'It's in a bit of a mess at the minute' - O'Neills join call for summer break

Jonjo O'Neill senior and junior have joined calls for an extended summer break for jump racing as poor field sizes continue to cause unrest throughout the industry.

The Racing Post reported last week that more than a third of British jump races this summer had five runners or fewer as field sizes across both codes fell to their lowest this century during June, July and August.

There was an average field size of 6.89 runners for jump races during the summer months, dropping to 5.88 for chases.

Depleted fields prompted calls from several leading trainers in recent months for fewer jump races during the summer, with 13-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls going as far as calling for a two-month cessation to be reintroduced through June and July to help populate races and give yard staff and riders the chance to take an extended holiday.

O'Neill snr has saddled 66 runners through June, July and August this year but can see few negatives to having at least one month without any jump fixtures during the summer.

"I'd be in the Nicholls camp, to be honest," he said. "I think there's enough good Flat racing in the summer and people working in the game need a break at some stage, like everyone does.

"For horses, jockeys and staff, it would be nice to say you can have that month off and freshen up for the season again."

The summer jumps schedule for 2023 revealed last month has a strikingly similar look to this year's programme, with 2024 earmarked as the year when any meaningful change to the fixture list may happen, and O'Neill is adamant a reduction in meetings is needed.

He said: "Watching jump racing with two, three or four runners is like watching paint dry. It's not great for the sport and doesn't attract new people into the game. They need to cut the fixture list down a little bit and up the prize-money, because it's in a bit of a mess at the minute.

"I think they're working on it and let's hope there's some good that comes out of it."

Jonjo O'Neill Jr: 'A four-day break isn't enough for the lads to go away'Credit: Mark Cranham

O'Neill Jr, who took 56 rides between June 1 and August 31, thinks an extended break would undoubtedly be positive for riders, but doesn't necessarily think that has to mean fewer fixtures granted thoughtful scheduling.

"I think two months might be a lot but a month would surely work," said the rider. "There is a place for summer jump racing because some horses can't win in the winter, but I think if you moved the fixtures from either July or August across the other way, it would definitely benefit it.

"There's a four-day break [for jumps] this week but it isn't enough for the lads to go away. When we had the three jumps meetings on one day to give the Flat boys a day break, it's no good to them either – they can't do anything with one day.

"You could probably have the same amount of meetings but rather than have one day's racing followed by a two-day break, and then two meetings on the same day, have a meeting every day when there is summer racing."

The Racing Post revealed on July 20 that the Racecourse Association would hold talks with Britain's leading summer jumps tracks and industry representatives in an attempt to combat concerns, although O'Neill snr said he had not been privy to any of those discussions.

"I haven't been involved," he said. "The four-day break this week is crazy because September is when we need the jockeys in the yard to school the young horses. What's the point in giving them a break now?

"It's the same with the conditional jockeys' courses. They have a week in Newmarket in September – it's a crazy time. Why not do that in July or May. It's so silly. All you need to do is swap it around and it would make a lot more sense."

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