Dettori angered by weight issue
Frankie Dettori has threatened to quit the Jockeys’ Association over the minimum riding weight, which he claims is having a detrimental effect on the health of riders in Britain.
The former champion is arguing the lowest threshold for Flat riders should be increased to stave off problems of dehydration, inadequate body fat and bone density, all of which were highlighted by a study from the University of Limerick.
The Irish authorities responded to that report by raising the minimum weight for their races last year and Dettori is calling for similar action from the Jockey Club and the British Horseracing Board.
“I am concerned about myself and my colleagues now but I am also looking to the future and the young apprentices coming along,” Dettori told BBC Radio 5 Live. “If we senior jockeys do not do something about it then it is going to be a big problem for everybody.
“The BHB and the Jockey Club decided to raise the weights of some of the races but they didn’t do it right throughout the sport.
“There has got to be an even spread throughout the industry and that is the argument I am trying to raise.
“It is a minority, and when I say minority I mean the guys who can have three meals a day and go racing without a problem, that are stopping the weights being risen.
“They held scientific tests in Ireland last year and they showed that we could have some serious health problems towards the end of our career.
“I am 5ft 4 inches and weigh 9st 9lb but I have to sometimes go down to 8st 6lb. I have been doing this for 18 years so I know how to handle myself but I am looking out for other people in the future.”
Dettori is also angered by what he sees as the lack of action from the Jockeys’ Association, which is funded by riders’ earnings.
He continued: “I am part of the Jockeys’ Association, which has been going for many years and is meant to be an association to help everybody.
“I have decided to make a stand and if it doesn’t get sorted I am willing to resign as it is not helping me, my colleagues or the young apprentices coming through the ranks who have a good future ahead.
“They did the same tests as they did in Ireland in Australia and both of those counties have decided to raise the weights.
“We (in Britain) are meant to be the world leaders in horseracing but we seem to have 19th century rules.”
John Blake, chief executive of the Jockeys’ Association, is hoping Dettori does not quit the organisation over the issue.
“I haven’t had a chance to speak to Frankie yet but I hope – without being too forward – that he won’t quit,” said Blake.
“It is an issue the Association takes very, very seriously and we’ve been discussing and negotiating on the matter since September.
“The jockeys’ viewpoint is a very broad church. Some jockeys are quite happy doing the lower weights and then there are those that struggle a little with their weight.
“I’m a member at race planning meetings where we have repeated discussions about raising the top weight, like they have done in Ireland, to 10st 4lb.
“The weights issue is an emotive and on-going subject. It is something we have raised very carefully and they have gone up across all different types of races – some handicaps have a minimum weight of 8st 4lb now, 6lb above the actual minimum weight – to raise weights all across the board.
“It’s not an argument we look to dodge but we do need to be aware of the jockeys who can ride at the lower end of the scale. It is important that all types of jockeys have the opportunity.
“We have just taken in our biggest ever enrolment of apprentices and I’m quite sure they will be bigger than 20 years ago but there are still barriers to entry that do prevent a lot of people from joining in our sport.
“There is a need for jockeys who can do the lower weights but that said we must take note of any medical evidence that becomes available that can help us. At the moment though it is fairly thin on the ground.
“The study by Limerick University was very good but by their own admission it wasn’t a very varied study. Also Ireland don’t race on a regular basis like we do and they have different conditions over there.
“We are not shutting up shop, far from it and Frankie does have some very good views on the subject and I support him on that. It doesn’t necessarily mean he is going to walk out on the Association though and he is a very active member of the group.
“Without pre-empting things I am very confident that will not be the case.
“The Association is responsible for every jockey riding so we need to take everybody into consideration. The changes that have been put forward are not the end of the process they are pretty much the start.”
