The Turf Club has expressed concern at the lowest ever level of jockeys being apprenticed to trainers in Ireland and the regulatory body says it is "imperative" to ensure a continuous stream of new jockeys into the sport.

Just 10 new apprentices were indentured to trainers in 2006, the lowest tally in Irish racing history, and there has been a 63 per cent decline in the numbers of apprentices signed on since 2004.

The Turf Club's chief executive Denis Egan said yesterday that a new committee has been set up to review all aspects of the apprentice system but he added that rising weight levels in society generally are now being reflected in the sport.

"It is imperative that as an industry we address these matters immediately to ensure a stream of jockeys coming through the ranks continues," Egan added.

He was speaking on the release of the Turf Club's statistics for 2006 which included confirmation of Ireland's first case of a jockey, the now retired Warren O'Connor, testing positive for drugs.

A total of 2,920 horse samples were taken through the year with only five positive results while Egan said he was pleased that just one flat jockey had to be stood down for dehydration last year. Four National Hunt riders were stood down for the same thing.