A sad start to what could have been a great day

[Fredd002]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12364430

[Pegasus 9]

Why is there no testing prior to the start of racing. Very dangerous. Isn’t it common sense to do that or is that too simple?

[Fredd002]

Agree Pegasus. Imagine if there had been a fall and it was found one of the jockeys subsequently failed a test

[shaneMcAlister]

We don't have enough jockey's as it is without breathtesting them 

[Gruff]

So what sort of reading are we talking here?  Was it on his breath? Was he half cut? ... goes to show how good he is beating the sober ones 

[Red Rum]

6 hours ago, Pegasus 9 said:

Why is there no testing prior to the start of racing. Very dangerous. Isn’t it common sense to do that or is that too simple?

You would think so . Surely this is an error and it is normally pre race meeting ? . If not change those protocols now !!! 

[TurnyTom]

So true P4P, more BS

[Red Rum]

Just now, poundforpound said:

He was only half the legal driving limit ......another RIU joke ...... 

 

To be fair I hope he don't get the book thrown at him , he's a legend and gifted.  Never ever  belts a horse but gets best out of them  ,  but if the limits the limit on a particular job it's the limit . Like I say hope they cut him some slack when it comes to punishment . Maybe work a way forward stop it happening again .

[bob dobalino]

They been waiting for some time to do this

[Red Rum]

Appears the same in UK,  just under half the limit for driving   , maybe a standard worldwide jockey limit . I doubt Ireland would be much different . 

[chevy86]

CJ's level dropped from 145 to 130 in 10 minutes so with 35 minutes between races he would have been good to go by the start of the 2nd!

[Just Looking]

1 hour ago, Gruff said:

So what sort of reading are we talking here?  Was it on his breath? Was he half cut? ... goes to show how good he is beating the sober ones 

Thats actually not that funny - if there had been an accident what would have been said then.  There are rules for a reason - many high risk industries have a zero tolerance for alcohol, and a 24 hour clear rule - expecting a jockey to present at the races with a limit below 100 at 12pm raceday is not unreasonable - the rules clearly state it.  

 

Many standard workplace drug and alcohol policies enforce six unannounced random tests to an employee who has undergone drug or alcohol rehabilitation.  

[Dissident]

Drug and alcohol testing is getting more and more common, most companies have a zero tolerence though so half the legal driving limit might be considered lenient these days. Shane McAlistar has a very valid point. It would make sense to test prior wouldn't it, but random and or after incidents also seems to be standard for jobs such as truck driving(not saying that's right, probably a cost thing). As an industry they might also come up short of drivers if all were tested prior to getting in a cab of a 10 tonne or so truck. 

[scoobysnacks]

Why is he drinking that early and on a race day? It lacks professionalism, and it's all a little sad.

Would YOU want to ride in a race where a jockey is impaired? Whether that be mildly or completely smashed?

 

[scoobysnacks]

Sure - but surely if you're wasting, to the point where you're not eating dinner or breakfast, having alcohol isn't going to help.

Anyway.... it's hardly a good look, and once again, the negatives make the national headlines.

[mr_gee]

yet   a northern big names  jockey has  had theres swept under the carpet  as  ( it would ruin  his image  ) 

[Maximus]

On 9/13/2020 at 6:19 PM, Gruff said:

So what sort of reading are we talking here?  Was it on his breath? Was he half cut? ... goes to show how good he is beating the sober ones 

what a crass remark

[Red Rum]

He sounds like he has copped it on the chin , serve his time back for Cup week hopefully and the 11 more wins . Credit to him he has not moaned or at least I've seen no reports of him moaning . 

[Baz (NZ)]

Good to see the Magic Man score one and a half wins today at Ashburton!

[TurnyTom]

4 weeks and $1000

[High Sparrow]

That strikes me as a fair penalty. Let's not sugar coat it. Chris is an alcoholic and it's really sad to hear he was back on the turps again. He's an adult and he made his own decision to drink and he knows the rules - so he will have to take it on the chin. More importantly, hopefullyly he's getting the help he needs to stay sober. He's let himself and his family down in this instance but a lot of people have helped him battle his demons in  the past and they'll be there again for him with this fall of the wagon. I think he has the most gifted pair of hands I've ever seen on a horse and the thing I really like about him as a rider is that he is kind to horses - and they do their best for him as a result. He never knocks them about like some jockeys who continue to flog a 'dead' horse that's going back through the field. They don't call him the "Magic Man" for nothing and I really hope he returns to beat that all-time record - because he deserves it.

[arjay]

Rules are rules, for better or bad,  break them at your peril. 

[Red Rum]

2 hours ago, poundforpound said:

My view is that he was 101% legal and within the legal limits to drive a two tonne car at 100 kph down SH1 opposed by oncoming traffic, with no median barrier, so he’d done nothing wrong  ......why is the RIU using such draconian and abusive measures to harass licensees .... oh that’s right .. to get “trophies” to justify their fucked up existence

Bit like Kenny Rae and his meth positive at 5 nanograms ..... the field testing threshold for pilots and surgeons is 300 nanograms before they’re deemed impaired And can’t work, 60 times higher than Kenny’s fucking horse, but the RIU imbeciles and liars have to get their quota of victims each year to justify the 7 million in pokie money it takes to run their shit show 

Of far more importance with jockeys is their weakened state due to wasting to comply with the abusive weight regime we have in NZ, a weight regime devised and supported by useless fat bastards who spend their lives at pie & Pinot shops 

Was he over the limit set for riding a horse in a race the answer is yes so it doesn't matter a brass razzoo what the limit is driving  a truck , plane , boat or elephant with wings  for that matter ,  plenty of jobs have a limit below the alcohol limit for driving a car  . That being said always glad to see the Magic Man get a winner and hope he comes roaring back . 

Campaign for raising the alcohol limit for riding  500kgs of horse flesh at speed surrounded by others if that's the issue .

[High Sparrow]

Hey PFP. I completely agree with you on the weight that jockeys have to ride at. It's unhealthy for an adult to be effectively starving themselves in order to earn a living (think the abusive world of fashion) by comparison. The average weight of an adult New Zealander would have increased substantially in the last few decades and yet racing is still back in the Dark Ages as far as weights. The minimum weight should be raised to reflect statistical variances over that time for my money. Horses are big strong animals they can easily carry a couple of kilograms more than the current minimum and hardly break a sweat. I remember Roger Lang and other very talented jockeys down through the last 50 years who had to waste hard to even ride the topweight sometimes and we've all seen top flight jockeys lost to the game through losing weight battles.

As for CWJ I think, with respect, you might miss the point. We're dealing with an alcoholic here not someone having a few beers on a Friday night. It may be that for him now but what about next week and the week after that?  If you throw impairment (no matter the source) into a race day where 54 kgs of jockey is trying to control several hundred kilograms of speeding, and sometimes unpredictable horseflesh where split second decision can be the difference between a terrible accident or not, the chances of having an accident rise exponentially. So let's not make excuses for behaviour which by its very nature has a habit of escalating and that could on a racecourse cost someone else their life because of someone's addiction. We're all human. We all make mistakes and hopefully Chris will hop back on the wagon, get things under control and kick on to that record. Happy punting people if you're still throwing a few bucks at them.

[arjay]

Raising the weight scale,  don't think so, horses are carrying 10% of their body weight approx now on average. Back in the old days 7  stone min weight was a  pound under 45kg. I think the level of weights is high enough for horse and rider.