Not good enough. They are the only words that can be considered suitable for the situation in which only 12 of Britain’s 59 racecourses have met the deadline for providing minimum standard weighing room facilities for jockeys.
How, in this day and age, female jockeys are not guaranteed their own safe space to change and prepare for a meeting is beyond belief. There are clear protocols in place in other sports when men and women are in the same vicinity of changing areas, so why has racing been so slow?
Three years ago the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) set a deadline of October 2024 for all racecourses to ‘meet the current and future needs of jockeys of all ages and genders’ – small, independent tracks Pontefract, Taunton, Leicester Fakenham and Ripon all rose to the challenge.
There are many other courses, however, are way behind and Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, said: ‘It’s completely unacceptable that our female members are still required to enter the male changing room at the majority of racecourses to do their job.’
Struthers is right. We have seen lots of efforts in recent months to boost the profiles of jockeys, such as putting their names on their breeches on big days and making them more accessible to the public but something in all this must never be forgotten.
Jockeys are professionals and committed to their job in the same way as footballers, golfers, rugby players or any athletes. Riding horses is not some quirky hobby they are indulging, it is a ruthless business with long hours and intense demands and increased levels of expectation.
It is baffling and disappointing female jockeys still don’t have their own gender changing rooms
Taunton Racecourse is only one of 12 of Britain’s 59 racecourses to have met the deadline for providing minimum standard weighing room facilities for jockeys
It is totally unacceptable that women do not have their space still, despite the BHA’s 2024 target
The very minimum they need is the proper facilities in which to prepare. It remains a nonsense that many flat jockeys have to go to use local health clubs before they go onto tracks in the summer to use saunas and gyms, as they are not available on the courses where they are booked to ride.
When you exacerbate this situation by the fact females – some who are young and learning their way – could find themselves having to go through the male changing space before getting into their own room, it is totally unacceptable.
The BHA, while recognising that there are financial challenges confronting courses, expect 37 tracks to be in line with what they have asked for by October 2027. Is it really too much to ask that all courses hit the target? It’s the least those who make the sport happen deserve.
Festive treats in store at multiple meets
There was a huge surprise last week when Willie Mullins withdrew all of his eight entries – including ante-post favourite Gaelic Warrior – from the King George VI Chase. The current Champion Trainer doesn’t miss opportunities to win races and the Boxing Day showpiece certainly looks winnable.
JP McManus, the current champion owner, currently has Corbett’s Cross, trained by Emmett Mullins, engaged at Kempton but Racing Confidential has learned that there is a distinct possibility that one of McManus’ higher profile horses could turn out to be his Christmas cracker.
Fact or File and Spillane’s Tower fought out a thunderous finish to the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown late last month, both horses wearing the McManus green-and-gold silks. Fact or File came out on top and that spokes volumes for his ability because he wasn’t fully fit.
If Mullins decided to enter Fact or File – it will only cost £4,500 to supplement he would be an extremely short-priced favourite and connections are giving thought to running him at Kempton or at Leopardstown in the Savills Chase on December 28.
Spillane’s Tower has the option of also contesting the Savills Chase but do not be surprised if Jimmy Mangan’s gelding is picked to go to Kempton instead. He might come from an unfashionable yard but the trainer is a master when he gets a good one and they think Spillane’s Tower can go to the top.
Fact or File won the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown in November and win again this month
Passenger in name, not by nature
One of the biggest disappointments of the summer just gone was the failure to see Passenger go on a successful journey. When he reappeared at Chester in May, he zipped around the tight turns of that track like a motorbike and left his jockey Richard Kingscote gasping.
Passenger looked to have it all and hopes were high he could be a flagbearer for trainer Sir Michael Stoute. An injury ruled him out of Royal Ascot and the sense of what might have been was only heightened when the horse he had thrashed at Chester, Israr, won the Wolferton Stakes in a canter.
There would be just one more appearance, when he finished third at York in July and picked up an injury in the process, ending his campaign there and then. Many will wonder if he will be seen on a track again but Racing Confidential understands that is still the intention.
Having only raced six times, Passenger has untapped potential and he is rehabilitating at a stud of his owner’s, the Niarchos Family. No decision has been made about which trainer will take over his career now that Stoute has retired but it is exciting to think this colt could still hit big heights.
Passenger (left, in May) has all the potential to succeed if the horse can stay clear of injuries
The New Lion roaring on to Cheltenham?
Nothing is more informative at a racecourse than standing at a point in the final furlong, close to the rails, to see how a horse finishes off their race. Are their ears pricked? Is the jockey pushing away for all his worth? Do they still have purpose in their stride?
All this came to mind at Newbury on Saturday when The New Lion took race three on the Coral Gold Cup card, a two-and-a-half mile novice hurdle. Trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by his brother, Harry, the five-year-old was a picture of power in the last 250 yards. Put his name in your notebook.
It was clear to see he had so much more left to give and Skelton, who is ferociously ambitious to win his first trainers’ championship this winter, could not hold The New Lion in any higher regard. If the gelding progresses as he thinks it will, Cheltenham will be on the agenda next March.
‘I want to run him in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury on December 28,’ Skelton told Racing Confidential. ‘I will not run him if the ground is heavy. I don’t want to subject him to that. But I wouldn’t be frightened of any opposition. I wouldn’t even be frightened running over two miles.’
The New Lion demonstrated his class on Saturday and could shine at Cheltenham next year
High hopes for trainer Ralph Beckett
All sports need talking points and interest and nobody can say that Sales season at Tattersalls has been dull this year. The money exchanged in the ring has been remarkable and the ambition of Kia Joorabchian to make Amo Racing major players cannot be understated.
In total since October, Amo Racing have spent 34.24million guineas (£35.95m) on bloodstock, culminating in Tuesday night’s 4.8million guineas purchase of Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me, who will remain in training with Ralph Beckett.
Beckett is a master when it comes to training fillies and mares and You Got To Me ticks all the boxes in having the potential to be an outstanding four-year-old. Watching them race in the now distinct purple silks will be fascinating next summer.
