Apprentices benefit from move
NEW Zealand’s apprentice riders have been given a boost with the extension of their claiming limits.
Apprentice jockeys can now win more races before they lose each of the 4kg of their claim.
The key change enables riders able to claim 1kg if they have won fewer than 140 races, rather than the previous limit of 100.
The new limits mean riders with 09 wins can claim 4kg, riders with 1039 wins can claim 3kg and riders with 4079 wins can claim 2kg.
The biggest change in the South Island means Canterbury apprentice Gosen Jogoo is able to claim 1kg just weeks after losing his ability to claim completely.
Jogoo recently notched his 100th win in New Zealand and has ridden one winner without a claim.
The country’s leading appren tice, Sam
Weatherly, is in the same position.
However, he has 131 career wins and the
1kg claim he has newly acquired will not last long.
The change to apprentices’ claims was prompted by discussion from the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing training and development committee.
‘‘It came out of the discussion there, that apprentices would benefit from a lift in their claims.’’ NZTR industry training and education consultant Chris Watson said.
A document was drafted from those discussions before the proposed changes were put out for consultation.
‘‘We drafted that and sent it out to the trainers’ association, the jockeys’ association and the RIU [Racing Integrity Unit] and they came back to us with minor amendments.’’
NZTR was comfortable the changes would not have a large negative impact on senior riders, especially given it was approved by the jockeys’ association which represents both senior and apprentice riders.
‘‘They had a look at it and it appears everyone is quite happy with it,’’ Watson said.
Senior South Island jockey Samantha Wynne said she did not expect the changes to have a huge impact on her fellow senior jockeys.
‘‘A lot of the apprentices down here are mainly starting off so there is still room for [senior riders] down here at the moment. It shouldn’t be much of a worry.’’
‘‘If anything it will push us to work harder and if you want it hard enough it shouldn’t be a problem.’’