Next year Lewis Hamilton could be the first sportsman in history to earn in excess of one BILLION dollars as arguably the best formula one driver in the world. Yet this year, the title of best jockey in UK horse racing was shared by two men, and neither received a penny in recognition. So what drives a jockey to win the jockey championship?
The answer is simple PRIDE
In taking the Open Golf Championship this year Padraig Harrington pocketed GBP750,000. Not bad for four days work. Roger Federer had to put in a bit more effort to claim the mens Wimbledon title, a whole two weeks in fact. But he was rewarded handsomely with a cheque for GBP700,000.
Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders shared the Champion Jockey title, both having scored the same number of wins during the season. Yet the reward for success from the sponsors was just 10 per win (around GBP2,000) which was all donated to charity.
The UK horse racing Flat Season lasts for eight months and ends in mid-November. Between them, Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders notched up more than 2,000 rides. That equates to an average of more than four rides, every single day, for eight months. Take out the occasional...