The Hindu : JAI members boycott track work

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 26, 2003

Sport

Sport - Racing : Horse

JAI members boycott track work

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE June 25. Members of the Jockeys Association of India (JAI) stayed away from morning track work on Wednesday even as the spotlight turned on the prospects of this weekend's Bangalore races being run with the help of apprentices and riders who are not in the JAI fold.

The JAI fulfilled its Mysore obligations today but its members will not be riding work in Mysore from Thursday.

For its part, the Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association (KROA) preferred to watch developments from the sidelines as the jockeys strike in support for an upward revision of mount fee came into force. Consensus is building at a rapid pace that the Bangalore Turf Club should take the lead and bring about a rapprochement in the larger interests of the sport. But the differences between the two sides are seemingly irreconcilable at this stage since both the sides are on the look out for a viable piece of turf to pitch its arguments.

The KROA is insistent that this is an issue that the Turf Authorities of India (TAI) should be addressing rather than an individual owners' body, which is not empowered to take a decision one way or another. Jockeys on the other hand are trying to drive the point home that it is through a forum like KROA that the issue has to reach the Turf Authorities.

Reality of a full-blown jockeys strike is yet to sink in. The first real test of its success could well hinge on how well racing shapes up this weekend. But of greater concern in the professional circles is over the fate of those lower rung jockeys whose cause JAI says it is trying desperately hard to promote by seeking a bigger mount fee. As one veteran trainer put it, "The longer the strike goes on harder it could be for these lesser mortals to sustain. I hope the jockeys see the ground reality because in the long run it could be counter-productive."

Curiosity was heightened at the Bangalore racecourse this morning when regular jockeys got in but sat out of the morning work. Riding boys, apprentices and a few jockeys who are not supporting the JAI strike made up the numbers much to the relief of the trainers.

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