Struthers reassures jockeys financial support is available

WHILE everybody involved in British racing waits in hope that meetings will be allowed to resume at the end of next month, Ireland keeps the show on the road with an eight-race Flat card at Dundalk today.

Everyone in the industry has taken a huge hit and none more so than the jockeys.

The majority of riders are freelance and their earnings come from riding fees in races and also a slice of the prize money.

Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, said: “I think the situation for jockeys is bleak, in the same way that it’s bleak for racing and the same way it’s bleak and worrying for the rest of the country and the entire world.

“The whole of racing is significantly affected. Jockeys, certainly in the very short term, are the most immediately affected, given that they are largely selfemployed and their ability to earn any income, outside riding out, is immediately curtailed.

“One of, if not the only, benefit to suspending racing was that the sport could then focus on financially mitigating this suspension for the whole of the sport – jockeys being a big part of that. That work has started and will go on with great urgency. Packages of support will be made available, in addition to those packages of support the Government will make available to small business and to individuals.”

Struthers is unsure what money will be available to individuals as earnings vary from experience and the different codes, the Flat and over jumps.

“I can’t say what those packages look like yet,” he added. “But what I can say – and say with certainty – is that support will be there.”