Reports of a threatened strike by Victorian jockeys over the treatment of injured champion apprentice Katelyn Mallyon have been hosed down.
Mallyon was refused entry to the jockeys’ room at Geelong on Friday and at Bendigo on Sunday under a rule which permits only jockeys competing on the day to be in the room.
The 18-year-old, who faces serious back surgery after a fall at Flemington last May, said she wanted to be in the room to still feel part of the sport and said it was important for her rehabilitation.
Mallyon could be out of racing for more than 12 months and is still seeking surgeons’ opinions on the best course of action to take.
Victorian Jockeys Association chief executive Des O’Keeffe said jockeys had never considered the possibility of strike action.
O’Keeffe and Victorian chief steward Terry Bailey both agreed there had been a “breakdown in communication”.
Bailey said exceptions to the rule could be made if an application were made and he had received an email late on Friday but had not realised the urgency of it.
He said a miscommunication led to Mallyon being asked to leave the jockeys’ room.
“We were sent an email late Friday from the VJA requesting permission for Katelyn to enter the jockeys’ room, but regrettably were unaware of the haste of the request and that it pertained specifically to yesterday’s meeting,” Bailey said.
“The stewards officiating at Bendigo, without knowledge of this request, acted within the Rules of Racing and advised Katelyn that she could not remain in the room throughout the day, but that she could briefly enter to greet her fellow riders.
“I have since spoken to both Katelyn and her father Brett and apologised for the miscommunication and advised that we’ll be happy to accommodate requests for Katelyn to enter the jockeys’ room in the future as part of her rehabilitation, as we have done for other riders in the past.”
Bailey said he was intent that Mallyon would be offered the backing she needed in her bid to return to the track.
“I’m confident that we can reassure her that we will be doing everything we can to make sure that she bounces back and gets back to the saddle if that’s what she wants to do,” he said.
