Hats off to Winston Ellis

By Cliff Williams, Contributor

ORDINARILY when a former champion jockey wins a race that is is not news of tremendous significance - but if the reinsman is fifty something, with three titles to his credit, 506 career victories before the latest and the last one coming in 1985 then it becomes an event worthy of leading a major newscast of sports.

Winston Ellis' victory aboard Slewpy's Valley Saturday was the lead story on one television station's majaor sportscast last Saturday.

Ellis did not have to ride a great race to win but the emotion of the public in terms of the reception offered when the veteran horseman returned to the winners' enclosure was something to savour.

There is a section of racegoers who consistency cheer the lesser lights when they perform well and especially when the upsets occur the trainers and riders get vociferous shouts of approval. It is fairly certain that most of the punters showing enthusiastic support did not even back these long-priced winners on most occasions but are still happy to celebrate in the sporting tradition of the game, and so it should be.

Clearly these punters have mastered the art of enjoying the sport for what it is and win or lose they are going to be around to create whatever excitement they can generate at the end of each race. It is true that some get carried away and there are times when the riders hear about their performances or lack of it in the most colourful language imaginable.

The term "Sufferer Jockey" was coined many decades ago and unfortunately will always be with us although some of these riders appear to live quite comfortably and even although they do not visit the winners' enclosure all that often. I suppose then that in this context "Sufferer" does not refer to standard of living but frequency of winning mounts.

Speaking of lesser lights, apparently some agreement has been reached between the Trainers Association and the Grooms Association last month where the members of the latter will now receive an extra $200 per horse weekly to be followed by a further $100 come September 2002. This means that the annual wage bill will be increased by about $1.25 million, which I do not think will make owners reconsider the wisdom of being involved in the sport.

Grooms are the recipients of five per cent of the purses in Jamaica, a situation which does not prevail in very many other racing jurisdictions and extra earnings take the form of gifts from owners. There have been a few owners who have questioned this disbursement quietly but none have ever resisted or challenged it seriously here. Although they are uncomfortable with it they are still quite prepared to let things remain as is.

As far as local racing is concerned our set-up is still firmly in the ranks of the amateurs as only between 20 and 24 races is offered each week on two race days. However the training and grooming of thoroughbreds for racing is a full time occupation and these professionals have to be paid. Incidentally the trainers earn 15 per cent of purses here but in a lot of countries the entitlement is only ten per cent.

With the agreement between trainers and grooms seemingly settled at least one potential disruptive factor should no longer threaten the smooth running of the plans of the promoting company but although all is quiet for the moment, many of the issues are still pending and we await the governments solutions.

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