|
|
Horse Racing Jockeys
Horse Racing Jockeys - Introduction
Horse Racing Jockeys are the people that actually have the job of riding the horse in the race. Generally jockeys specialize in either "jumps" racing or "flat" racing. This is because the skills needed to ride on jumps are very different from flat racing. Obviously it is a very special skill to navigate fences on steeplechases, as compared with the flat where they are no obstacles. If you have ever seen the sheer size of the fences at Aintree Racecourse, which are among the most challenging in the world, then you will realize that riding over "jumps" is alot more difficult than it looks. There is also the consequent problem of "fallers" i.e. where the horse being ridden fails to make the fence, causing the jockey to be thrown off the horse! This can be a very dangerous outcome, espcially when the other horses are travelling at some speed e.g. 40 mph
The Flat, also has its difficulties however. to begin with a jockey has to deal with the "stalls" and sometime difficult horses, that do not like being placed in such a confined space. This means some horses will "buck" i.e. rear up on their hind legs, possibly causing injury to a jockey. Races run on the Flat, especially sprints, are also run at a frantic pace, and although "falls" are very rare, should they happen, injury to a jockey is more likely than over Jumps. There are occasionally horses that "slip" on flat courses, and these can cause major problems for jockeys
Flat Jockeys have to deal with the problem of the "weights", which can be a real challenge. This is because the weights can start very low e.g. as low as in the 7lb region. A jockey has to ensure their own personal weight is kept under very strict control, if they are to meet the weights set for each horse. It should of course be remembered that a jockey will be riding lots of horses within a week, all at very different weights, so "making" the weight of some of the novice or maiden races will be a real problem. It has been known for some jockeys to "giveup" the racing game altogether due to thw problem of meeting the weights
Top Horse Racing Jockeys In 2006
A listing of the Top 10 Jockeys based on data from placed and winning horses in their charge is given below:
Flat Racing
| JOCKEY NAME
| WINS:RUNS
| %
| 2ND
| 3RD
| 4TH
| TOTAL PRIZE
|
| Ryan Moore
| 182:1174
| 16
| 147
| 141
| 127
| 2,720,806
|
| Jamie Spencer
| 155:840
| 18
| 113
| 98
| 88
| 2,583,778
|
| Eddie Ahern
| 140:1155
| 12
| 128
| 109
| 129
| 1,248,007
|
| Robert Winston
| 136:981
| 14
| 121
| 104
| 100
| 1,379,889
|
| L Dettori
| 135:591
| 22
| 81
| 73
| 57
| 3,353,832
|
| N Callan
| 129:1028
| 13
| 127
| 128
| 94
| 1,521,291
|
| Seb Sanders
| 117:834
| 14
| 105
| 80
| 79
| 1,252,267
|
| Richard Hughes
| 113:804
| 14
| 95
| 107
| 76
| 1,854,639
|
| Joe Fanning
| 108:938
| 12
| 94
| 99
| 98
| 1,054,594
|
| Paul Hanagan
| 107:1040
| 10
| 118
| 101
| 123
| 1,132,646
|
Jump Racing
| JOCKEY NAME
| WINS:RUNS
| %
| 2ND
| 3RD
| 4TH
| TOTAL PRIZE
|
| A P McCoy
| 184:758
| 24
| 117
| 97
| 67
| 2,272,807
|
| Richard Johnson
| 154:847
| 18
| 138
| 108
| 95
| 1,997,443
|
| T J O'Brien
| 107:556
| 19
| 82
| 67
| 48
| 962,441
|
| Robert Thornton
| 99:551
| 18
| 77
| 66
| 49
| 1,638,282
|
| Timmy Murphy
| 98:542
| 18
| 71
| 53
| 59
| 1,452,637
|
| G Lee
| 89:675
| 13
| 97
| 65
| 60
| 1,030,495
|
| P J Brennan
| 80:512
| 16
| 59
| 62
| 59
| 945,680
|
| Noel Fehily
| 75:474
| 16
| 65
| 65
| 40
| 841,445
|
| R Walsh
| 73:291
| 25
| 55
| 40
| 22
| 2,304,412
|
| Sam Thomas
| 73:462
| 16
| 68
| 40
| 49
| 765,443
|
|
|
