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Letter of the Week

Don't cut clerks

I would like to send a message to Racing Victoria chief Bernard Saundry, expressing my concern over news that the industry in Victoria will be cutting back on clerk-of-course staff at race meetings.

I was a jockey in the United States, where each rider had a "ponyboy" to accompany them to the barriers. The ponyboy, or clerk, would be waiting for me outside the mounting yard.

Being a jockey is a very dangerous profession. The industry’s decision to reduce the number of clerks has disappointed me greatly, because I truly believe there should be a lot more of them.

I appreciate there is a need to cut costs, but I propose a solution to the problem ... simply pass on the costs associated with clerk-of-course duties to the owners.

It is their horses that are being cared for on the way to the starting gates and they are the ones who will be out of pocket if something goes wrong and their horse has to be scratched.

To save on costs, perhaps we could trial using willing stablehands riding stable ponies to assist jockeys and their mounts around to the barriers, and whatever cost there is would be added to owners’ bills.

Whatever direction is taken in the future, I would implore Mr Saundry and his Racing Victoria colleagues to work towards more clerks on course, not less.

John Hosking
Frankston (Vic)
Today's Racing
Friday 29 March
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