The Turf Club today, Thursday 16th February 2017, announced its Integrity Racing Statistics for 2016. The statistics cover stewards enquiries, appeals and referrals hearings, drug/alcohol testing of riders, licences, non runners, medical statistics, handicap ratings and off times.
The key statistics are as follows:-
i) Stewards Enquiries
• Number of penalties for breaches of:
- Whip rules down 18% to 131
- Marker pole rules up to 16
- Starting rules up 150% to 52
ii) Appeals and Referrals Hearings
• 23 appeals were determined, with 52% of appeals being successful or partially successful
• 37 referrals were heard
iii) Drug Testing of Riders
• 178 riders were tested with 4 tests being positive
iv) Drug Testing Horses
• 3,540 samples were tested with 5 tests being positive
• 231 out of competition samples were taken. All were negative.
v) Licences
• Number of national hunt riders licensed continues to fall (down 8%)
• Number of trainers licences remains static
vi) Medical Statistics
• The fall rate per ride decreased in jump racing to 4.43% but the injury rate per fall increased to 26.6%
• Professional riders lost 559 weeks due to injury
Commenting on the figures, Turf Club Chief Executive Denis Egan said that “the decline in the number of penalties imposed for breaches of the whip rules is due to a further improvement in the standard of whip use by the riders. The increase in penalties imposed for breaches of the starting rules is due to the availability of additional equipment at the start which made it easier to police the rule.
The number of qualified riders licences continues to fall due to the stricter criteria now in place.
One of the most worrying statistics in the continuing fall in the number of licences issued to national hunt riders which is at its lowest level in recent years. There has been a 15% decrease in the numbers issued since 2014. Commenting on the decreased figures, Denis Egan said that “the main reasons for the fall since 2014 is the increased number of retirements and to a lesser extent the relocation of some riders to other jurisdictions with these riders not being replaced quick enough by new entrants to the sport.”
The number of licences issued to trainers and restricted trainers remains at the same level as last year.
Commenting on the medical statistics, Turf Club Senior Medical Officer Dr Adrian McGoldrick said that “our fracture rate and visceral injury rate was the highest for some years. The introduction of the Level 2 Safety Vest with effect from 1st January 2017 has the potential to reduce the visceral injury rate. The concussion rate remains stable and the introduction of a minimum helmet standard in 2014 (PAS015:2011) has assisted here.”
Full details of the statistics are attached.