Cranbourne trainer Clinton McDonald slams Victorian jockeys’ jumpout payment bid

Group 1-winning trainer Clinton McDonald says the plan to pay jockeys to ride in Victorian jumpouts would make it harder for riders outside the top 15 jockeys to secure race rides.

Trainer Clinton McDonald slammed the Victorian Jockeys' Association push to be paid for jumpouts. Picture: Racing Photos

Cranbourne trainer Clinton McDonald says the introduction of a riding fee for jumpouts would cost second-tier jockeys crucial mounts.

The Victorian Jockeys’ Association has embarked on a campaign to secure jumpout riding fees for members with most jockeys withdrawing their services in jumpouts at major training centres since December 1 last year.

The VJA proposed a $50 fee plus superannuation while reducing the minimum ride levy jockeys receive when having three or less rides at any meeting at a meeting last month.

McDonald told RSN927 introducing a jumpout riding payment would have a severe impact on second-tier jockeys as it would give owners and trainers less reason to reward riders for their work.

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He said the payment would partly erode an owner’s sense of loyalty to jockeys who do the groundwork with horses.

“If they do bring it in, what it’s going to do is that it will affect the jockeys below the top 20,” McDonald said.

“Normally they come and trial the horse and they get the ride.

“But now, owners and trainers can say, ‘now we’ve paid you the money, we don’t have to give you the ride’.

Jockeys are seen during jumpouts at Cranbourne Training Centre. Picture: Getty Images

“You’re giving trainers and owners an out and they can say, ‘I’ve paid you the 30 or 40 dollars, now we want to put Ben Melham, Mark Zahra or Damian Lane on’.

“There’s no obligation there to give them the ride now.

“The top 10 or top 15 jockeys don’t need the money, I can assure you, but it’s the ones beneath that need the ride.”

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McDonald said the added cost would also make life tougher for trainers, especially when collecting the payments from smaller owners.

He said jockeys are well compensated for their efforts but trainers would continue to struggle with the issues created by slow-paying owners.

“Where does it stop in paying for trainers? We’re like money lenders,” McDonald said.

“The jockeys want us to be billed, then we’ve got to bill out our 2½ per cent owners or our five per cent owners, and wait for the money to come in.

“As we know, there’s more trainers than jockeys going broke, that’s for sure.

“Our biggest thing is cash flow in this business and we know things are tougher and people are a lot slower in paying.

“It’s a chain effect that affects every one.”

Originally published as Cranbourne trainer Clinton McDonald slams Victorian jockeys’ jumpout payment bid