Bad day at work? At least you're not riding in the Melbourne Cup.
Jockeys are asking for a little sympathy over the dangerous and occasionally fatal job they undertake ahead of the high-stakes race, unions say.
Often low-paid riders suffered hundreds of serious injuries each year with calls for punters and the Victorian government to back the industry's fund for injured jockeys.
An ACTU survey found 69 per cent of jockeys struggled to put food on the table and many were injured so badly they were knocked out of races for more than a year.
Most made less than $A40,000 a year and had no guarantee of work.
A 2009 medical study also found being a jockey was one of the most dangerous jobs in Australia with more than 3000 falls, nearly 900 serious injuries and multiple deaths.
"Jockeys don't have many of the conditions and protections enjoyed by other Australian workers," ACTU president Ged Kearney said in a statement.
The ACTU was backing calls for punters to donate part of their winnings to the National Jockeys Trust and was also demanding the government back the fund - considering it earns more than $A600 million in racing rax revenue every year.
Jockey advocates hope to boost their injury trust fund up to $A5 million to support injured riders and families of those killed on the track.
Punters are asked to donate five per cent of their winnings.
Four jockeys died in Victoria between 2000 and 2005, leading to a Victorian government safety study on the horse racing industry.
The government report found that at the time there was widespread under-reporting of minor injuries.
"Many of the injuries reported by workers in the sector were serious and involved head and spinal injury and fractures of bones," the 2006 report said.
"The culture within the sector appears to lead to a greater focus on horses and their performance than on the health and safety and well-being of employees."
The racing industry had undertaken several initiatives since the study to increase the safety of workers, including hiring a national medical officer.
The position developed health and safety policies for jockeys and reviewed standards for protective gear.
