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Racing’s new governance structure, which was unveiled in November, may or may not address the sport’s issues over prize money, field sizes and more. The government’s White Paper on gambling reform, if it ever sees the light of day, may or may not be as much of a potential disaster for racing’s revenue from betting as some predict. Tyler Heard, though, was not minded to hang around to find out.
Heard rode 56 winners from around 800 rides as an apprentice in Britain between 2020 and 2022, but his win total dropped from 27 in 2021 to just a dozen victories in 2022 as he steadily worked his way from a 7lb claim to 5lb, and then just 3lb. He decided to try his luck in the United States instead, and signed off in the UK, for the immediate future at least, in a Class 6 Classified Stakes worth £7,000 at Southwell on 29 December. It was his only ride on the card and he finished second, earning around £160 on top of his riding fee (£143), but minus his travelling and other expenses.
He has made an immediate impact. Heard’s second ride, in an optional claimer at Charles Town in West Virginia, was a winner, in a race with a total worth $36,000 (£29.5k). Heard subsequently told the Racing Post that he had earned more from that ride than he had in any month in 2022. “I didn’t make a penny last year, it probably cost me money to ride,” he said, adding: “I feel as though racing in England is withering away.”
Grace McEntee, who set off for the States at around the same time and, like Heard, is based at Turfway Park in Kentucky, has so far drawn a blank from 10 rides, but has picked up nearly $20,000 in prize money from a second and two third-place finishes.
In addition to the excellent prize money on offer, even in relatively low-grade races, Heard and McEntee do not face the countless road miles that grind away at most senior riders and apprentices alike in Britain. It is, of course, early days for both riders in the States, but for the moment at least, their endeavour is being rewarded.
Plenty of young riders with few or no firm ties to the UK are likely to be following their progress with keen interest, and that is a situation that should cause real concern for the sport. A top-tier racing industry – and despite its woes, Britain is still at that level – needs a significant community of talented, motivated riders to match its status. Owners and punters alike – the two groups that fund the entire, billion-pound industry – need confidence that their horses will, whenever possible, get the rides they deserve and run up to their best.
Heard rode 56 winners from around 800 rides as an apprentice in Britain between 2020 and 2022, but his win total dropped from 27 in 2021 to just a dozen victories in 2022 as he steadily worked his way from a 7lb claim to 5lb, and then just 3lb. He decided to try his luck in the United States instead, and signed off in the UK, for the immediate future at least, in a Class 6 Classified Stakes worth £7,000 at Southwell on 29 December. It was his only ride on the card and he finished second, earning around £160 on top of his riding fee (£143), but minus his travelling and other expenses.
He has made an immediate impact. Heard’s second ride, in an optional claimer at Charles Town in West Virginia, was a winner, in a race with a total worth $36,000 (£29.5k). Heard subsequently told the Racing Post that he had earned more from that ride than he had in any month in 2022. “I didn’t make a penny last year, it probably cost me money to ride,” he said, adding: “I feel as though racing in England is withering away.”
Grace McEntee, who set off for the States at around the same time and, like Heard, is based at Turfway Park in Kentucky, has so far drawn a blank from 10 rides, but has picked up nearly $20,000 in prize money from a second and two third-place finishes.
In addition to the excellent prize money on offer, even in relatively low-grade races, Heard and McEntee do not face the countless road miles that grind away at most senior riders and apprentices alike in Britain. It is, of course, early days for both riders in the States, but for the moment at least, their endeavour is being rewarded.
Plenty of young riders with few or no firm ties to the UK are likely to be following their progress with keen interest, and that is a situation that should cause real concern for the sport. A top-tier racing industry – and despite its woes, Britain is still at that level – needs a significant community of talented, motivated riders to match its status. Owners and punters alike – the two groups that fund the entire, billion-pound industry – need confidence that their horses will, whenever possible, get the rides they deserve and run up to their best.
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Replies: 45
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Better life all round….
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Most of the top UK jockeys aren't messing around on the a/w anyway. Many more are in the Middle East at the moment. Shakey morals admittedly but you'll be riding for crooks part of the time in GB.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA93sPlY6-8
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Sounds an absolute 'mare to me
Go to a foreign land hoping to pick up some rides How does it work regarding work permits, or is it a free-for-all now? Having to compete with the locals and take food off their tables, so to speak I wouldn't fancy taking on the South Americans, do they all ride like SDS? Must be quite a competitive jockeys' colony to break into? But apparently Sophie Doyle has done alright, by all accounts? |
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Others who have gone out there and done ok?
Adam Beschizza Fergal Lynch |
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Must he a tough gig, I would have thought you would need a fair bit of luck to get noticed.
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William Humphrey, 20, has done brilliantly at Laurel Park. He left here with just 5 winners, he's now had 50+ in under a year and earned just shy of $2million.
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Well done him, unbelievably good money
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That's impressive swifty and hadn't noticed him at Laurel.
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He's done really well
19 3 3 3 $89,840 $4,728 16% that's this year, he has hit the $2million the worry will be once the claim goes. |
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how much did de sousa make at hong kong on jan 11th ??
1st £65,559.11 3rd £32,332.27 3rd £13,226.84 1st £65,559.11 1st £236,741.21 1st £115,335.46 his slice of half a million plus his fees. or stay here & ride no-hopers round southwell on a tuesday night |
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I didn't realise he got 4 winners in the end. No brainer if you get offers abroad. Just look at Tadgh O'Shea in Dubai.
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Got to better than chasing the odd ride over here so well done to them with their enterprise being rewarded.
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One thing, you dont get many coming over here to ride on the AW
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No better on the turf for most either.
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Beyond me why any jockey with a bit of drive would want to stay here when the US beckons.10% of
purse $ is the standard pay and, as has been pointed out below, not driving endless miles every week. In the process they will learn a great deal in terms of style, timing (the 'clock') and tactics. Frankie Dettori spent a couple of winters in California when he was young and he gained a huge amount of experience. |
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< any young jockey I meant to say
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So what about accommodation and living costs, taxes and other costs such as agents / valets?
How much do they need to be earning from their riding each month to have a comfortable living and make it worthwhile? |
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They have the same costs here, George. Also the cost of petrol etc.
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Heard Tom Marquand being interviewed at Southwell this evening, after a spell in Japan.
He basically said the administration of racing in the UK, was a disgrace. |
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Not surprising, G Hall. The administration of everything in this country right now is a disgrace!
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No, they do have an additional cost, roggrain, and one you can't put a price on, leaving their families and friends behind and everything that is familiar to them.
But good luck to them, I'm just playing devil's advocate to the article, which would have you believe that they just turn up, get a few rides, ride a couple winners, and it's all good. Let's all move out there cuz it's the pits here. I'd imagine the reality is that they're walking into a fiercely competitive environment, and they're going to have to attain a certain level of success just to cover their basic costs. |
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Yeah I read this the other day sparrow. Good on the lad.
It reminded me a bit of the similar decision that Graham Holland made one day as he sat in a van for the multi-umpteenth time with a gaggle of hounds, committed to Bookmaker/Bags racing. Fcuk this - I'm trying something else. For myself. |
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You're right George. The jockey colonies in the States are very competitive.
However, any young jockey that works hard will be given opportunities, providing they have enough ability and are willing to learn. That's the American way. |
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I would think it helps to have contacts already in place before leaving. The article does not mention that Grace has an uncle who is a trainer and her brother is an assistant trainer in the states. Also Tyler and Grace are an item. Fergal Lynch's brother has been training for years in America
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I would think it helps to have contacts already in place before leaving. The article does not mention that Grace has an uncle who is a trainer and her brother is an assistant trainer in the states. Also Tyler and Grace are an item. Fergal Lynch's brother has been training for years in America
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Oh, and as for leaving their families and everything that's familiar to them I can tell you from
first hand experience that it would be the best thing they could do for their development, not just as jockeys but as World wise individuals. |
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Loyal Honcho that man is now the top honcho........the last 6 words of your post almost nailed it.....just take out myself and substitute it with another word or even 2.........you only get one go.
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Trouble wiv our industry is that the bookies hav a stranglehold on the purse strings in all departments - i can remember the days when the likes of old Stalwarts like Spindrifter and Provideo were running in glorified sellers etc wiv winning prizemoney of around £800-£900 - fast forward 40 odd years and at some of the AW tracks they are regularly running for 1st place prize money shy of 2k in a lot of the low grade races (and then people wonder why so many touches are attempted)- now im no inflation expert but todays levels clearly havent lived upto anywhere near where they shud be
US/CANADA race meets are generally run alongside casinos - slots/fruit machines etc that generate all the cash that makes up the vast amount of prizemoney with free or at least very cheap entrance fees and cheap food - similarly France just across the water whereas over here they rip your eyes out at every opportunity. You hav to laugh at the bookies over here who go out of their way to push the slots /casinos et al at the main expense of their main product which shud be the horseracing closely followed by the greyhounds - sadly they dont giv a donald duck about either sport anymore as can be seen with what they are doing to the dogs . Without being biased i would put Brough Park (Newcastle) as possibly the 2nd best track in country - maybe alongside Monmore which im visiting on 11th March) behind Hove which is ironically owned by Coral  and even not so very long ago Brough was packed on a Saturday night b4 all the radjies spilled back into the toon to enjoy the Bigg Market et al and yet now you cant watch a dog race at any dog track in the North East - ffs i believe Pelaw Grange (which shuda been bombed yrs ago- sorry case if ya read this) you can only get in if ya book a Sunday lunch as it has just the 1 meeting a week.If ya hav eva had the displeasure to visit the gaf which i did many a time as a young lad in the early 80s thru the 90s when it was a flapping track - sister track Stanley now a housing estate was 20 times better facilities and track wise but i digress- you know the only reason its an NGRC track now is down to the muscle of the bookies cos its right up their street being such a tight compact track blah blah blah . Anyway went off topic a bit but back to casinos etc that bookies luv to push and all this carry on maybe that will be the only way that they will be able to finance their seconday products (horses/dogs) in next 10 yrs or so cos all us old gadgies wont be around to finance the sports we luv anymore -especially wiv all these stupid affordability checks going on that are chasing so many punters away - ive just had an enlightening experience wiv BetVictor where they actually shut down my account citing the fact the medication im on cud be an indictement as to my stability to be placing wagers etc even though i p1ssed all their credibility checks - account was only ever used to play the game and i had obviously gone below the radar placing £30 notes a week in their to get a free fiver bet if ya spent £25 as part of their loyalty club - i still hav outstanding bets wiv em that will win me a tidy amount come May which involve Haaland being top goalscorer so watch this space as they say as they hav refused to answer any emails as to whether bets will be honoured but needless to say im tekkin this further just for the sheer audacity of the company who cudnt hide behind affordability checks which worked out at me spending £5.07 a week for past 38mths or so  |
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I think you could have given me marks for knowing that.
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swiftynifty • January 17, 2023 8:09 PM GMT
William Humphrey, 20, has done brilliantly at Laurel Park. He left here with just 5 winners, he's now had 50+ in under a year and earned just shy of $2million. Humphrey has been sitting on 99 winners since the end of 2023, had no rides since that I can find. Anyone know what's happend to him? |
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Grace McEntee and Tyler Herd gave it a go, so fair play to them, but they didn't stay out there.
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swiftynifty -- if it is the same Will Humphrey on this Breeders Cup podcast, he seems to have reinvented himself as a pundit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-aCKXb0dH8 But I can't be bothered to check. |
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Ben Curtis is still doing very nicely over there, kicking home plenty of winners
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Just like clockwork!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiRyiVgWj6g&list=RDKiRyiVgWj6g&start_radio=1 |
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Ramruna, well found, that's him, I wonder why he stopped on 99 winners? Guess he may have outgrown the job.
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Nice Grade 2 winner for Ben last night. And the leading trainer in North America by wins sounded delighted with the ride.
“Ben took the initiative and was very positive with what he wanted to do, and the horse responded to him,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Magnitude for Winchell Thoroughbreds. He'll no doubt keep the ride for the Kentucky Derby |
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It`s great to see these youngsters doing so well. Good luck to them.
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