Jockeys stage phone protest

Jockeys said they need phones to keep control of their schedules

New rules restricting jockeys from using mobile phones at race tracks have been met with protests in Norfolk.

The jockeys racing at Great Yarmouth on Tuesday all made a point of using their mobiles during the build up to one of the races.

The Jockey Club issued a restriction order on mobiles in a bid to stop any inside information being passed on to third parties.

But one of the protesters Philip Robinson said there was very little cheating in horse racing and restricting mobile phones was not the answer anyway.

"We are all trying to do our jobs and a mobile phone is an essential part of that," he said.

"We all have very busy schedules, meaning managers and trainers and family need to get hold of us."

It is not only the jockeys who think the rule is unworkable.

Bookmaker Neil Faulkner said they are being treated as children

Great Yarmouth bookmaker Neil Faulkner said: "I think the protest is justified as the Jockey Club is treating the jockeys as children.

"Everybody uses mobile phones in this day and age to contact everybody else and I think to say they can't use them wouldn't stand up in court."

The Jockey Club, which introduced the rule on 1 September, plans to discuss the issue with jockeys when the restrictions have been in place for a while.

The organisation will supply an official phone which can be used by jockeys

Julian Richmond-Watson, senior steward of the Jockey Club, said: "The restrictions have been carefully developed over many months, in consultation with all the relevant parties.

"We recognise many of the jockeys still have genuine concerns about the restrictions.

"Therefore we have made amendments to the proposal to enable further discussion and consultation."