Gold Coast jockey Jag Guthmann-Chester reveals the bizarre way jockeys are maintaining weight during the coronavirus crisis

They’re the last ones standing on Australia’s rapidly declining sporting frontier but not even our jockeys are immune from the impacts of coronavirus.

THEY’RE the last ones standing on Australia’s rapidly declining sporting frontier but not even our jockeys are immune from the impacts of coronavirus.

ALL THE PHOTOS FROM A DAY AT THE TRACK

Gold Coast jockey Jag Guthmann-Chester, who rode a double at Aquis Park on Saturday, revealed that jockeys are now being forced to find inventive ways to maintain weight amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gold Coast racing. Jockey Jag Guthman-Chester in race 7. Picture: GREG IRVINE/MAGIC MILLIONS

With spas, saunas and gyms closed, jockeys can no longer rely on regulation weight control techniques in order to “waste” to make weight.

Guthmann-Chester has instead resorted to going for runs or bike rides in snow gear, eating and drinking less, surfing, playing tennis and cranking up the heater to help him maintain his race weight.

Racing Queensland’s decision to temporarily raise the minimum riding weight by one kilogram has helped but the 21-year-old said many have been forced to adapt to the unique circumstances.

TOUGH NOW? FIVE FOLD IF WE STOP RACING

“We’re still pretty fit anyway because we obviously ride and do track work every week but doing that little bit extra on the side definitely keeps us in touch,” he said.

“At the beginning of the week after enjoying a day off and having a decent meal and drink, some of us find ourselves with anywhere up to five to six kilos to take off before our next race meet.

“I’ve been training with a personal trainer three times a week and I had to cancel that because gyms were closed as are gym areas in outdoor parks.

“The thing that’s taking a toll is that gyms and all your facilities like spas and saunas are all shut down.

“A lot of us jockeys regularly visit those facilities to help keep our weight down and most tracks have a spa these days to help us get our weight right which leaves us with not a lot to do.

“We’re trying to change and adapt but it does take a bit of step out of it.”

Gold Coast racing. Jockey Jag Guthman-Chester in race 7. Picture: GREG IRVINE/MAGIC MILLIONS

If the industry is forced to take a break at some point as many national and global sports have been forced to do, Guthmann-Chester hoped he would be able to ride out a temporary shutdown without seeking additional work.

“It’s a tough one because it would impact a lot of people in the industry but it’s also comforting because we’d all be in the same position if it happened,” he said.

“If we did do a lockdown, if it was around a month, I’d be fine but any longer than that if I wasn’t getting support, I’d start to have some concerns about paying the bills.

“I’d like to hope we would get some sort of support or insurance but it’s hard to know.

“We’re the last sport standing and we’re the limelight of the TV at the moment so hopefully we get to keep racing.”

RACE ON TO FIND WAY TO RIDE OUT TOUGH TIMES

Guthmann-Chester rode a double at Aquis Park on Saturday, steering the Toby Edmonds trained Powering to victory in race four followed by Holly Run, trained by Kacy Fogden, in race seven.

It concludes a successful fortnight for the emerging rider who also picked up a win at Beaudesert on Friday and another victory the weekend prior at the Gold Coast.

But all four wins have come in front of empty spectator stands.

“It’s very eerie,” he said of an empty Gold Coast Turf Club.

“Obviously when you’re in the mounting yard preparing, you’re used to having a crowd there watching so it was a bit strange having no one but throughout the race it’s alright.

“It’s hard to describe the feeling but as a winner, you’re used to having a crowd there to congratulate you but instead you come in to no one and it feels like you’ve just done a bit of track work.

“When there’s a crowd, you definitely hear them and it gives you a kick.

“When you’re in front and close to home and you hear the crowd roaring, you get to hear whether you’re home or if something is coming up behind you but instead you now can’t hear anything.”