Hannon and Balding join trainer backlash over new rules for apprentice riders

Andrew Balding and Richard Hannon were on Wednesday highly critical of the BHA's decision to ensure claiming jockeys receive a larger share of prize-money and riding fees from next year, saying opportunities for claiming riders will only diminish.

The leading trainers’ views, added to those expressed previously by Richard Fahey, mean Britain’s biggest three supporters of apprentices over the past decade have come out against the changes. Fahey 24 hours earlier vowed not to employ apprentices at his yard after the current crop have progressed.

While former champion apprentices Tom Marquand and Josephine Gordon welcomed the move, which was agreed by the BHA board and the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA), there was no hiding the frustration from Hannon and Balding that the changes have been made without the backing of the National Trainers Federation (NTF) and they believe it is the riders who will ultimately suffer.