Nico de Boinville says jobs are at risk if break from racing continues

Racing's return cannot come soon enough for members of the weighing room with jockeys concerned a prolonged shutdown due to the equine influenza outbreak could start to bite financially.

With racing cancelled until Wednesday at the earliest, the future remains uncertain as to when racing will resume – an announcement to this point is expected on Monday from the BHA.

For now, business is carrying on as usual at Nicky Henderson's despite the lockdown, and stable jockey Nico de Boinville is confident the champion trainer's string seems in good health.

"It's not ideal," he said. "I'm continuing to ride out and the horses are fit, when these things happen you can't just stop.

Some Nicky Henderson-trained horses return to Seven Barrows after exercising on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Even when the weather causes racing to stop it's a worry. Jobs are at risk [because of this] and although some jockeys are financially stable and can use the opportunity for a sabbatical, a lot will be struggling."

He added: "The valets have been overlooked in all of this, because when jockeys don't have a job neither do they. If you're not earning you're spending, and people have mortgages and cars to pay for. It's a disaster for the industry."

De Boinville, who rode Morning Vicar to win at Ludlow on Wednesday – where one of Donald McCain's unaffected horses also ran – said many jockeys will be riding out more to try and offset the money they are losing by not race-riding.

Some fellow riders have been using the enforced break to recharge their batteries with the likes of Sam Twiston-Davies, Aidan Coleman, Jamie Bargary, Ryan Hatch, Tom Cannon, Tom Garner and Kielan Woods heading off on holiday, while others spend time with their families.

Like De Boinville, Harry Cobden is still riding out at Ditcheat for Paul Nicholls and is using the rest of his time to tend to his farm in preparation for the summer months.

"I'd much rather be racing," said the jockey, who also had a gloomy outlook on what the flu outbreak could mean for racing if it is to continue in the longer term.

"I'm not going on holiday and for people who have racing as their only source of income it will be really difficult. People have houses to pay for and a longer break could be harmful for them."

British-based jockeys Sean Bowen and Tom Scudamore have also chosen not to take holidays, with both in action at Punchestown on Sunday.

Scudamore, who rides Celtic Rising and Solomn Grundy for owner Roger Brookhouse, said going on holiday did not appeal to him and and that he was lucky to have picked up the rides.

"It's all been a shock and from my point of view I just wanted to stay here and keep fit and healthy before racing starts again. As far as I'm concerned there's a chance I could be back racing again on Wednesday, but I won't presume anything until I'm told.

"The longer this goes on the more we will worry – with foot and mouth it was more isolated and it wasn't as if there was no racing at all."

Scudamore has ridden for seven different yards in the last fortnight and praised the clarity of communication from the BHA when the news was announced on Wednesday evening.

He said: "We all have a responsibility to help each other. It isn't just racing, there is a whole equine world, whether that be in eventing yards or in riding schools.

"The outbreak is endangering horses and therefore endangering the livelihoods of the people involved with them."

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