Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

ELLIS

RESPONDING to the incident in which jockey Shane Ellis was reportedly attacked by an owner last Saturday afternoon, Jason McKay, chief executive officer of McKay Security Limited, yesterday said it was a display of chronic indiscipline among licensed personnel at Caymanas Park.

Ellis, a former champion and leading rider at Caymanas Park this season, reported that he was punched in the face in the vicinity of the official car park after the final race of the day.

The jockey was visibly upset after the incident and made a verbal report to the operation stewards who were still on duty inside the nearby racing office.

A crowd, which gathered after the incident, criticised security in the area.

McKay yesterday pointed out that the jockey's alleged attacker was a licensed personnel, who had authority to be in the area but had no right to conduct himself in that manner.

"Licensed personnel attacking each other is one of the most difficult things to combat at Caymanas Park," he said.

Barriers

"We put up barriers at entry points to sterile areas to protect licensed personnel, keeping out unlicensed persons. The assumption is that licensed persons would not attack each other and it becomes significantly more difficult to protect them when they do so," he added.

"The official car park and racing office are in a sterile zone, but both jockey and owner are, within the rules, allowed to be in the area," McKay pointed out.

This is not the first time authorised persons or their guests have attacked each other in the official car park.

Top jockey Trevor Simpson's agent was attacked by one of his peers late last year. Jockey Charles Hussey was also threatened by a guest of the late trainer, Howard Phillips.

"I want licensed persons to know that their licences are not unconditional," McKay warned. "There are consequences within the rules of racing for offences committed on the compound.

Written report submitted

"In addition, being a licence holder does not prevent you from being criminally prosecuted for assaulting other persons."

Meanwhile, operation steward Desmond Riley yesterday said Ellis has submitted a written report to the Jamaica Racing Commission.

However, Ellis, in a stance taken by most jockeys, has since claimed the issue was "a misunderstanding".

"I just want to leave it at that," he said yesterday. "It was just a misunderstanding. I am done and through with it. I have already given the stewards my written report.

"It's not that I am dropping the issue, but when the stewards call me I will deal with it," he said.