[AusRace] Coming to Nanny-State OZ?

[L.B.Loveday]

 BRITISH MAKE BIG WHIP RULE CHANGES 

       Racing Post  @RacingPost [1]    13 July, 2022         A   A   A
     Changingoftheguard wins on Day 4 at Royal Ascot. Picture: Steve
Cargill   

	Britain's jockeys will have to make fundamental changes to the way
they use the whip within a matter of months following the unexpected
news that a review group has decided to ask for a ban on whip use in
the forehand position.

	It was one of 20 recommendations by the Whip Consultation Steering
Group, set up last year, which were published on Tuesday, having
already been approved by the BHA's board.

	As was suggested by a leak last week, disqualification is to be
introduced as the ultimate sanction in cases of extreme breaches of
the whip rules, although officials would be delighted if they never
have to use that power. It will be available for all races, not just
high-profile ones, as was mooted by the leak.

	An innovation is the creation of a whip review panel which will take
most of the responsibility for enforcement action from raceday
stewards. Penalties for breaches are to be increased and will be
especially stiff in major races, at double the level set for standard
races. Totting-up bans will be triggered by three breaches in a
six-month period, rather than five as at present.

	The aim is for the recommendations to be incorporated into racing's
rules by late autumn but David Jones, a BHA director who chaired the
group, was careful to avoid being tied down to a specific date as he
addressed a press conference. A detailed implementation plan is to be
developed, making time for training of jockeys and stewards and
allowing for a bedding-in period before the new rules will be applied
in earnest. Jones believes there is nothing to be gained by rushing
and more time will be allowed for that process if necessary.

	While the changes are more significant than many in racing will have
anticipated, the steering group's hope is that they will take the heat
out of the issue for many years and satisfy most of the sport's
critics that it is serious about its responsibilities to the horse.
"It's really key for us to show that we really want to make a
difference and this is a serious issue," Jones said. "It was right at
the heart of what we wanted to do, to show that we were not just
tinkering."

	Jump jockey Tom Scudamore, who served on the steering group alongside
his Flat colleague PJ McDonald, estimates that 70 per cent of his
current whip use is in the forehand position, an indication of the
impact the new rules will have on some riders. But he was confident
that his friends and rivals in the weighing room would make the
necessary effort to change.

	"It's the same with any sport, you have to adjust," he said. "I think
my colleagues will see in this case that it's for the benefit of the
sport and anything that's for the benefit of the sport, they'll go
along with.

	"It's the same in any sport. If you're a defender in football, you
could get away with a lot more before VAR than you can now."

	The risk of the whip striking a horse with excessive force is thought
to be less when it is used in the backhand position, which was also
described in the review as "neater and more stylish" than forehanded
use. Scudamore cited Willie Carson as a jockey who made excellent use
of the whip in the backhand position.

	"Watching the old videos of him, I can't remember seeing him using it
in the forehand," he said. "He was a fine example of what we're
looking towards. He always seemed to use it in the right place, even
though his reach wasn't exactly as long as mine."

	Horses will be disqualified if their jockey has used the whip four or
more times more than the limit for that type of race, with discretion
allowed to the stewards to discount instances of whip use down the
shoulder with both hands on the reins, or if needed for safety. Jones
was pressed as to how the group had settled on the figure of four over
the limit as a suitable trigger.

	"You have to have lines in life, don't you?" he said. "Part of our
thinking was that zero tolerance would be difficult because you might
go one over and just not realise it.

	"We felt that four was definitely egregious use. We felt that was a
'win at all costs' kind of ride. Don't forget that penalties for going
one or two over in a major race are significant."

	There was some encouragement for the sport from Roly Owers, chief
executive of World Horse Welfare and a member of the steering group,
who said: "I think there's great confidence in the group that this is
a set of recommendations that can work." However, he later said the
changes did not go far enough to satisfy WHW, which wants an end to
whip use for encouragement.

	The steering group did not include a representative of the betting
industry but Brant Dunshea, the BHA's chief regulatory officer, said
it had heard from bookmakers and punters during the consultation
process and had reflected on whether these changes would have an
impact on turnover. He said there was no clear evidence either way
from countries that had gone through similar changes.

	Dunshea added that efforts will be made to reach jockeys based in
Ireland and France, to explain the new regime before they ride in
Britain.

	THE CORE RECOMMENDATIONS

	Use of the whip for encouragement to be limited to the backhand
position only

	Permitted level for use to remain at seven on the Flat, eight over
jumps, in the backhand only

	Development of a review panel which is responsible for evaluation of
all rides and any necessary sanction or action (including directing
jockeys to further training)

	Increased penalties for offences, including doubled suspensions in
major races when the whip is used above the permitted level

	Disqualification introduced for offences in which the whip has been
used four times or more above the permitted level in all races 

	 


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