Racing:Leading jockey Richard Hughes has welcomed the fundamental changes to the whip rules announced by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). When new sanctions regarding the use of the whip were initially introduced in October, Hughes was one of the first riders in hot water with the stewards, picking up a riding suspension at Salisbury on the first day the rules came into force.
After incurring up a further ban just days later at Kempton, Hughes briefly handed in his riding licence until the rules were amended for the first time. While various minor changes have been made since, this latest alteration is the biggest yet, taking away the automatic ban that jockeys currently receive for going one over the amount of ‘hits’ allowed during a race.
Rather than it being an automatic breach when a rider uses the whip eight times on the Flat and nine times over jumps, the figures become the trigger point for the stewards to review the ride in question, with the new rules set to begin in early March. Stewards will be given more discretion over deciding how the rider has used the whip, and the severity of the penalty itself.
“I’m delighted they’ve changed the rules as they were doing more damage than good,” said Hughes. “I was one of the first to say let’s have a set number of times we can use the whip during a race, but it was very hard to put into practice.
“It is hard for some people to believe, but it honestly was more difficult than we could have imagined, as every horse is different. I’m hoping to come back (from India) to England next week some time and I’m looking forward to getting back riding there now.”
BHA officials have stressed they “greatly value” their relationship with the RSPCA in the wake of the latest changes to the rules. David Muir, equine consultant at the RSPCA, described the decision to make fresh changes to the whip rules, originally brought into place in October, as “a backward step” and “absolutely staggering”.
In a statement, Muir said: “It is absolutely staggering that the BHA has taken such a backward step, less than six months after the whip rules were introduced to react to public concern regarding the use of the whip in racing.
“The BHA has not seen fit to discuss the need for such changes with any other of the review stakeholders including the RSPCA and other animal welfare groups, yet they have seen it necessary to change the rules and penalty structure in favour of the jockeys.
“This action flies in the face of scientific research which shows that excessive use of the whip actually increases the likelihood of falls some of which produce injury or fatality apparently supported by the short term statistics available. This is a black day for the racing industry but the real losers are the horses — jockeys are once again allowed to use the whip excessively without a relatively strong preventative punitive element.”
In response, BHA communications consultant John Maxse said: “First and foremost the BHA greatly values the relationship it has with David Muir and the RSPCA and there are forthcoming meetings scheduled in the near future at which we look forward to discussing a range of issues with them, including the whip.
“I’d also want to make the point that the BHA’s commitment to horse welfare remains as strong as it has ever been.”
Jason Maguire, who was given a suspension when landing last year’s Grand National aboard Ballabriggs, is keen to reserve judgement until he sees how the extra powers of discretion stewards have been given will be applied.
“I don’t know what to think. I don’t want to say too much about it,” said Maguire.
“The thing about the rules as they were, you knew where you stood with the amount of times you could use the whip.
“It looks like they are now giving the stewards more discretion, but stewards at one course will have different ideas to stewards at another course, so we’re just going to have to see what happens.”