Coronavirus crisis: Racing Victoria raises minimum weights to ease pressure on jockeys
Racing authorities are putting a premium on jockeys’ health to keep the industry going and as a result they are easing the pressure on them by raising the minimum weight.
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Racing Victoria has announced minimum riding weights would be raised in a bid to stop jockeys wasting and putting pressure on their health during the coronavirus pandemic.
Jockeys are more susceptible to picking up viruses when they are wasting as their immune systems are weakened.
Victorian Jockeys’ Association chief executive Matt Hyland said if a jockey became infected with coronavirus, it would lead to an automatic shutdown of racing.
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Racing Victoria said the minimum weight for all race meetings would be raised to 56kg. The minimum top weight would be not less than 62kg (or 61kg in 2yo only races). Racing NSW raised its weights by 1kg on Wednesday.
“It will make things easier for us and this will allow us to get to our workplace feeling better and we won’t be as susceptible to catching bugs,’’ heavyweight jockey Brad Rawiller said.
“It’s common sense. If one of us gets sick, the racing industry could stop for six weeks. I can’t reiterate enough how important this is, but also for jockeys, our families, all the people who rely on racing and even the governments who make money from racing.”
This is a no brainer and should be brought in immediately. Imperative to keep Jockey immune systems as healthy as possible so the industry can continue! https://t.co/6OtubEsNgg
— Ben melham (@BMelham) March 17, 2020
On Tuesday, New Zealand Racing announced a 2kg rise in weights.
Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson said the weight rise “recognises the challenges that some of the existing protocols place on riders to maintain their riding weight, whilst also recognising the importance of ensuring that our riding group remains strong and healthy so they can continue to compete.”
Thompson also revealed restrictions on media presence on-course, with only racing.com, the official photographer Racing Photos and a pool transcription service for metropolitan meetings to help further minimise the numbers on track.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’Landys, announced that minimum weights would be raised in NSW by 1kg for the health benefit of jockeys and improve their resistance to getting sick. “The wellbeing of our participants is paramount,” V’landys said. “This change will stay in place indefinitely until the virus situation changes”.
Meantime, British racing authorities have moved to assure participants efforts will be made to financially support them during the sport's suspension. The British Horseracing Authority has halted racing until the end of April because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in North American horse racing's Triple Crown, has been postponed to September 5 from May due to the coronavirus outbreak.