Vile, vulgar, vicious and at times, misogynistic. These words could be used to describe the nasty tweets that get directed at jockeys through social media on a weekly basis.
Last week, Racing Victoria stewards announced they would push a national policy which would increase regulation of social media use among licensed individuals. The policy would monitor and punish social media use deemed inappropriate by jockeys, trainers and owners.
This could cover anything and everything from trainers hyping up horses to frustrated owners venting their spleen.
But as I scrolled through Twitter on the weekend, the inappropriate use of social media was not coming from owners or industry personnel – it was coming from punters.
Hell hath no fury like a woman punter scorned.
“@(jockey) stick to riding (boyfriend’s name) and modelling cause after watching u SLAUGHTER (horse’s name) I think your Jockey days r up !!!!” tweeted one punter.
“@(jockey) @(jockey) Maybe punters wouldn’t have empty pockets if you weren’t such terrible jockeys?” tweeted another.
Social media, Twitter in particular, has made contacting jockeys easier than ever. In the space of 140 characters, an individual can vent their frustrations by directing nasty comments toward jockeys riding the horse they bet on.
It’s disgusting to see.
Occasionally a few will defend themselves like Brad Rawiller did.
“Getting potted from everywhere.. But did anyone watch the first 50m? How could I have held the inside from trouble in vegas? #justcurious,” he tweeted.
While team sports like football and basketball hold millions of dollars in betting pools, no individual sport in the world holds more money than horse racing.
It’s a high-pressure environment where jockeys put their lives at risk every time those gates open. Confidence is paramount and without it, jockeys frequently fall into form slumps, lose rides and lose support.
When a jockey produces a bad ride, they know it. They don’t need to be abused by punters via social media.
As with most professional sports, errors are most commonly made by younger athletes and the same happens in horse racing. It’s why there is such longevity in the senior riding ranks.
If a jockey is good enough to make few enough mistakes, they can comfortably ride into their late 40s.
But getting through their mid-20s is their biggest difficulty. As they come through the system as youngsters, they are gifted with weight allowances that make them attractive hires for owners.
These same youngsters are also the most at risk on social media.
They make easy targets due to their lower reputations and they are more active on social media than the veterans who were riding horses before the social media boom.
Thrust into the limelight where country betting pools hold more than $50,000 per race while city pools are upwards of $100,000, it’s a lot to fathom for young jockeys paving their way.
It’s also something which has absolutely no relevance to their jobs and therefore the equivalent of a punter’s opinion.
Punters seem most frustrated when a short-priced favourite gets beaten but seem to ignore the fact that jockeys have absolutely no control over their mount’s odds.
Market prices are dictated by the punters, so when an odds-on favourite gets rolled, the punters did it to themselves.
Rarely do we see venting when a long shot gets rolled.
Abuse via social media has been making headlines over the past fortnight due to the unfortunate circumstances around Charlotte Dawson’s death, and the aggression of punters towards jockeys on social media is escalating.
In racing, jockeys are required to make split-second decisions. When they lack confidence, they make mistakes.
Everyone does.
Rather than venting anger towards jockeys, punters should be looking at themselves.
In this caper, you should never be betting with anything you’re not prepared to lose, and if a punter’s reaction is so heated that it warrants abusing a jockey, there’s a good chance they weren’t prepared to lose their stake.
With its ease of direct communication and frequency of usage among racing fans, social media will play a big role in the development of racing over the coming years.
We’ve already seen social media regulation affect other sports and horse racing is now catching up. Jockeys, though, have no team to shelter them.
They don’t have multimillion dollar sponsorship deals, and the ones starting their careers make enough to get by, if that. Racing is not a glamour sport like football or basketball where misuse of social media often surrounds brand image and reputation.
Social media gives us unprecedented insights into jockey’s thoughts, and to see it misused by punters is disappointing.
Regulating punter social media accounts will never be possible but if punters want better consistency from jockeys, they should keep their frustrations to their living rooms and stop talking through their wallets.
JOE
Guest
The Adelaide Cup has just been run - the Hayes Dabernig partnership favorite winning. I am a little concerned that another Hayes runner ensured the speed was strong for the winner. I wonder if the stewards will enquire about the tactics of this horse in leading. It has never led in five Australian starts although racing near the lead. I think this horse sacrificed any chance it had of winning by doing this. Tommy Smith used to employ this tactic with his horses but I thought it had been outlawed. Can only feel sorry for the connections of this horse who have got a raw deal because this horse had compounded by the time it reached the straight and looking at the price fluctuations it was not friendless.
Jacki
Guest
If you just lost a lot of money on a horse, here's a thought: Maybe there is something wrong with the horse Maybe the trainer is uselss Maybe the horse is just useless There are hundreds of reasons horses don't perform, the jockeys are not always it. And maybe, just maybe, you're a useless punter. Jockeys risk their lives riding half ton animals day in and day out, and they wont win on every ride. I'd be willing to bet at least 90% of punters have never sat on a horse, let alone raced a thorougbred, so until you do, keep your mouths shut and fingers idle. Enjoy your wins, cop your losses or give it up altogther.
Damien
Guest
Cant stand the heat get out of the kitchen....people need to accountable for bad decisions and poor performances
BNR
Guest
" ...... they should keep their frustrations to their living rooms and stop talking through their wallets." Also applies to the impact on us of the decisions of governments and it seems many are critical of just about everything these days. Actually tired of reading about favourite punters losing when it's they who make the price or take a short price the bookies put up. It simply means these punters weren't able to see all the variables that finds the winner. If it was oh so simple, one horse would be 100-1 on in every race and the same horses would win every time they raced (excluding Black Caviar & Frankel, bless them). We don't see people venting their spleen at pokie machines when they don't pay out or ripping into their local Lotto newsagent because their numbers didn't come up. The tweeters are just looking for instant affirmation of their negative emotions and opinions. Think it but no need to write and post it. They'd be better off noting it for the future. If there is no fun in trying to weigh up the 101 variables to find the next winner then they should give it away. Mostly, we like the jockeys just need a bit of luck on the day. And how about they tweet the good ride of the jockey on their next winner.
Rossco
Guest
Lots of good comments above but please consider this: Censorship of twitter/ internet is just sripping freedom, yet again, from people who mostly use it responsibally. IMHO the answer is to block the distracters or self impose a social media ban on yourself or have a protected account, all things possible before censorship. Excepting integrity issues any social media restrictions on the industry participants is nanny state over kill. Cheers
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Indeed Sheek! Seems personal responsibility in general is being eroded. If something goes wrong it HAS to be SOMEONE else's fault.
Scuba
Guest
sheek, not to take away from your point, but the student didn't turn up to the hearing. It's not very hard to win a court case when there is no opponent. It will be interesting to see if the decision is followed at an appellate level (the decision is only from the District Court) and in a case that is fully argued on both sides.
horse lover
Guest
well Bondy , Not all people who are into horse racing are in it for the gamble. Some actually like the sport for the pure love of horses,and love to watch them race. I could say that I don't take anyone seriously who is into horse racing, just to gamble all their money away. Just because a person punts, does not mean they are more into horse racing or know more about the sport than one who doesn't. Nor does it give them a right to bag a horse,jockey or trainer the way I have seen them do. The only thing they do know more about, is how to put a bet on. But I have personally seen the most vile comments by punters aimed at belittling the trainer, horse and jockey and even fellow punter.So just because I don't punt, I should excuse that sort of behaviour, or what I say isn't worth a dime. If I was a betting person, and was going to have a bet on what horses, trainers and jockeys would be vilified each week,and by which usual suspects ,I would be making myself a whole lot of dough.BTW does every trainer and jockey gamble. And if they don't, are you saying , they shouldn't be taken seriously.
Bondy
Guest
Its very hard to take people seriously in this caper who dont gamble, I'm sorry ..
Drew H
Guest
Yes Horse Lover, Good argument for multiple punting.
sheek
Roar Guru
The thing about gambling is that punters have a choice. They have the choice of gambling or keeping their money in their wallet. No-one puts a gun to their head telling them to punt. So if some punters don't like losing their money on losing selections, then don't bet.
sheek
Roar Guru
Alfred, Great article. I heard today in what may be a landmark decision, or the beginning of some decent legislation against trolls, a teacher had won a court case against an ex-student & troll on twitter for abusing & inaccurate personal attacks. It's a start to haul in these people who hide behind false pseudonyms & think they can get away with cowardly, unsubstantiated attacks.
horse lover
Guest
Great Article. I am a lover of horse racing for the pure love of horses, and the sport of racing. I am not a punter. But I do read other racing websites, and I cant believe what I have seen on these, one in particular, and on twitter etc. It's much easier to pick a winner, as hard as that is, than to ride a 500 odd kilo horse at a galloping speed, against many others of the same. Especially when that horse has a mind of its own too. Every jockey wants to win, but not every horse always wants to race. Even the odds on favs, can have an off day and decide to not race like we are accustomed to them doing.From what I read via Andrew Bensleys Twitter, Hucklebuck was found to have a lot of mucus after the race,the stewards report said. So do we blame where he ended up in the race, on that or the poor ride that punters say Dom did. Yes Jockeys do at times ride poorly, just as punters don't always pick a winner. But there is no need for the nastiness that some punters write in such cases. Constructive criticism is ok, but nastiness because a punter is just peeved they lost some dough,does not sit well with me. And you are correct, a punter should only punt, what they are prepared to lose, because there is no dead set certainty in most races.That is why I don't punt, as I don't have the money to lose. If the punters believe they can do a better job than the jockey or trainer, then why aint they doing those jobs themselves.What I find though the most offensive though , is the nastiness I see aimed at the horses. I cant fathom how anyone can write the garbage that I have seen directed at a horse. Who after all is an innocent animal. The hatred I have seen directed at horses, just astounds me. Never mind a horses spirit being broken in a race by another horse. If horses could read, their spirits would be broken by what these punters write about them. And that even includes such champions as BC. The vile stuff I have seen punters write about her, is just so off. It says more about the punters, as a human, than it says about her as a racehorse.Imagine if Shamas Award could read, and he read all the posts since the Cox Plate, saying he would never win another race.How he would be feeling. Punters are just that Punters. They are not Prophets, though the way some of them write, you would think they believe they are.I say to any punter wanting to bag a jockey , trainer and even an owner in a vile nasty way. Why don't u get on the back of a racehorse , and see how well you do. Or why don't u get up at 3 Am every morning, and train a horse if you think you can do a better job than the ones who already do it. Horse racing is a great sport, though over the yrs it's had it's fair share of bad publicity and news. Lets not as followers of the sport,whether we are horse lovers or punters, bring it into more disrepute, by what we write on the comp.
Bondy
Guest
I dont agree with this piece what's the difference when a jockey is abused coming back to scale and a Twitter rant if anything a gob full on Twitter is less personal . Did Dom Troneur give me a run for my money with Hucklebuck last week ?. The answer is no he didn't at all, and you expect punters to butter up to this behaviour constantly. Punters dont see being a jockey as some form of slavish burden where they are supposedly constantly malnourished its a privileged position that they should respect, it comes with the territory. .
Alfred Chan
Expert
Great coffee shop example.
Drew H
Guest
They (the quacks) call it the 'onion layer effect'. Eventually the things applied to the outer layer penetrate to the inner layers, or become 'deep set'. Dr Phil
Alfred Chan
Expert
We can only pray that it doesn't take another tragedy for people to realise how much stress the jockeys go through. Stathi Katsidis was one who constantly fought mental demons.
Alfred Chan
Expert
+1. Thanks Kathy.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Excellent post Kathy.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Todd, No problem with people airing their opinions, and even being damning, abusive and hate-filled if that's their thing, but to do so by including the athlete's Twitter handle is simply cowardly, cheap and disgraceful, I don't care who you are. Leave that sort of stuff simply to your followers, who can decide if they want to be a part of it. Sports brings out emotions in all of us, but there is a minimum standard of behaviour, we're not animals. If you saw a jockey that butchered a ride you'd backed, at a coffee shop three days later, would you go up and start screaming at him? If not, then why would you do it at the track, and why would you do so over Twitter. You're absolutely right about an open debate on an athlete's skills, and this site is certainly all about debate, it's one of the great parts of being passionate about a sport, but I'm sorry, but any personal attack is gutless and weak, it's as simple as that.