewer – an average of six a day.
It’s such a bad look for the sport – uncompetitive, small-field racing is as big a turn-off as there is in this game.
The BHA and Racecourse Association say they are investigating – but they don’t think reducing the fixture list is the answer.
That’s absolute rubbish. There is far too much racing right now, and a lot of it is of a poor standard.
I’d start by abolishing Sunday racing entirely. Who’s with me?
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