Female riders in France will get a weight-break of two kilos for the majority of races run over the flat and jumps beginning in March, France Galop announced on Friday. While group and listed races are exempt, the change will affect around 90% of the French racing programme.
Jean-Pierre Colombu, vice president of France Galop, said, “The introduction of a weight reduction for women is a real opportunity for them. This measure is likely to encourage owners and trainers to make as much use of the many women riders within the industry in the afternoons as during morning training.”
Group 1-winning rider Haylie Turner, who was joint-champion apprentice in Britain in 2005, and Josephine Gordon, last season's champion apprentice, both spoke out against the move on Friday. Turner said, “It just seems a bit unfair on the lads. It's a hard job whether you're male or female and they're putting in all the groundwork with the long journeys and riding out at the crack of dawn. Then the girls are being given four pounds and the lads get nothing–it seems a bit unfair in that respect. It's good they're trying to help, but I think there's a lot more subtle ways of doing it.”
Gordon added, “I think there's probably pros and cons to it. I think an allowance would give a lot more females more opportunities to get rides at lower weights, but personally, I find it a bit offensive. Last year I had a claim and was competing against the male apprentices and I won it [the apprentice title] fair and square.”
Male rider Adam Kirby described the change as “ridiculous.”
“Racing is improving and I think apprentices are all given a fair crack at it these days, as long as they work hard and go about the job properly,” he said. “Four pounds is two lengths. I appreciate women might not be as strong as boys, but riding in races is not about strength. It's about positioning, rhythm and things like that.”
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