Katelyn Mallyon says there is no place for abuse towards jockeys

GROUP 1-winning hoop Katelyn Mallyon has called for lengthy racetrack bans for punters who spit at or hurl obscenities at jockeys after a recent spate of incidents.

GROUP 1-winning hoop Katelyn Mallyon has called for lengthy racetrack bans for punters who spit at or hurl obscenities at jockeys, saying there has been a sharp increase in hostility at recent big-race meetings.

Mallyon has become increasing concerned with the level of anger being directed at jockeys, highlighted by an unsavoury incident last Friday night when Craig Williams was allegedly spat at by an irate racegoer following his unlucky ride on Vega Magic in the Manikato Stakes.

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It comes as Williams on Thursday addressed the incident for the first time, saying racing officials must take a hard line to ensure jockeys are afforded a safe environment on race day and are not subjected to abuse in person or on social media platforms.

“It’s definitely getting worse,” Mallyon said on The Sneaky Chance Superracing podcast. “That was disgraceful what happened to Craig Williams.”

“I am not sure what is going on and whether they have found the person, but he should never allowed back on a racetrack.

“The public is so close to the jockeys and that is the best part of Moonee Valley because the atmosphere is amazing, and for someone to take that for granted and do what they did ... it is horrendous. Maybe there will be a big barrier to stop that from happening again. (But) no one wants that to happen.”

SNEAKY CHANCE PODCAST SPECIAL GUEST KATELYN MALLYON TALKS HOSTILITIES TOWARDS JOCKEYS, RIDING FOR FIVE-TIME WINNING OWNER LLOYD WILLIAMS AND, OF COURSE, FINDING A WINNER ON DERBY DAY.

Mallyon revealed the punter who allegedly spat in Williams’ direction last week had even threatened to get physical with the champion jockey before backing down on his threat when challenged.

“He said that he wanted to punch him (Williams), and ‘Willo’ stood there and said: ‘All right, come at me, then”, and that he didn’t want to come,” Mallyon said.

Williams said racing officials needed to take a lead from the AFL in providing a safe workplace, saying jockeys should not be subjected to abuse from the other side of the fence.

“I felt the wrath of a punter and I believe he works for a corporate bookmaker, too, so he should know about betting,” he said on SEN. “I didn’t see him spit, but there have been reports he did spit towards me.”

“I don’t have a problem with people having an opinion. But when a horse doesn’t perform at his best, there is nothing much a jockey can do about it. He (the punter) was completely out of order ... I think it is unacceptable.

“At the moment, it seems to be the jockeys, being one of the smallest professional athletes out there, (who) seem to have the biggest target on their backs.”

Williams said his wife put it into context soon after the incident.

“She said, first it is abuse and threatening, next it might be a cup of beer, next a bottle of beer,” he said. “She says, ‘Why should my husband or any other jockey go to their workplace and feel unsafe and threatened? It is not just a racing problem, it is a social problem.”

Lloyd Williams is a strong supporter of Katelyn Mallyon.

Mallyon said the criticism she received for her ride on Sir Isaac Newton in the Caulfield Cup was unwarranted, given the horse bolted on her during the race, which he has done previously with other jockeys.

“They (horses) are not a car, you don’t have brakes and an accelerator,” she explained. “They have a mind of their own and we are lucky enough that most horses who race each and every single day are kind. That’s why we do race them because they are beautiful animals, but then you get horses like Sir Isaac Newton, and they have other ideas.”