Just how fit are jockeys? Tom Marquand and personal trainer Hayley Madigan put our reporter to the test at Epsom Racecourse
We also had a chat with Marquand about his fitness work as well as a quickfire quiz on everything from his best mate to favourite TV series
Go to a JockeyFit class they said. It will be fun they said.
Fun, perhaps not. Eye-opening, yes. And I quickly discovered a newfound respect for jockeys up and down the country.
Jocks are often told they’re amongst the bravest sportsmen and women in the world, and they are, but what’s always forgotten is just how fit they are.
Gone are the days of a couple of fags and a black coffee before they get the leg up in the parade ring.
Personal trainers, nutrionists and physios are now the norm thanks to excellent work behind the scenes.
I took the trip down to Epsom Racecourse for a training session with jockey Tom Marquand and personal trainer Hayley Madigan.
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Unfortunately the rain decided to show its face and we were forced to train in the saddling boxes, like the one Masar was readied for action in before his Derby heroics.
Now, I’m no thoroughbred and wouldn’t win a Derby, but consider myself reasonably fit. But, these exercises were tough, and relentless on the core and upper legs.
Jump squats were combined with bear crawls and something called a superman.
All followed by a stint on the equicizer to resemble the time a jockey would spend on a horse in your average race on the flat.
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It was hard work to say the least and I earnt my chat with 20-year-old jockey Tom Marquand over a healthy lunch of Mexican beans.
Marquand is attached to the powerful Richard Hannon yard and the former Champion Apprentice is part of a new breed of jockeys that work just as hard away from the saddle.
He said: “Red bull and fags, I mean there’s probably a few of the lads that still do it. But, it’s not an accurate representation of what the weighing room is these days.
“It’s strange how that image is still being portrayed.
“The PJA (Professional Jockeys Association) are doing a great job with our diets and changing the food at the races. We’ve got access to nutrionists, physios and personal trainers.
“It’s taking itself up to a new level and I think the guys in the weighing room are going up with it and bringing it forward.”
Quickfire Quiz with Marquand
Best mate
"I better say my girlfriend (Hollie Doyle), or I’ll get a slap otherwise!";
Person I looked up to growing up
"Ryan Moore or Silvestre De Sousa"
Best horse you've ridden
"Billesdon Brook. She’s a Guineas winner so is the most proven anyway"
Favourite track
"Ascot"
Race most like to win
"The Arc"
Biggest dressing down in the job
"I have been so fortunate that I have not received a full on roaring telling-off. I’ve had a few speaking to’s but never had a Mick Channon punch in the head in the paddock"
'Other' sport
"Skiing by a mile"
TV Series
"I just find whatever I can on Netflix and sit there and fall asleep most of the time"
Best jockey riding
"Ryan Moore"
Trainer to look out for
"Archie Watson. Hollie has just moved over there to ride four days a week and he’s got first call on her now. He’s building a new barn. He’s so good at placing them"
Marquand is as busy and committed a rider as you’ll find and he knows this focus on health and fitness is for his own good.
He added: “There are a few of the older jockeys that are going to stay how they are. Some of the older things work for them and that’s fine. But, is it best in the long-term and is it right for us? No.
“This helps our riding. They had the excuse that when they started riding no one knew anything different and told them otherwise. We’re lucky enough to have it, there’s no excuse not to make an effort of it.”
Marquand counts himself lucky that his battles with the scales aren’t as tough as others in the weighing room, but admitted he still rides weights below what he probably should.
However, his diet and advice he has received from nutrionists has allowed this process to become simpler.
He explained: “I went up to Liverpool John Moore’s University and it’s very good. I learnt plenty about how my body works but when we’re busy athletes it’s very hard to uphold that intense diet and regime when you’re riding everyday.
“What I’ve taken from it is the snippets I can uphold. The minor changes do make a huge difference though.
“If it’s the difference between waking up three pounds lighter, if you were to get in the sauna that would take you an hour to burn off. It’s just being smart with what you eat, the little changes make all the difference.”
During the peak of the summer season Marquand spends little time in the gym as his day consists of riding out first thing, before race rides at, normally, two meetings.
It’s during the winter where Marquand will focus on this aspect and spends most time in the gym with his personal trainer.
He said: “Now in the middle of the summer, the last six weeks, I wouldn’t go to the gym or be running as much.
“In the winter I’ll do more. I’ll still be riding on the all-weather but it’s less intense and I won’t be doing double meetings.
“If you keep yourself ready and fit the easier I find it to drop a bit of weight for those important rides.
“There would be quite a lot of weights involved, not heavy. You’ve got people like Hollie Doyle, who is naturally lighter, so she’d be doing higher weights, lower repetitions. While I’d be doing more HIT training.
“It’s just like in other sports. For example in rugby the forwards would be doing different exercises to the speedy backs.”
Marquand has had 40 winners since the season started and last Monday he rode a winner for the Queen at Thirsk before driving down to Windsor for an evening meeting. A cool 230-mile trip, after riding out and racing.
I’d need the odd Red Bull too to be fair.
For more information on Jockey Fit and the full workout programme go to