- This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 59 minutes ago by
.
- Posts
Edwardstone won by a head and Tom Cannon got 14 days. Why did it happen three days later? Why was he allowed to keep the race? Why is the double penalty of £1,800 a farce compared to the prize-money connections won?
Some news away from Punchestown.
Tom Cannon has been suspended for 14 days after using his whip twice above the permitted level when winning on Edwardstone in the Celebration Chase at Sandown on Saturday.
As it was a Class 1 race, the penalty was doubled. He was also fined £1,800.
How can racing be ruled like that???
Agreed. Surely count the strokes on the winner before the weighed in announcement and call an inquiry and make decision there and then, just as would happen for interference, etc.
It’s not difficult, they just either don’t take it seriously enough OR don’t want to draw attention to whip misuse and would rather deal with it relatively ‘under the radar’.“Why was he allowed to keep the race?”
Because under the ridiculous rules, a jockey can use the whip three times over the limit and still keep the race, albeit at the cost of a fine and a suspension.
CAS, I hope we agree that £1,800 out of £105,177 is not exactly a fine and it won’t ever prevent a jockey of doing the exact same thing. This time we are talking a head and I’d say the two extra strokes definitely made a difference.
I completely agree.
I don’t believe it was a good idea to make the whip rules governed by an arbitrary number. But if that is what the BHA wants, it makes no sense to have this grey area between what is acceptable and what causes disqualification.
What jockey will not use those extra three strikes if he thinks it will win the race and it will only result in a fine which is smaller than his fee and winning percentage?
OK, his suspension will mean losing out on riding fees and possibly a few winners but a lot of jockeys will risk that if a big race is on the line.
Even if he had used the whip 11 times, the disqualification would not have happened on the day. Punters who backed Edwardstone would have collected, while punters of the runner up and ridden by someone who had complied with the rules would lose out.
The situation is a farce.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.