Racing Post readers have their say on the Bryony Frost-Robbie Dunne hearing

As soon as the Bryony Frost-Robbie Dunne independent disciplinary panel hearing finished on Thursday, readers have been emailing the Racing Post in their droves on the matter. Here are their views . . .

Let racing be the winner in this case

An outcome with no winner, I seriously hope not.

I will put my cards on the table from the outset. I am a close friend of the Frost family and have never met Robbie Dunne. I am a former permit-holder and fully licensed trainer and many moons ago an amateur rider.

I obviously have followed the recent case with added interest and am disappointed with the process as a whole. First, as Ruby Walsh said on TV, how could someone with seniority not have intervened when these matters took place and, as Ruby put it, ‘tell them to sit down and shut up’?

Second, in the ensuing year or so (much too long), while the BHA ground on with its investigation, why did a senior figure not attempt to address these problems in-house?

To my knowledge the only person who made any move to achieve this was Bryony’s dad Jimmy, who is long retired from race-riding and thus somewhat divorced from the weighing room of today. Even this opportunity for the parties involved to discuss things face to face was bungled.

Eventually, there was a date set to hear the allegations concerned and amazingly the PJA stated it should not happen due to a BHA information leak which ends up in the press. Should the PJA have been successful in its plea to scrap proceedings, how did it think the case and the difficult topics it raised would ever be addressed?

The case was finally heard with the only charge accepted by Mr Dunne being that at Stratford, which by coincidence was the only one witnessed by someone outside of the weighing room. All the evidence was chewed over by the professional advocates in front of a highly legally qualified panel. In a timely manner it reached the verdict of which we are all aware.

The PJA is very agitated by a word used by the BHA’s lawyer in his summing up, namely ‘rancid’. This was not a word used by the panel in its explanation of the reasons it reached the conclusions it did, it is therefore not implicit that the term ‘rancid’ in respect of the weighing room culture was accepted by the panel. It is certainly not a word I believe is in any way appropriate to describe that place. Again in my opinion an example of an unconsidered reaction by the PJA, which seems too quick to reach for the six-gun.

In the aftermath of the case the recriminations must stop, there must be changes and I am hopeful that these can be made with co-operation from all those involved.

This was a perfect storm with everything that could go wrong actually going wrong with the consequence of a lovely, rounded and brave person having no other course of action open to her than to stand up and be counted.

I hope that those who still work within the rarefied inner sanctum which is the weighing room seek to build bridges and reconcile themselves with Bryony going forward.

I have the greatest respect and admiration for the courageous people who ride racehorses at speed both on the Flat and over jumps day in day out, most of whom don’t make big money but love the ‘game’ as we all like to call our great sport.

I have loved racing and racing people all my life and know them to be decent, caring and inclusive, and I trust that we see these qualities to the forefront in the weeks and years to come.

In the long run, let racing be the winner.

Martin Hill
Littlehempston, Devon

Social media adds to the problems

A lot of the comments relating to the Frost/Dunne verdict referred to racing having an outdated culture. I think that in one important respect the opposite is true.

Bryony Frost is undoubtedly different to the image and behaviour usually associated with jockeys. She definitely wears her heart on her sleeve more than any other of her weighing room colleagues, and because of her passion and the way she describes her experiences when riding her frequent big-race winners, she leaves herself open to ridicule from her colleagues, and especially people on social media.

This is a very distressing and cruel trait that has only become so prevalent because faceless people are now able to abuse and mock people who are in some respect different from the norm.

I love Bryony as a person because she is so eccentric and also a great jockey to watch and to relate to.

Instead of laughing at people like Bryony Frost, we should actually open our hearts and laugh with her.

John Hall
Birmingham

Behaviour rancid not the weighing room

I am of advancing years, but ever since I was a child being brought up close to Epsom Downs I have loved horseracing.

I am pleased at the decision of the panel in this case, but I am appalled by the attitude of the jump jockeys and the PJA. Can I suggest they reread what Mr Weston actually said when using the word ‘rancid’.

He was not saying the weighing room is rancid. Of course it isn't.
But if the behaviour of Mr Dunne were to be the norm, then yes it would be a rancid place.

Richard Rowntree
Frodsham, Cheshire

Jockeys letting themselves down

I have followed jump racing all my life. I own and ride an ex-racehorse and am in complete awe of jockeys’ bravery and skill.

Unfortunately these last two weeks have shown some of the jockeys whom I regard as heroes are anything but. When on Saturday after winning a race one of them defended the weighing room culture on national TV, I had to change channels.

The lack of support given to Bryony Frost throughout this ordeal has been eye-opening. Why didn’t other jockeys step in and stop what was going on? Why have none of those in the weighting room come forward as witnesses for Frost? Many of them must have seen and heard what was going on?

Racing needs to enter the 21st century and all those jockeys who sat on their hands and said nothing need to take a long hard look at themselves.

Maria Dann

Case should not have got this far

I am amazed if not appalled by the media’s reporting of the Frost/Dunne case.

There is no doubt Dunne’s behaviour was unacceptable, and he should have apologised unreservedly and received the requisite punishment, but the leaks to the press and the length of time before the case was heard did not allow for a fair and balanced hearing.

Why didn’t the BHA investigator present his findings to the hearing in person and be subject to cross-examination despite his departure?
Were all the facts regarding any potential reconciliation properly investigated?

What about the appalling summary by Louis Weston on behalf of the BHA?

Why was this allowed to get this far?

All these questions remain unanswered.

It should have been nipped in the bud in-house by all the parties involved.

This was, in essence, a trial by the media. Anyone, whatever we might think of them, should have a fair trial, and not by the media which had already decided the outcome. The BHA needs to look at itself after a large number of mishaps and bad press.

Ben Messer-Bennetts

Hoping for a happier future for the sport

It is sad to read of the problems in the weighing room at the moment. I'm sure everyone has experienced banter in their lives. I certainly have – in school, national service, the workplace and social life.

Light-hearted banter, usually two-way, is fine and fun, but when it descends into ‘piss-taking’ it is more problematic. It has a darker side and crosses a line that verges on bullying. It raises a question in my mind as to why does someone do it, usually to the discomfort of someone else. We are all different and no doubt there are cliques and tensions in the weighing room, as there are in other groups.

The response of some of the jockeys, male and female, and some valets was disappointing. Perhaps they should all step outside their riding boots and look back at themselves, asking whether they should have said something or done something.

Then they should put themselves in the position of the ‘piss-taker’ and anyone who was on the receiving end and ask themselves whether they would have done it and how they would have felt if they had been the target.

This is something we should all do in life and, believe me, it is a salutary lesson. Instead they did nothing, but are queueing up to denounce the criticism of the weighing room culture. There is also talk of ostracism – that will not help or heal.

In disputes, at all levels, from minor domestic to international, the best way to begin the healing process is the phrase ‘I am sorry’ – very difficult to say but much respected when said.

The jockeys, both male and female, do a magnificent job, much appreciated by the general public.

Let us hope for a happier and healthier weighing room in the future and best wishes to all of them.

Ted Nurton

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