Differing perspectives on safety factor in racing
These days jockeys protest too much! If there is rain, they are reluctant to ride. Safety of jockeys is of course paramount because injury and even possibility of death is something that a professional has to contend with. However, soft ground does not necessarily mean it threatens the life and limb of a jockey. In fact, horses tend to relish soft underfoot conditions. There are no breakdowns during racing held in soft underfoot conditions.
Racing in soft underfoot conditions can prove to be a minefield only for punters as it places a premium on the fitness of horses. Also some horses relish the conditions better than others. In fact, rain and slush have been part and parcel of racing during the Bangalore Summer Season. In my 20 odd years of racing experience, I haven’t come across any accident related to soft underfoot conditions. In fact, many of the serious accidents have happened in firm ground where horses have broken down, bringing down the jockeys and causing them grievous injuries.
The jockeys have now become so sensitive so that at the slightest pretext, they want to halt racing. As a cynic put it, in Bangalore, jockeys tend to protest even if they get wet under a sprinkler! One is not treating the matter lightly but the matter needs to be debated. A few years back, some internationally reputed veterinarians had conducted a seminar in Bangalore where they had highlighted the fact horses revel in conditions where there is give in the ground and how their safety factor is enhanced. Only treacherous conditions like horses completely slipping from their stride can be the reason for calling off races. Racing in England is held on soft to heavy underfoot conditions and once not heard of racing being called because of protest by jockeys.
There are two schools of thought. One believes that jockeys must ride in all conditions and they should be tough enough. Jockeys have selected the profession knowing fully well the risks involved as well as the accompanying benefit of a windfall if the career takes off. Somebody like Robin Corner who is one of the most consistent jockeys that India has seen, is a senior racing official at Kolkata. Robin was a gentleman of a jockey who despite being troubled by a recurring cold problem which caused him to often sneeze his way to victory on horses, fined the jockeys when they refused to ride at Kolkata citing soft underfoot conditions. As a jockey who was close to completing 2000 winners and ridden in all surfaces and having won the Bangalore Derby on Ministrella in one of the heaviest goings that racing has seen in India, he should know better than many armchair critics! I remember having written in some article about how Ministrella swam her way to victory, with Corner also sneezing all the way. Such were the conditions on that day. Jockeys did not protest about the going and racing went on without any hitch. These days, such a thing is not possible because jockeys refuse to ride at the slightest pretext. Pune racing is also held for a fair period of time in rain and conditions which are far from ideal if one were to go with the jockeys in the Southern parts of the country.
The other school led by the jockeys believes that nobody should dictate them about the fitness of the surface as they know first-hand and that their views should be respected. One has heard the constant refrain how the jockeys live a dangerous life and no one has a right to criticize them, not having been riders themselves. It would be interesting if the Jockeys Association of India were to do an in depth study of racing accidents that have taken place all over the country and analyze the reasons why they occurred. They also can find out if the underfoot conditions had any bearing. Also such a study can help avert such accidents in future for they can serve as a guide. The Jockeys Association of India is flushed with funds and in fact they can commission a study which may serve as a useful guide to the professionals themselves, the authorities and even for people like us who have the job of analyzing the sport.
Would I have ridden in these conditions? The answer is plain ``no’’ because that is simply not my job. As a journalist, would I venture to take up difficult assignment where there is risk, I would welcome the opportunity. Risk to life and limb are part of one’s existence. A solider never refuses the call of duty even though he has to flirt with his life. Life cannot be an unmixed blessing.
Racing in soft underfoot conditions can prove to be a minefield only for punters as it places a premium on the fitness of horses. Also some horses relish the conditions better than others. In fact, rain and slush have been part and parcel of racing during the Bangalore Summer Season. In my 20 odd years of racing experience, I haven’t come across any accident related to soft underfoot conditions. In fact, many of the serious accidents have happened in firm ground where horses have broken down, bringing down the jockeys and causing them grievous injuries.
The jockeys have now become so sensitive so that at the slightest pretext, they want to halt racing. As a cynic put it, in Bangalore, jockeys tend to protest even if they get wet under a sprinkler! One is not treating the matter lightly but the matter needs to be debated. A few years back, some internationally reputed veterinarians had conducted a seminar in Bangalore where they had highlighted the fact horses revel in conditions where there is give in the ground and how their safety factor is enhanced. Only treacherous conditions like horses completely slipping from their stride can be the reason for calling off races. Racing in England is held on soft to heavy underfoot conditions and once not heard of racing being called because of protest by jockeys.
There are two schools of thought. One believes that jockeys must ride in all conditions and they should be tough enough. Jockeys have selected the profession knowing fully well the risks involved as well as the accompanying benefit of a windfall if the career takes off. Somebody like Robin Corner who is one of the most consistent jockeys that India has seen, is a senior racing official at Kolkata. Robin was a gentleman of a jockey who despite being troubled by a recurring cold problem which caused him to often sneeze his way to victory on horses, fined the jockeys when they refused to ride at Kolkata citing soft underfoot conditions. As a jockey who was close to completing 2000 winners and ridden in all surfaces and having won the Bangalore Derby on Ministrella in one of the heaviest goings that racing has seen in India, he should know better than many armchair critics! I remember having written in some article about how Ministrella swam her way to victory, with Corner also sneezing all the way. Such were the conditions on that day. Jockeys did not protest about the going and racing went on without any hitch. These days, such a thing is not possible because jockeys refuse to ride at the slightest pretext. Pune racing is also held for a fair period of time in rain and conditions which are far from ideal if one were to go with the jockeys in the Southern parts of the country.
The other school led by the jockeys believes that nobody should dictate them about the fitness of the surface as they know first-hand and that their views should be respected. One has heard the constant refrain how the jockeys live a dangerous life and no one has a right to criticize them, not having been riders themselves. It would be interesting if the Jockeys Association of India were to do an in depth study of racing accidents that have taken place all over the country and analyze the reasons why they occurred. They also can find out if the underfoot conditions had any bearing. Also such a study can help avert such accidents in future for they can serve as a guide. The Jockeys Association of India is flushed with funds and in fact they can commission a study which may serve as a useful guide to the professionals themselves, the authorities and even for people like us who have the job of analyzing the sport.
Would I have ridden in these conditions? The answer is plain ``no’’ because that is simply not my job. As a journalist, would I venture to take up difficult assignment where there is risk, I would welcome the opportunity. Risk to life and limb are part of one’s existence. A solider never refuses the call of duty even though he has to flirt with his life. Life cannot be an unmixed blessing.
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