..and it’s back ON!
JOCKEYS are set to receive financial help to ease the impact on their livelihoods of the coronavirus crisis.
While the UK racing industry hopes that meetings are allowed to resume at the end of next month, Ireland keeps the show on the road today at Dundalk.
But the sport will continue to take a huge hit – and none more so than the riders.
Most jockeys 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 self-employed 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 amounts of money will be available to each individual as earnings vary from experience and the different codes, the Flat or over jumps.