No riding fee increase for 2020

The Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) and the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) have come to an agreement on Jockeys riding fees for 2020.

There will be no increase in riding fees for 2020. The fee payable to a professional Jockey in a flat race remains at £127.14, whilst for those riding in a jump race this is £173.59.

However, in lieu of no basic per ride pay rise the ROA and the PJA have together looked at the situation regarding payments to Jockeys who are booked to ride horses that are subsequently declared non-runners. Should a horse become a non-runner after Jockey declaration time, 50% of the riding fee will be paid as a booking fee.

The current process applies a fee at 40% which is only paid to Jockeys for horses declared a non-runner after 9 am on day of racing, which will be removed and replaced by the booking fee.

The new deal will see the following changes:

• In the event of a non-runner, if the last booked rider was booked prior to the Jockey booking deadline of 1p.m. on declaration day, the Jockey will receive 50% of the riding fee.
• In the exceptionally rare event that a Jockey was booked after 1p.m. then no non-runner riding fee is paid.
• If the horse is withdrawn before the signal to mount is given, the Jockey will receive 50% of the riding fee.
• If the race is declared void or the fixture abandoned after declaration time no fee will be paid.
• If the horse is withdrawn after the signal to mount is given, the Jockey will receive the full riding fee.
• If the Jockey is double booked on a horse with a 2nd preference, the Jockey will only receive the riding fee for the actual ride (e.g. 1st preference). The second preference non-runner will not command a payment.

ROA Chief Executive Charlie Liverton said “At a time when costs for owners are continuing to increase, the Board of the ROA are pleased to announce this new measure which will avoid another price rise across the board for owners. The new structure for the payment of fees for Jockeys engaged on non-runners appreciates the lost opportunity. Whilst non-runners are a frustration for everyone involved, they accounted for 7.3% as a percentage of declarations in 2019, and hopefully they can be reduced even further over the coming 12 months. The ROA/ PJA Working Group looks forward to continuing discussions in early 2020. ”

Dale Gibson, Executive Director of the PJA said: “We are delighted to have negotiated a booking fee for all Professional riders once the final Jockey declaration deadline occurs. The new deal means that once a Jockey has been booked to ride, and that horse subsequently does not run after the official final Jockey declaration time, the rider will be paid 50% of the agreed riding fee. The agreement, in lieu of an annual inflationary riding fee increase is cost neutral for owners using up to date non-runner figures. We look forward to continued dialogue with the ROA to further improve Jockeys finances, and trust that total non-runner figures can be reduced in future”