I make just £30 for ten hours’ work – you’ve probably seen me on TV but I quit my job as I’m fed up grafting for nothing
A PROFESSIONAL jockey who said he would take home just £30 after ten hours’ hard work has quit, saying: “I’m fed up of grafting for nothing.”
Jamie Gormley has won just shy of £1million thanks to his exploits on the track over the past five years.
A specialist at northern tracks such as Newcastle and Musselburgh, he won connections a total of £126,472 from racing at Ayr alone.
During his career he competed on the biggest stages such as Royal Ascot and Epsom – and at money-spinning contests in Germany.
But that cash he made in races did not convert into money for himself.
And with rides drying up but the gruelling reality of being a journeyman jockey remaining, he told the Racing Post he has decided to pack it all in.
With just four wins from 70 rides this year, the 30-year-old said it is time to look for a more reliable source of income after taking home just £30 on some days.
Gormley, who is from Langholm in the Scottish Borders, told the Racing Post: “I’m fed up of grafting and not getting enough for it.
Most read in Horse Racing
OFFERS OF THE DAY
William Hill: Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets – CLAIM HERE
Betfair: Bet £10 Get £30 – CLAIM HERE
Paddy Power: Bet £20 and get it back as cash if it loses – CLAIM HERE
Sky Bet: Bet £10 on Racing and get £30 in free bets – CLAIM HERE
Ladbrokes: Bet £5 Get £20 – CLAIM HERE
Coral: Bet £5 Get £20 – CLAIM HERE
William Hill: 18+. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 13.04.2022. £30 bonus. New customers only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook. Further terms apply. Begambleaware.org
Betfair – Place a min £10 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £30 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly 18+ begambleaware.org
Paddy Power: New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any market at odds of min 2.0 (EVS) and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. 18+ Begambleaware.org
Sky Bet: New customers only. First single & e/w bet only odds of 1/1 or greater. 3 x £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets only redeemable on horse racing. Free bets are non withdrawable. No free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions and further t&cs apply.
Ladbrokes: 18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £/€5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Coral: Eligible UK+IRE players. Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cash-out, restrictions & T&Cs apply. 18+ T&Cs Apply. Begambleaware.org
“It’s not the life I want to continue with for the next few years, doing the same thing and not getting anywhere.
“I wouldn’t mind if I was going somewhere for three or four rides.
“But say I had one ride at Doncaster… that’s four hours drive for me and four hours back, plus two hours there, so that’s ten hours altogether.
“Once you’ve paid for everything you might come out with £30, which is terrible.”
Many jockeys say they suffer burnout from constant dieting and watching their weight.
But weighing just 7st 12lb, that was never an issue for Gormley, whose big wins include a York Ebor meeting handicap success on Eeh Bah Gum.
Gormley is now looking at a career in electrical energy and will start work with Morrisons Energy Services this month.
His case highlights the massive discrepancies in racing – and in some cases the vast gulf between the have and the have nots.
Champion jockey elect William Buick has won more than £5million on British tracks alone in 2022.
He is retained rider for all-conquering operation Godolphin, owned by the billionaire ruler of Dubai.
Silvestre de Sousa recently quit racing in Britain for the riches on offer in Hong Kong – where he makes £25,000 a ride.
De Sousa told Sun Racing: “The money is incredible.”
FREE BETS GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org