THE AMATEUR JOCKEYS ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN
22-04-2004
Tom Greenway has begun searching for a new career after his neck injury has forced him to give up his promising career as a conditional jockey. Tom rode as an amateur jockey with Richard Lee, Henrietta Knight and Nigel Twiston-Davies and turned professional with Heather Dalton before Christmas. Tom hopes to stay in the racing industry and we all wish him well for the future.
22-04-2004
Championship tables are updated every Monday.
22-04-2004
All AJA members should receive their free copy of the quarterly AJA newsletter any day now as it has just been published. If you are an AJA member and have not received your copy by the end of April, please contact either Kelly Edwards on 01933 304778 or Sarah Oliver on 01886 884488 and a copy will be sent out to you immediately.
08-04-2004
Mobile phones can be used without restrictions up to half an hour before the first race. It will then be the responsibility of riders engaged to ride that day to turn off their phones at the appropriate time. A reminder in the form of a “phones off” announcement will usually be made over the internal PA system.Once the restrictions are in place, phones MAY ONLY be used in the designated area known as the “phone zone”.Riders may check their phones for messages in the designated area, including incoming text messages. They may also make outgoing calls from the designated area, but outgoing text messages are prohibited.The Weighing Room Security Officer (WRSO) will check professional jockeys’ phones from time to time to ensure the number being used matches the number on their register.Amateur riders must fill out details of every call made during the restricted period in a log book provided by the WRSO.If a jockey has personal concerns and it is important that they are instantly contactable (eg family illness) then the WRSO can authorise that the jockey’s personal mobile remains switched on. Procedures are also in place for when a jockey has been injured following a fall.If a trainer is not on-course and needs to speak directly to the rider of his horse, he can ring his representative who is allowed to pass the phone to the rider who will take the call in the “phone zone”. This can only be done in the weighing room area.The recommended penalty for not abiding by the mobile phones restriction is £250.The Jockey Club will request at random the phone records of individual riders. In order to comply with the request, riders will need to be able to provide itemised bills of their phone activity during the relevant restricted periods.IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES, PLEASE ASK THE WRSO.
02-04-2004
Mum’s the word! Carrie Ford, only the third lady rider ever to take the amateur rider’s Grand National, won the Martell Cognac Foxhunters at Aintree on Forest Gunner, trained by her husband Richard. Incredibly, Carrie only gave birth to their daughter 10 ½ weeks ago, and said on BBC shortly after the race that she had found it easier to win the Foxhunters than giving birth! Our twice champion amateur lady rider never looked in danger after making a mistake at the second, and won by 8 lengths from Sikander A Azam (Tom Greenall) with Gun’N Roses II (James Jenkins) a further 7 lengths behind in third. Congratulations to Carrie and Richard and all at their Cheshire base.