The Jockey Challenge
History shows that punters and jockeys don’t mix as well as milk and coffee. Some of racing’s most monumental on-course demonstrations have been punters lining the fence to voice their opinion of the ride of a beaten rider. The uproar after Athol Mulley, after 15 consecutive wins, was beaten on the great Bernborough in the 1946 Caulfield Cup was almost riotous.
Fortunately, these days the opinions of jockeys are left to the keyboard warriors.
Of course, at the other end of the scale and ever since the first rider was legged aboard, are those punters who ditch the horse form in the preference to follow a particular favourite jockey, religiously backing them whenever possible.
One of the most recent wagering innovations to fill that passion is the Jockey Challenge.
How Does a Jockey Challenge Work?
The Jockey Challenge is a betting market offered on the prospects of a jockey at a race meeting scoring the highest aggregate points on the basis of the 3-2-1 system – 3 points for first placing, 2 for second and 1 for third. The maximum points allocated in a Jockey Challenge is 6.
If there is a dead-heat in a race, the points are shared between the two jockeys. For example, in the case of a dead-heat for first, the winning jockeys share 5 points (3 for first, 2 for second), receiving 2.5 points each. The third placegetter receives 1 point.
The Jockey Challenge Fixed Odds market is framed with the jockeys with the most rides on horses favoured in the market throughout the meeting set at the shortest price.
In most cases a price is set for the top seven or eight jockeys, ahead of a longer price for “any other jockey”. Betting on “any other jockey” means the punter has every jockey bar those jockeys named in the market running for them.
If two jockeys finish the day on equal points, the fixed odds are divided by half.
A Jockey Challenge can also be conducted on a racing carnival covering multiple race meetings.
In the event of a meeting being abandoned and a jockey has an unassailable lead (in the case of NSW, agreed upon by the Racing NSW stewards), all bets will stand.
How to Bet on the Jockey Challenge
Jockey Challenge wagers are available at selected meetings. Win Only bets are accepted on an all-in basis.
The Jockey Challenge Fixed Odds market is available before the running of the first race.
You can back one jockey or multiple jockeys. A quinella is also a betting option if available.
If you are interested in a Jockey Challenge bet, click here for our guide on How To Bet On Horse Racing.