PJ McDonald calls on jockeys to see 'bigger picture' over one-meeting rule

Riders reluctant to embrace any extension of the rule restricting them to working at only one meeting per day have been urged to see "the bigger picture" by leading Flat jockey and Professional Jockeys Association joint-president PJ McDonald.

Echoing colleagues, McDonald stressed the importance of future meetings continuing to have eight, nine or ten races but argued that providing the elongation of fixtures continues, jockeys would benefit from being limited to one racecourse per day.

Four-time champion jump jockey Richard Johnson is among others to have supported a policy brought in by the BHA, in consultation with chief medical adviser Dr Jerry Hill, to comply with keeping travel to a minimum as racing resumed.

PJA chief executive Paul Struthers on Monday described the early signs of the one-meeting era as "hugely beneficial", but Britain's busiest jockey Luke Morris has expressed much less enthusiasm and is keen for jockeys to retain more freedom.

McDonald said: "If we are guaranteed something like the number of races per card we're getting now, I know for a fact 99 per cent of jockeys would be more than happy to stick at one meeting per day.

"Racing is a very selfish sport - it definitely is if you're one of the participants - and a handful of jockeys won't like this system because they will want to be driving all over the place. But there comes a time when you have to stand back and look at the bigger picture."

McDonald added: "At the moment the system is working because we're having up to ten races per day and field sizes are holding up. If you have seven rides at one meeting you have no need to be going anywhere else because you'll be making a nice living and hopefully riding a few winners. However, we do need to know those opportunities are not going to dry up."

Luke Morris: 'The one-meeting restriction doesn't suit me personally'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Morris, who took 1,500-plus mounts in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018, accepts the days of dashing up and down motorways to ride at multiple meetings may not return, but said: "The one-meeting restriction doesn’t suit me personally. An example would be Royal Ascot week. Maybe I’d go there for two 25-1 shots who are tilting at windmills. On the way back home to Newmarket I’d drive straight past Chelmsford, where in previous years I might have stopped off for eight rides and three winners.

"While I don’t necessarily think we should go back to how it was before, it would be nice to be able to ride at one night meeting a week following an afternoon card."

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Giving his backing to the current policy, jockey Tom Marquand said: "It’s working great at the moment while there are cards of nine and ten races. Those long cards have provided people with more opportunities. Jockeys at the top of the tree have still been riding at the big meetings, while others have picked up good rides at other venues. The only issue will come if we go back to six races – that changes the dynamics of it all."

Whether there is an industry-wide long-term appetite for cards containing nine or ten races, and whether the horse population is able to meet any such demand without hurting field sizes, remains to be seen. These will be considerations for the BHA and stakeholders.

Jump jockeys have only a relatively short window in the year to ride at two meetings a day compared to their Flat counterparts but leading riders were among those to be broadly supportive of the one-meeting rule.

Johnson, who has for many years regularly ridden at two meetings a day during the summer, said: "There would be days when you'd be frustrated if you could have had one good ride at each meeting, but it makes things all a bit simpler and makes sense from a health and safety point of view.

"It's more relevant for Flat jockeys, but as long as they're happy with it then I'd have nothing against it. It seems to be working well at the moment."

Fellow jump jockey Jonathan Burke said: "It would open up a lot more opportunities for lots of riders. It has its pros and cons, and some people won't want it, but overall I think it would have a positive effect."

Daryl Jacob said: "Mental health is understandably at the forefront of everyone's minds at the moment and I think it's a great idea.

"I've occasionally done two meetings in a day and it's stressful. You're trying to beat the traffic and you're doing it in rush hour a lot of the time. I'd be in favour of it and it gives younger riders more opportunities, so it benefits a lot of people."

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