New handlers enjoy smooth start

Wolverhampton's new team of stalls handlers enjoyed a relatively trouble-free start on Monday evening despite a boycott by leading riders.

Seb Sanders was the only top jockey to ride at the meeting with many of the runners being partnered by apprentices.

The dispute is over racecourse owners Arena Leisure's decision to replace RaceTech stalls handlers with their own less experienced staff.

The new team of stalls handlers were approved by the Jockey Club on Monday.

The handlers at Wolverhampton's Monday meeting encountered their first real problem when Left Nostril broke out of the stalls before the Holiday Inn Dunstall Park Fillies' Selling Stakes.

The filly ducked under the front of the stalls, leaving apprentice rider Donna Caldwell in the gate, before running loose around the track.

Wolverhampton clerk of the course Jon Pullin was keen to point out that incidents like that are an everyday feature of racing.

He said: "The horse has just gone under the gates and that is something that does happen fairly frequently on other racecourses as well."

Despite leading jockeys expressing their unhappiness with the new regime, Arena Leisure's racing director Ian Renton is optimistic that an end is in sight to the row.

The stalls handlers we currently have are experienced - you can't just expect them to be replaced with less experienced staff Jockey Jimmy Quinn

Renton said: "[Jockeys' Association chief executive] John Blake and I consulted with each other on Friday and hopefully I see this disruption as a one-off.

"I am confident this will be resolved before too long, though neither John or I are privy to discussions between RaceTech and their employees.

"But I anticipate there will be a meeting with all parties in the next week or so, and we will be doing our best to resolve the situation."

Senior jockey Jimmy Quinn, who is one of those who boycotted Wolverhampton, said a quick resolution would be welcomed in the weighing room.

He said: "The racecourses and RaceTech should have got their heads together a lot sooner and we want this sorted as soon as possible.

"I don't think we can rule out further action if it doesn't get sorted out, but that's not for me to decide.

"A lot of people are pointing fingers at the jockeys, but the trainers and racecourses are equally to blame. What worries us is the safety issue.

"The stalls handlers we currently have are experienced and have been in racing all their lives. You can't just expect them to be replaced with less experienced staff."

Senior riders may also elect to boycott Wolverhampton's next meeting on 3 September if the disagreement is not resolved.