No ban here on jockeys' mobiles

The Turf Club in Ireland has no plans to ban jockeys from using mobile phones on Irish racecourses.

From today jockeys on all British racecourses will be banned from using mobile phones from half-an-hour before the first race until the start of the last race.

The Jockey Club in Britain introduced the ban to prevent jockeys from passing on last-minute tips to associates, or from getting involved in race-fixing.

Mr Cliff Noone, press officer of the Turf Club in Ireland, said yesterday certain mobile phone restrictions were already in place on Irish racecourses.

Jockeys were not allowed to use mobile phones on the way to the parade ring, in the ring or returning to the ring after a race, he said.

"But there are no plans to ban mobile phones completely. Jockeys can still use mobile phones in the weigh room or in other areas of the racecourse."

Yesterday the Sunday Telegraph reported that more than 100 jockeys were prepared to take legal action against the Jockey Club in Britain over the issue.

Jockeys such as Kieran Fallon, Frankie Dettori and Pat Eddery were willing to go the High Court to overturn the ban, the paper reported. They claimed the ban was an infringement of their human rights.

Jockeys said they needed their phones to keep in contact with their agents, trainers and families. The ban would particularly affect jockeys who acted as their own agents as they would be out of contact for most of the day.

Plainclothes security guards will move round the racecourses to enforce the ban.

The outraged reaction to today's ban led the Jockey Club to make some temporary concessions, including the provision of three of its own mobile phones at each racecourse for jockeys.