Sport
12 February, 2025
Jockey subsidy changes on cards: Racing Queensland
The racing body is considering additional measures to help the jockey shortage in the North West.
Racing Queensland is working on changes to its jockey travel subsidy for the North West following concerns that race meetings will be called off in 2025 due to a lack of available riders.
The issue, which attracted front page headlines, has since caught the attention of the racing body.
North West Weekly this week made inquiries to RQ following a number of concerns raised about the current “Go West” subsidy, which was first introduced in 2023.
When announced, RQ said it would will subsidise up to two return flights (to a maximum of $1200 each) to each non-TAB race meeting; and up to three return flights (to a maximum of $800 each) to each TAB meeting in the North West region.
However, a Racing Queensland spokesperson said that the scheme was being revised.
“We are presently making a number of amendments to the Go West scheme, which we’ll be in a position to provide further detail on in the coming weeks,” they said on Tuesday morning.
Mount Isa-based trainer Emma Morton said changes to the scheme would be welcomed.
“I’m going to fly up a jockey for the (February 22) meeting and that will cost more than $1000,” she told North West Weekly.
“The jockey said they applied for the subsidy but apparently it had already been exhausted.
“I don’t know exactly how it works but it does seem a bit unfair that some jockeys get it and others don’t.”
North West Weekly put questions to RQ about how the scheme was administered, but it did not provide an answer, other than to say it was making amendments.
One jockey, who asked not to be named, said jockeys were able to get the subsidy and not accept a full book of rides in Mount Isa.
“One jockey won’t be able to ride the minimum weight, which means he might not get five rides,” they said.
“I’d hate to see the industry pay for his flights when another jockey misses out.”
Morton, who trained her first winner last year, said she was currently advertising for a jockey and/or trackwork rider to make the move to Mount Isa.
“I’m always hopeful but I’m not confident,” she said.
The young trainer, who is also on the Mount Isa Race Club committee, said there was some serious money to be made for a jockey willing to make the move to the North West.
“I can offer them a job as a driver at Kenlach, as well as subsidised accommodation and they can get paid to ride work in the mornings, and then get a full book of rides on a Saturday,” she said.
“For somebody who is willing to really have a go and is keen to apply themselves, they should be making a killing.”
Jason Hoopert is one of just two Mount Isa-based jockeys who will be available to ride in 2025. He will miss this month’s race meeting due to injury, but is likely to be back in the saddle in March.
Hoopert said he had no regrets about making the move west and wished that other senior jockeys would follow suit.
“I’ve got a good life working Monday to Friday (on the mine site) and riding on Saturdays and the occasional mid-weeks when they have TAB meetings,” he said.
“I’m making a great living. I’ve told this to a heap of jockeys but they won’t come here for some reason.”
Hoopert said he wasn’t against the subsidy, but wished local jockeys had some of their travel expenses met.
“It is frustrating when we drive to Hughenden or to Richmond for a race meeting and don’t get any of our costs covered, but a jockey can be paid to fly into Mount Isa and then beat us,” he said.
“There should be a subsidy for jockeys if they drive a certain distance, too.”