The British Horseracing Authority confirmed on Monday that the 3lb Covid allowance for jockeys will be replaced with a minimum weight rise of 2lb – to 8st 2lb on the Flat and 10st 2lb over jumps – while the current 3lb back protector allowance will increase to a 4lb safety allowance.

Jockeys had expressed concern that making weight would become more challenging with the removal of the Covid allowance, especially with saunas set to disappear from racecourse weighing rooms.

After a period of further discussion, the BHA has now increased the safety allowance by 1lb, with the new rules taking effect from May 2.

The BHA’s statement said: “The rise in published weights and the introduction of a 4lb safety allowance means that horses will continue to carry the same weights that they have been carrying since the Covid allowance was introduced as an emergency measure in June 2020.

“The weights published in racecards, however, will increase by 2lb, providing the racing public with more accurate information about the weights being carried by horses.

“The 1lb safety allowance will be added to the longstanding 3lb allowance that compensates for the weight of a jockey’s back protector. This increased 4lb safety allowance aims to assist jockeys with managing the natural daily variations in their body weight and supporting their physical and mental well-being.”