Irish Racing News: The Turf Club yesterday insisted they will come down hard on jockeys if their behaviour on Ireland's racetracks is unacceptable.reports
Pierce Molony, the organisation's senior steward said that there had been a number of incidents in recent months that had no place in racing. "We have been increasingly alarmed at the behaviour of riders," Molony said at a media briefing yesterday.
"Some of the behaviour is contributing to a negative image of the sport. Such behaviour will not be tolerated."
Molony added that it was particularly worrying that incidents had occurred which featured some professionals who could be regarded as "role models" for younger people within racing.
In August Johnny Murtagh received a 21-day suspension for punching another top jockey Pat Smullen in the head just yards after passing the post in a race at Leopardstown. The high-profile ban cost Murtagh the ride on the Derby winner Motivator in the Irish Champion Stakes. Ironically later that month Smullen himself incurred a 10-day suspension after appearing to try and elbow another rider, Colm O'Donoghue, during the closing stages of a race at the Listowel festival.
Smullen, who is about to be crowned champion jockey in Ireland for the third time, only returned to race-riding on board Grey Swallow in Sunday night's Canadian International at Woodbine in Toronto.
In a wide-ranging speech Molony also urged the betting exchange company Betfair to make every effort to finish a memorandum of understanding with Ireland's racing authorities in order for betting practices to be properly policed.
Molony described it as "not very satisfactory" that six months after new rules in relation to betting exchanges were outlined a memorandum still had not been signed by Betfair and Horse Racing Ireland.
He said that failure to reach agreement was having an impact on racing's finances as well as potentially having an impact on the Turf Club's ability to carry out it's integrity functions within the sport.
As well as outlining a new system for the appeals and referrals process within racing, which are due to come into place on January 1st, and which will include personnel with no connections with the ruling bodies, Molony also stressed the priority of jockeys health.
Surveys carried out by the National Coaching and Training College in Limerick has pointed to dehydration as a major problem within racing and Molony declared yesterday that riders themselves have to take responsibility in tackling the issue. Increased weights for a modern era where people are growing bigger is being considered but Molony said:
"The Turf Club is reluctant to increase weights until we get some commitment from the riders that they will not ride when they are dehydrated."
Random testing for dehydration has not been ruled out and could take its place alongside the current testing for drugs that is being presently operated.
Molony also gave an upbeat bulletin on plans for the redevelopment of Irish racing's headquarters at the Curragh and said that action is likely to be taken within the next few months about people found at "unrecognised race meetings".
A number of people have already received penalties for operating at pony races or so called "flaps" and the senior steward declared: "We will continue to prosecute anyone involved in unrecognised race meetings."
