Queensland jockeys take legal whip to string of concerns

QUEENSLAND jockeys are set to clash with officials over WorkCover, whip rules and appeal processes as the deadline looms for a new riding fee deal.

Queensland jockeys have many concerns about WorkCover, the whip rules and the QRIC appeals process. Picture: Jono Searle

QUEENSLAND jockeys are set to clash with officials over WorkCover, whip rules and appeal processes as the deadline looms for a new riding fee deal.

Jockeys have major concerns about how WorkCover is being handled, application of the new discretionary powers for stewards in the whip rule, and the QRIC appeal process.

Queensland Jockeys Association representative Glen Prentice said riders had sought legal advice and were likely to take their case to the WorkCover ombudsman.

“I’ve had six serious complaints about them,” Prentice said. “They have people ringing jockeys while they are in hospital to do other work.

“There’s a jockey up north who potentially could have lost his leg and they were going to try and make him go to work. What (WorkCover) are doing with these people is wrong.’’

The jockeys association is still waiting for official advice from Racing Queensland on the riding fee increasing from $170 to $175 a ride.

RQ chief executive Eliot Forbes said he was confident of striking a deal that would be amenable to all parties.

Queensland jockeys have many concerns about WorkCover, the whip rules and the QRIC appeals process. Picture: Jono Searle

Prentice was also incensed at a three-month ban handed out to 3kg claiming apprentice Jed Hodge who was charged under AR175k, a rule which took effect this season which allows stewards to charge a rider with negligence.

Stewards alleged Hodge was negligent in not notifying officials his mount’s action was poor during its preliminary. The horse broke down during the race and was euthanized.

Hodge pleaded guilty to the charge but it is understood the plea will be changed to not guilty for his appeal.

“He got three months for failing to advise someone to inspect the horse. That’s ludicrous,” Prentice said. “At the barriers, if the stewards had an issue they would have at least had someone at the start to have a look at it. They didn’t.

“If it had a problem, (Hodge) would not want to come down. The kid didn’t feel anything.”

Queensland jockeys feel stewards are not yet applying new discretionary powers over the whip rule which allow them to look at a complete race, rather than up to the 100m point.

“Daniel Griffin had exactly the same number (of whip strikes) as Kerrin McEvoy did in the Melbourne Cup and received a $200 fine for riding in a $9000 race, whereas Kerrin was given a reprimand,” Prentice said.

Originally published as Queensland jockeys take legal whip to string of concerns