Predictors of race-day jockey falls in flat racing in Australia.

The research study primarily investigated the risks linked with falls by licensed thoroughbred racing jockeys in flat races in Australia. The prime contributors found to be associated with jockey falls were the sex of the jockey, whether they were apprentice or amateur, track dryness, younger horse age, shorter race distances, smaller field size and lower race grade.

Research Methodology

• The research data on race-day falls was collected from stewards’ reports.
• Racing Information Services Australia provided denominator data which included races conducted in Australia from August 2002 to July 2006.
• To estimate the Incidence rate ratios (IRRs), the researchers have used Poisson regression and also carried out analyses stratified by race grade, which includes maiden, class, and open/restricted.

Findings

• The analysis identified a number of variables that were linked with jockey falls: being a female jockey increased the likelihood of falling (IRR 1.11; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.23).
• Apprentice jockeys were noted to fall more (IRR 1.51; 95% CI 1.39 to 1.63) compared to professional jockeys.
• Amateur jockeys also faced a similar trend (IRR 1.44; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.86).
• In terms of track conditions, drier tracks led to more falls, which was statistically significant (p<0.001).
• The studies also indicated that younger horses had higher degrees of fall (p<0.001).
• Shorter race distance and smaller field size were also found to be significant factors contributing to fall (p<0.001 and p=0.013 respectively).
• Lower race grade was associated with higher falls (p<0.001).
• For five of these factors, the estimates differed by category of race grade: being an apprentice jockey, having higher prize money, shorter race distance were seen more in lower race grades, while fewer previous rides at the meeting and drier track rating were seen in higher race grades.
• The fall rate was higher for female jockeys when they rode horses under 4 years of age in open and restricted races.
• The effects of smaller field size in maiden races and shorter race lengths, were more pronounced for falls that happened before the race.

Conclusions

• The research concluded by identifying different factors that contributed to falls in the thoroughbred racing industry.
• The findings thus provide an evidence base that could potentially be used to create strategies to improve the occupational health and safety standards in the thoroughbred racing industry, particularly in the Australian context.