Joseph O'Brien raises weight issue Trainer Joseph O'Brien has called for a rise in the minimum weights that jockeys carry in races. O'Brien, a former champion jockey, was forced to retire from the saddle at the age of just 22 following weight issues. He believes there is nothing to lose from raising the minimum weight and everything to gain. "With jockeys, the way the weights are at the minute, with Irish kids getting taller and stronger and heavier as a result, you will probably find more non-nationals as jockeys (here), like in America," he told www.independent.ie. "It's probably thinking down the road a nice bit, but that's the way it looks like it might go. "Everyone knows that I had weight trouble, but there are jockeys all around the country having weight trouble. I was very lucky that I was able to ride some very good horses, but there are lots of people struggling like I struggled to ride lesser horses." "I think that in the long run it (raising the weights) is no disadvantage to anyone," he added "Dundalk at this time of the year for most jockeys is probably the only time they are going to be riding unless they are travelling. "There are several jockeys going to Dundalk once a week losing half a stone or more in the days coming up to racing. "There is no disadvantage to horses carrying more weight in races. It can only be an advantage to jockeys healthwise. "It's probably never going to happen but I think it's an issue that hasn't been discussed enough."
