Jockeys turn to alternative jobs during racing shutdown
Conditional jockey Thomas Willmott usually spends his days chasing winners for Lucinda Russell’s yard in Milnathort.
But with racing in Britain suspended until the end of April during the coronavirus pandemic, the 20-yearold has had to supplement his income by working in the funeral business.
“My dad is a funeral director in Dorset and I’ve got a position with some family friends at a company called Thomas Brown & Sons in Melrose,” said Willmott. “I’ve been brought up around it and it’s something I want to do when I finish racing, so I’m using this time to concentrate on something else for a week or two.”
While many trainers use riders on a freelance basis, Russell does pay her jockeys a wage. Willmott added: “Lucinda has been great and I’m in regular contact with her. The yard isn’t as busy at the moment and I’ll take things as they come, but I might combine riding out with funeral work until racing returns. It’s scary thinking about all the racing fixtures we’re going to lose. Everyone’s in the same boat and people are all looking for jobs, so it’s a tough time.” Fellow conditonal Sam Coltherd, left, who is based at Sue Smith’s Yorkshire yard, has returned home to the family farm in Selkirk but is able to continue riding out with his father Stuart’s own string of around 25 horses. “Sue and Harvey have roughed off a lot of horses and told me to get myself away as there’s not much happening, so I’m back home with Dad at the farm,” he said. “We’ve got 2,000 sheep to lamb and 70 cows to calf, as well as half the horses to ride out, so Dad’s relieved as it will take a bit of stress away at a busy time.
“A lot of people rely on their racing wage and are worried. I heard some boys were thinking about working in forestry, but with the virus spreading there aren’t many jobs to pick from.”