Jockeys to have their names plastered across their bums for first time ever in bid to ‘highlight their personalities’
JOCKEYS will have their surnames plastered across their bums for the first time ever in a bid to ‘highlight their personalities’ and promote the sport.
Riders at next week’s York Ebor Festival will be easily identifiable to punters because their names will be on their backside.
PA:Press AssociationExpect to be see jockeys’ names carried across their bums at York in the first ever trial of its kind[/caption]
It is hoped the trial – which could herald the start of a new era for racing – will ‘further spotlight jockeys’ talent, commitment and personalities to race fans and beyond’.
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Racing is desperate to bring in new punters and this is one of many ideas hoping to ‘modernise’ the sport of kings.
Rugby has recently embraced having players’ names on their backs while Test match cricket took the plunge in the 2019 Ashes.
The trial will take place on Friday week, August 23, on the track’s Nunthorpe day – the big sprint race over five furlongs.
William Derby, York Racecourse Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course, said: “The jockeys are the stars of our sport and we want to further spotlight their talent, commitment and personalities to race fans and beyond.”
The names will not be shown on a jockeys’ silks (in other words their top) because they are the property of the horse’s owner.
Paul Mulrennan, the jockey husband of ITV Racing presenter Adele, has come out in support of the scheme.
He told the Telegraph: “It’s a good idea and it’s something new. We’ve just got to get off our arse and try new things.
“I think there’s just so many people, young people, who don’t really know a lot of us jockeys as [we’ve been] going around with a helmet on all the time.
“Almost no one knows what we look like.
“I feel like we’ve got to keep moving with the times. I remember it happening with the football and I think a few people were a bit unsure, because of the numbers.
“Maybe numbers will be something we’ll look to do in years to come, too.
“A lot of people don’t realise that on days like today I’ve had three different rides, three different owners, three different sets of colours.
“A lot of people that I meet don’t know a lot about racing assume that you’ve got your own horse, your own colours, but a lot of the time it’s different owners, different horses.”
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