SHOULD jockeys be restricted to riding at just one meeting a day?
Quite a few are saying yes, but what’s really needed is a meeting of minds to ensure the issue is properly thought through.
Covid-19 rules have meant riders are only allowed to attend one meeting a day to limit their travel. And it appears many riders would like these restrictions to remain in place permanently.
But they have not thought things through properly as a group. Perhaps changes can be made. But it needs a much more detailed approach than a simple one meeting for everyone concept.
That idea might well help one person, but could easily hinder another. And that makes no sense.
I know both Luke Morris, who tends to have more rides each season than most, and current champion Oisin Murphy are against having their opportunities limited.
Stopping jockeys from riding wherever they want is a form of business restriction. A jockey doesn’t have to ride at more than one meeting. They can always self-regulate.
The idea of jockeys riding at just one meeting a day permanently has come into play because many racecourses have opted to put on anything between eight and ten races per card since the restart.
Arena, which runs tracks like Doncaster and Windsor plus all-weather tracks Newcastle, Lingfield and Wolverhampton, has suggested it would like that to continue.
It has provided some jockeys with more opportunities and has cut down travelling.
But there’s a problem.
In sport the cream should rise to the top. To suggest jockeys should be stopped from riding at fixtures in order to give others more chances is ridiculous.
Could you imagine the Premier League saying to the top strikers they can only play for 50 minutes to give the other goal-scorers a go? No, of course not.
That said, there is some merit in at least having a conversation. Riders dash around the place in a crazy, tired fashion and one suspects frequently have to break speed limits to make races on time.
I would put forward an idea somewhere in between both viewpoints. In general on Monday to Friday jockeys could be restricted to one meeting a day provided race meetings consistently have eight or more races on a single card.
But, I’d allow all jockeys to ride at as many meetings as they like on a Saturday and during certain big Festivals.
Saturday is usually the big-race day in the UK and the stars of the game should be able to take important mounts at the major fixtures if two or more should occur on one day.
I’d agree the same terms during Royal Ascot, Goodwood and the York Ebor meeting. You could throw in Epsom’s Derby fixture as well if you like, as well as the Doncaster St Leger extravaganza.
It would be ridiculous for a rider to pick up one ride at any of these major fixtures but then not be allowed to go on to any other track.
And at those big events there are top-notch jockeys who often struggle to get a ride in every contest. What’s more, the likes of Royal Ascot are never going to have between eight and ten races on one day.
Back to the real stars of the show and it was confirmed on Thursday Kameko will go head-to-head with Siskin in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on July 29.
This was anticipated, as Andrew Balding told me in an interview on Eclipse day Kameko might well take in the Sussex before the Juddmonte International at York.
That said, it’s good news to have the Newmarket and Curragh Guineas winners taking each other on.
But both will have to be on top of their game, though, to beat Saturday’s Summer Mile hero Mohaather, who is an absolute beast.
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