Victorian flat riders are now earning $225 a ride (up $7 from $218) in what the Victorian Jockeys' Association has described as “an excellent outcome for our members … in the current economic climate.” Riding fees for jumps jockeys also go up (from $460 to $465) and for picnic jockeys ($115 to $120).
The new riding fees for 2022/2023 inclusive of superannuation are: Race Ride: $268.52 per ride plus GST (if any). Barrier Trial: $93.98 per ride plus GST (If any).
As a general rule of thumb, Flat jockeys receive 8.5 per cent of the advertised win prizemoney and 2.61 per cent of the place prizemoney. Jump jockeys generally receive around 11.03 per cent of the win fund and 3.44 per cent of the place prizemoney.
How much prize money does the jockey get for winning the Melbourne Cup? Jockeys are entitled to 5% of the prize money earned and will usually also receive a small amount for booking the ride.
The top-earning jockey was James McDonald who earned nearly $2m, headlined by his wins in the Melbourne Cup (Verry Elleegant) and The Everest (Nature Strip). Verry Elleegant won the Melbourne Cup for Chris Waller and James McDonald.
Prize Money
The percentages a jockey receives for a Thoroughbred race range from 5% for a second- or third-place finish to 10% for first place.
Jockeys are entitled to 5% of the prize money earned and will usually also receive a small amount for booking the ride.
1. Yutaka Take. Taking the top spot is Japan's Yutaka Take, who has earned an estimated $925m throughout his extensive career, picking up over 4,400 wins in the process. With a record like that, Take is certainly the hottest ticket in town.
The salaries of Horse Jockeys in the US range from $10,049 to $271,427 , with a median salary of $48,880 . The middle 57% of Horse Jockeys makes between $48,882 and $123,036, with the top 86% making $271,427.
A conditional jockey is entitled to a reduction, known as an allowance, in the weight carried by his horse, dependent on the type of race, which varies according to the number of races the jockey has won.
Like many professional athletes, the salary for jockeys can vary widely depending on the class and level of the races they compete in and how often they race. Jockeys are usually paid a mount fee which is a sum of money for each horse they race and a percentage of the prize money if they place first, second or third.
Apprentice Licence
The Apprentice Jockeys licence allows riders aged between 16 and 26 years old, who are in full time paid employment with a UK based Licensed Racehorse Trainer to ride in flat races against professional jockeys, but with a weight allowance to compensate for their inexperience.
In April 2014, the Australian Tax Office made a landmark ruling that jockeys were entitled to the Superannuation Guarantee, a compulsory contribution by employers to Australian workers' retirement.
There will be no increase in riding fees for 2020.
The fee payable to a professional Jockey in a flat race remains at £127.14, whilst for those riding in a jump race this is £173.59.
Jockeys Have No Contracts
Yes, every single one of them has an agent! The jockey agent has one very simple, yet often times extremely difficult, job… book his rider on the best horse in each race. Jockey's main pay comes from winning a race as their compensation is based on a sliding scale.
The initial entry fee is $600 per horse. Around 300 to 400 horses are nominated each year, but the final field is limited to 24 starters. Following the allocation of weights, the owner of each horse must on the four occasions before the race in November declare the horse as an acceptor and pay a fee.
The most winners ridden in one day is nine by Chris Antley (USA) on 31 October 1987. They consisted of four in the afternoon at Aqueduct, New York, USA and five in the evening at The Meadowlands, New Jersey, USA.
1. Sir Gordon Richards. Often considered the greatest jockey of all time, Gordon Richards rode 4,870 winners between 1921 and 1954, winning the flat jockeys' championship 26 times.
Michelle Payne
Michelle Payne is one of Australia's most successful female jockeys. Her career in horse racing spans over a decade, and she has achieved remarkable success.
1. Hayley Turner. With more than 860 winning rides worldwide and £8,000,000 in career prize money, Hayley Turner is the most successful professional female jockey in history.
Salary Recap
The average pay for a Jockey is AUD 70,877 a year and AUD 34 an hour in Australia. The average salary range for a Jockey is between AUD 51,599 and AUD 84,769. This compensation analysis is based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and anonymous employees in Australia.
The Everest – $14million
Boasting a whopping jackpot of $14 million, The Everest is the richest race in Australia and the richest turf race in the world.
This means riding a winner at the Grand National will bag a jockey around £45,000. During the National Hunt season, some riders will receive around just £200 per race, while other big names may be put on a retainer.