RACING Weight problems cause health problems

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32971, 18 July 1972, Page 8

RACING Weight problems cause health problems

The weight of the average 15-year-old New Zealand male had increased from 7-5 in 1934 to 9-3 in 1954 and to 10-10 in 1967, the chief stipendiary steward (Mr P. J. Reid) reported to the annual meeting of the Racing Conference last week.

Yet the present scale of weights in galloping had never been lower than today, and jockeys’ personal weight prob-j lems were being aggravated. In such a situation there | could be repercussions on the - jockeys’ health, not only phy-i sically but from the mental! aspect as well, Mr Reid said.! Mr C. Dudley, the conference’s chief racecourse inspector, reported that it was fairly common practice today] for jockeys to take “fluid” pills or “slimming” pills to lose weight, rather than ac-i cept the discipline of strict dieting and the “sweat box.” MEDICAL ATTENTION | During the last season, Mr Dudley said, there had been] several reported cases on 1 race days of jockeys having! to receive medical attention! when they became unwell. At one country meeting ani apprentice jockey had collapsed after riding in a race* and was almost in need of! resuscitation. The doctor who had at-

tended the lad found he had been taking a certain weight reducing tablet that had a tendency to lower blood pressure and weaken the muscles.

Two honorary surgeons for northern racing clubs felt that racing administrators should make it widely known that the taking of tablets for rapid weight reduction was dangerous and that the continuation of such a practice would be regarded with disfavour, Mr Dudley said. Mr N. B. Holland, president of the Jockeys’ Association,

had stated that it was a matter which seemed to involve many of the heavier lads. He personally had warned several against taking slimming tablets without first seeking the advice of a doctor. AVERAGE OF 2LB In his report Mr Reid said that the amount of overweight being carried was excessive. Figures kept of all meetings in southern North Island districts for the last 12 months showed that in all races 20 per cent of the total starters carried an average

over-weight of slightly more than 21b. Stipendiary stewards felt that the mandatory minimum (7-4) should not be raised if only for the reason that from it the novice apprentice drew his principal opportunity, Mr Reid said. Its retention was also probably necessary to allow sufficient scope for the handicap at a proper level. This meant that the answer must come from a scaling up of weights by other means—either a reversion to the 9-0 limit (except for maidens and two-year-olds) or the proposition where the top-weighted acceptor having less than 8-10 should be raised to that weight and the weights of the remainder of the acceptors be raised correspondingly.

The stipendiary stewards favoured the reversion to the 9-0 limit and had recommended accordingly at their last two annual conferences, Mr Reid said. WIDESPREAD CONCERN

“We are supported in our views by the opinions of the three ‘biggest’ handicappers in New Zealand and perhaps, not unnaturally, by the Jockeys’ Association,” Mr Reid said. That concern in this matter is widespread is shown from the fact that one handicapper has written to all clubs at which he officiates proposing that if circumstances so warrant the weights after acceptance time be raised by a discretionary amount, and one other club at least has also already implemented a similar provision. It is also relevant to mention that it was learned from Lester Piggott and Roy Higgins on their recent visit to New Zealand that they could not, or would not, ride under 8-8 and 8-5 respectively—they therefore would hardly get a ride in this country. The rule as it now stood did not prevent the handicap from being started at any weight above 8-10, but the records showed that this had happened, certainly at the 9-0 mark or above, only to a minimal degree, Mr Reid said.

“And in these days of ‘competitive’ handicapping, will it happen to any greater extent in the future? Hopefully, yes; but not unless there is some fresh thinking.”