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After reading the opinions of trainers and jockeys, reference changes to the new whip rules, is it justified? I’ve read some of the details and as a “non-rider” is it asking too much for them to adapt? The cynic in me suggests that now you can be disqualified if you exceed ten times, jockeys cannot now be gung-ho and win at all costs at Cheltenham. Is this the real concern?
I don’t get the introduction procedure of the new rules at all. Why are people months ahead concerned about the application of the new rules? Everybody knows that changes are coming and I think a period of 3-4 months is more than generous. I mean what is the real problem? Aren’t jockeys any good at maths? is counting to ten while riding a horse too difficult for them?
The same crap about the white painting of hurdles and fences….. Also comes from the Irish.
Just take the changes and move on. I’m sure in the future no trainer will ever blame the white obstacle markings for a fall or unseat.
The last time I was on the back of any equine creature was when I was about 6, on a pony ride at Edinburgh Zoo!
I obviously cannot speak from experience but the aspect of the whip rules which most bothers me is the shoulder height requirement.
When a jockey is on a racehorse travelling at about 30 miles an hour, wings the last upsides and then sets off up the run in with a big race on the line and the adrenaline pumping: is it reasonable to expect him/her to know to the exact height where he/she has raised his/her arm?
As I say, I have no experience of riding, so I am just asking the question.
This info included today in the daily email sent to ROA members:
CHANGE TO FRENCH WHIP RULES
France Galop has announced that the permitted number of strikes with the whip in both Flat and jumps races will be reduced from five to four, starting on May 1 2023. More information can be found on the France Galop website.
Food for thought.
This is the relevant section on France Galop:
I’m in the camp that says carry it for correction/safety only, and that’s it. I’ve never seen an argument that has made me change my mind. The French sound to be going in the right direction (no surprise there).
The French make it quite clear, there is an educational and transitional period of two months and no use of the whip above shoulder height.
What is the problem in GB and IRE? Do the Festival runners need a proper beating, or what?
It’s a crème de la crème meeting of NH racing don’t tell me jockeys don’t understand the meaning of the new rules. And they’ve had more than enough time to introduce the new rules….From a punting point of view, it might be worth bearing in mind that any whip bans incurred this week will rule jockeys out of Cheltenham.
https://www.racingtv.com/news/nicholls-fears-cheltenham-woe-for-lorcan-williams-over-whip
Looks like Lorcan Williams will miss Cheltenham. He seems to feel disgusted and ill treated. He said (among other things) ‘If I’d kept to the rules I wouldn’t have won!’
I don’t agree with the new rules but if you deliberately break the rules in order to win that is cheating.
And Williams says he wouldn’t have won if he hadn’t broken the rules. What are we supposed to say to the jock who finished second? Should he have hit his horse a few more times to win the race?
Not in favour of the new rules re the whip use (always felt setting a determined number of stirkes was fundamentally the wrong option to start with especially when you have such a minor difference in whip strikes allowed for a jump jockey v. a flat jockey)….however, the punishment being harsher for whip infractions I do in principle agree with.
The argument that I wouldn’t have won if I had not used the whip for those last extra strikes is unprovable either way but what jockey’s can do is not actually put the whip down but continue to use/wave it without connecting with the horse, at heart they are flight first animals so if it can see something moving quickly in its peripheral vision then that is more likely to continue to induce a flight response more than putting your whip down because you have already met the maximum number of strikes.
It will mean jockeys that are quick to resorting to the whip will have to adapt to doing rather more in the way of hands and heels pushing and pushing and then pushing some more whilst maybe even shouting encouragement at their mount first before finally picking up the whip – for me the ones that potentially will have the most problems are the older brigade of jockeys that learnt through the older riding style rather than the younger jockeys who are probably more used to using the whip as a last resort……I do feel more sorry for the Irish jockey’s coming over though as they have had no bedding in period and it will be interesting what happens at Cheltenham as I can well see some high profile cases of jockeys being done.
“The argument that I wouldn’t have won if I had not used the whip for those last extra strikes is unprovable either way”.
Let’s imagine a scenario where they have jumped the last at Cheltenham. A horse starts to make rapid headway on the leader and is clearly responding to the pro-cush. But then the jockey thinks “I have reached the number permitted” and puts the stick down. The momentum slows and he gets beaten by a short head.
I wonder how many punters or owners will be happy?
In that scenario then CAS, as LD 73 says shouldn’t jockeys still bring the procush through and show it to the horse in their peripheral vision and not just put it down.
That still won’t stop punters thinking “one more tap and he would have won”.
And if we are saying waving the pro-cush by the horse’s head has the same effect as striking the horse, why allow jockeys to strike the horse anyway?
I think the Lorcan Williams verdict is quite clear:
The Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle was the highest profile race to feature whip offences, with Williams getting his 18-day ban for his winning ride on Makin’yourmindup and Brogan handed eight days for his ride on runner-up Collectors Item, who lost out by a short head.
Under the new rules, bans are doubled in Class 1 and 2 races and Luke Scott also suffered under that new regulation. He received a 14-day ban for his ride on Progressive in a Class 2 handicap hurdle at Wetherby on February 15.
On the case of Williams, Dunshea added: “The whip has been used not only above the permitted level, but also from above shoulder height on multiple occasions. This is a breach of the rules in most racing jurisdictions.
“Lorcan was advised on numerous occasions throughout the bedding in period of rides that would amount to a breach of the new Rules should he continued to ride in the same manner. The review committee have included a mandatory session with the British Racing School as part of his penalty. This is part of the purpose of the committee, to bring about improvements in riding standards.”
Try to win and you get 18 days. Because someone, somewhere who is either indifferent to or actively hostile to racing does not like it.
Which other sport allows its rules to be set in this way?
How many of the crowd at Haydock were so angered about the ride that it spoiled their day out?
Is there the slightest shred of evidence to show the horse was hurt or abused in any way?
It would be very difficult to show if a horse has/has not been mentally affected by this. I love the sport but for me you still need these rules in place otherwise one tap leads to another, that leads to another. Regardless if the procush does or doesn’t hurt, I don’t want to see unlimited strikes and flailing arms in every finish of a race.
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