Punters could be forgiven for believing that only the runners themselves need to be in peak physical condition for Royal Ascot. But the truth is that jockeys like Paul Mulrennan put in hours of gruelling work and stick to a rigid diet in order to maximise their chances of success.
The 43-year-old is back at Royal Ascot this year, and he rode American Affair to an impressive victory in the King Charles III Stakes for trainer Jim Goldie on Tuesday. It was by no means a case of Mulrennan casually turning up, hopping aboard and doing the business, however, as two years ago he shed light on the hard graft it takes to be a top-level jockey.
During a day spent with The Daily Mail, the veteran rider went through his tough fitness routine which includes a speedy 5km exercise bike ride, a blast on the rowing machine and a 20-minute treadmill run.
The last two minutes of the run is ramped up practically to a sprint, with the machine set to 18km/h – a comparable pace to the men’s marathon world record. It’s enough to induce some suffering, but Mulrennan embraces it as part of his unique job.
“I just love the routine,” he explained. “Look at other sports — tennis, boxing, football — they are all doing it every day. Why should I be different?”
Another part of a jockey’s job description is to maintain a low body weight. In the past, that has led some to adopt strict diets which, in Mulrennan’s case, prompted him to sometimes go days without eating.
“When I started, it was this — starve yourself, put a sweat suit on, don’t eat,” he said. “I could literally not eat for three or four days, just living on sweet cups of tea, maybe a little bowl of soup. You were even told to lower your intake of fluids!”
Now, however, attitudes have changed. He continued: “We eat more and drink more, we know the right stuff. Jockeys have never been healthier.
“I’m doing more physical work now than I was in my 20s. I’m adamant that is because I am in the gym more, my diet is better. It’s even little things like water, being hydrated. I have three litres a day. What I am doing is healthy.”