The British Horseracing Authority has announced the scheduled 2lb rise in weights will go ahead as planned in May, but with jockeys being given a further 1lb to the current 3lb they get for back protectors as a “general safety allowance”.
The BHA first proposed the rise in bottom and top weights at the end of January, replacing the 3lb allowance given to jockeys as a temporary measure during the coronavirus pandemic to mitigate the closure of saunas and gyms, which potentially impacted their ability to manage their weight.
It was announced in November that saunas would be permanently removed from the weighing room, leaving riders to express frustration that they would lose both those facilities and the 3lb allowance, which they said had helped to improve their …
- March 8, 2022
