Australian Trainers’ Association slams jockeys’ demand for jumpout riding fees
The boss of the Australian Trainers’ Association has taken aim at jockeys chief Matt Hyland and top rider Damian Lane in the latest instalment of the battle over the jockeys’ request to be paid for riding in jumpouts.
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Australian Trainers’ Association (ATA) boss Stephen Bell has slammed star jockey Damian Lane as being “tone deaf” for his comments during the riders’ push to be paid for riding in jumpouts.
Bell also described the Victorian Jockeys’ Association’s chase for riding fees as “opportunistic”, taking aim at VJA chief executive Matt Hyland, who he said failed to consult with trainers before the state’s best riders decided to boycott jumpouts at several training centres.
In an explosive statement, Bell said ATA members continue to operate their businesses in increasingly difficult economic conditions while jockeys continue to enjoy regular increases in riding fees.
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Bell said the ATA was especially disappointed with remarks Lane made in previous media interviews in his role as VJA director.
“Trainers have faced rising overheads and operational costs that are not borne by jockeys, who are insulated from inflation through cost-of-living increases in riding fees,” Bell said.
“It is therefore very disappointing when Damian Lane, who earns in excess of $1 million per year, makes the tone-deaf comment that he does not care where the money comes from.
“It is also incredibly annoying that Matt Hyland never consulted with us before the jockeys unilaterally boycotted jumpouts, demanding a $110 riding fee for those jumpouts.”
Bell said the VJA has since adjusted their demands, dropping the proposed fee to $50 with $30 coming from an adjustment to the jockeys’ minimum rides allowance with Racing Victoria to fund the balance.
The jockeys’ new proposal would require a seven-figure investment from Racing Victoria but Hyland has previously said paying jockeys to ride in jumpouts would mean a small extra cost to owners in each preparation.
However, Bell said the VJA had agreed to forego riding fees for jumpouts during previous negotiations to increase race riding fees, claiming the additional payments to jockeys would be unsustainable.
Bell said the ATA’s united position was for the scheduling of more official trials for which trainers would have no issue paying.
“Riding in extra official trials adds value for trainers and owners and we can justify paying for that. We see that as the solution, as it is a win/win for all parties,” Bell said.
“The VJA CEO, Matt Hyland, came to a clear agreement with us and their about-turn is very disappointing.
“I also see the VJA’s push as opportunistic, noting that this aggressive new request for jump out fees was not mentioned until after jockeys secured a 10% (over three years) race riding fee increase from Racing Victoria.
“The ATA board is ultra strong on this issue and has some of the biggest trainers in Victoria, including Ciaron Maher, Sam Freedman and JD Hayes.
“So everyone needs to be very clear - trainers have never been more united than on this issue.”
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Below is the Australian Trainers’ Association statement in full:
Trainers reject jockeys’ dollar grab
Victorian trainers have rejected the push by the Victorian Jockeys Association (VJA) for jockeys to be paid riding fees for jump outs, instead suggesting that jockeys are pushing a false narrative and have reneged on their original deals to accept other compensation for not being paid for jump outs.
Several trainers have described the jockeys’ demand as “greedy,” with ATA boss, Stephen Bell describing it as “double dipping” because they are already being compensated in other ways for riding in jump outs and that the jockey demands are “unsustainable”. The extra fees requested amount to in excess of $1.5 million which will be incurred by owners and trainers.
The Victorian Jockeys Association (VJA) has recently led an aggressive campaign to boycott riding in jump outs. The jockeys have been pressured not to ride in jump outs by the VJA and other jockeys. However, a number of jockeys have defied that pressure and continue to ride in jump outs, fracturing the jockey ranks.
Jump outs are a less organised version of organised trials, with smaller fields, less infrastructure and no race day colours. They are traditionally seen as part of track work, with jockeys not charging for that work and in return hoping to be rewarded with rides on the horses they work.
ATA boss Stephen Bell noted that the VJA had previously traded off higher race riding fees instead of being paid for jump outs and that as recently as last year had agreed to a deal whereby jockeys would not push for jump out payments in return for being given the opportunity to earn extra money by riding in extra sets of official trials, where riding fees are payable. As part of that deal with Racing Victoria, trainers and owners, the number of official trials was agreed to be doubled, with 24 new sets of official trials. Bell was highly critical of VJA CEO Matt Hyland and senior jockeys for not disclosing that the jockeys had reneged on that deal.
Bell maintained that the solution to the current impasse was for the VJA to stick to its original deal, which had only been frustrated by the failure of Racing Victoria to arrange the extra trials at the main training centres because the race clubs would not provide access to grass tracks, resulting in the extra trials being held too far away at remote country tracks.
Bell suggested that the VJA should be working constructively with the ATA and Racing Victoria to sort out venues for official trials rather than being militant and noted that Melbourne Racing Club Chairman, John Kanga, had offered to help resolve the problem by holding trials at Caulfield and Sandown.
Bell said:
“There is only so much money to go around. It is unreasonable and unsustainable for jockeys to want a greater share of the pie for work they already do. Riding in extra official trials adds value for trainers and owners and we can justify paying for that. We see that as the solution, as it is a win/win for all parties.”
“The VJA CEO, Matt Hyland, came to a clear agreement with us and their about turn is very disappointing. I also see the VJA’s push as opportunistic, noting that this aggressive new request for jump out fees was not mentioned until after jockeys secured a 10% (over three years) race riding fee increase from Racing Victoria.”
“The trainers see the jockeys as already being well rewarded, earning almost $32 million annually, which has actually crept up to a greater share of total prize money than trainers receive. Race riding fees enjoyed by Victorian jockeys have historically outpaced their NSW counterparts, despite the higher cost of living in NSW, and jockeys have benefited from industry growth, which has seen prize money and bonuses increase by 80% over the past eight years.
“In contrast, trainers have faced rising overheads and operational costs that are not borne by jockeys, who are insulated from inflation through cost-of-living increases in riding fees. It is therefore very disappointing when Damian Lane, who earns in excess of $1 million per year, makes the tone deaf comment that he does not care where the money comes from.”
“It is also incredibly annoying that Matt Hyland never consulted with us before the jockeys unilaterally boycotted jump outs, demanding a $110 riding fee for those jump outs. They have since reduced their fee demand to $50, with a headline fee of $30 and Racing Victoria paying the extra $20, which comes out of our pockets anyway. These extra fees still add up to in excess of $1.5 million, which is not reasonable.
“It is also predictable that the jockeys will in the future seek to substantially ramp up any initial fee, having tried for double that amount originally.“
“Almost all the trainers I have spoken to oppose this attempted cash grab by the jockeys, which they view as unreasonable. The ATA board is ultra strong on this issue and has some of the biggest trainers in Victoria, including Ciaron Maher, Sam Freedman and JD Hayes. So everyone needs to be very clear - trainers have never been more united than on this issue.”
Originally published as Australian Trainers’ Association slams jockeys’ demand for jumpout riding fees
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