Kevin Darley Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/Press Association Images
Racing
Darley downplays the possibility of a jockeys strike over whip rule changes
The chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association does not believe a strike is the best course of action after controversial changes to the whip rules.
KEVIN DARLEY, CHIEF executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, has played down the threat of strike action over the amendment to rules governing use of the whip.
Leading jockeys are up in arms over the severity of penalties for minor rule breaches, despite the removal of the five-hit rule inside the final furlong and the fact that riders will not lose their fee if suspended for a whip offence.
Reports emerged on Friday that strike action could be instigated, but Darley insists that is the last thing that his association wants.
“We’ve been very proactive, in that we’ve gone about it through the correct process. The jockeys, as you’ve heard, have wanted to strike,” he insisted.
“That’s counterproductive as far as I’m concerned, and that’s the last thing we want to do for the industry.
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“We have got together as a group last night with my board and a lot of senior jockeys – AP (Tony McCoy), Frankie (Dettori), Ryan Moore – and said, ‘What are we going to achieve out of striking?’”
Darley downplays the possibility of a jockeys strike over whip rule changes
KEVIN DARLEY, CHIEF executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, has played down the threat of strike action over the amendment to rules governing use of the whip.
Leading jockeys are up in arms over the severity of penalties for minor rule breaches, despite the removal of the five-hit rule inside the final furlong and the fact that riders will not lose their fee if suspended for a whip offence.
Reports emerged on Friday that strike action could be instigated, but Darley insists that is the last thing that his association wants.
“We’ve been very proactive, in that we’ve gone about it through the correct process. The jockeys, as you’ve heard, have wanted to strike,” he insisted.
“We have got together as a group last night with my board and a lot of senior jockeys – AP (Tony McCoy), Frankie (Dettori), Ryan Moore – and said, ‘What are we going to achieve out of striking?’”
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