BHA to ‘explore options’ as concerns raised over whip rules

PA Sport Reporters
December 26, 2022 3:20 pm

Ruling body will continue dialogue following further representations.

Further discussions are taking place aimed at addressing issues raised surrounding the new whip rules that will come into effect in the new year – initially for jump racing and in a four-week ‘bedding-in’ period.

Winners of races could be disqualified if their rider contravenes whip rules under the new regulations, although it has been agreed that to address concerns regarding the impact of potential disqualification of runners on raceday for betting purposes, any potential decisions regarding disqualification will now be made by the whip review committee away from raceday, and will therefore not affect the outcome of a race for betting purposes.

The four-week period from January 9 that will bring in the changes means National Hunt jockeys will be able to ride without being subject to the new sanctions, before the full implementation of the new rules in jump racing begins on February 6 – just over a month before the start of the Cheltenham Festival. Flat counterparts begin with a bedding-in period on February 27, with full implementation from March 27.

Under the revised rules, a jump jockey who uses their whip 12 or more times – with 11 strikes or more for Flat jockeys – in any race could be disqualified.

In major races, as well as being disqualified, the jockey could also receive a 28-day ban. The framework defining a major race includes all Class One and Two races in both codes, as well as any race with prize-money over GBP 27,500 on the Flat and GBP 20,000 over jumps.

Some leeway may be allowed if it is deemed riders were using their whip in the interests of safety or if it has been used down the shoulder with both hands on the reins. It has also now been decided that, should they wish, Flat jockeys may use the jump version of the whip – which has a longer padded section – in response to concerns raised by some jockeys regarding the use of the whip in the backhand-only and the risk of landing it in the incorrect place.

It is understood further representations made to the British Horseracing Authority include concerns over the backhand-only rule.

A spokesperson for the BHA said: “The BHA has always understood the challenges involved in any review of the use of the whip in horse racing.

“From the moment we launched a consultation in July 2021 we constantly engaged with all interested parties, especially jockeys and their representatives, to ensure we listened to the views of those most affected.

“It was because of that readiness to engage that we agreed to extend the initial timescales for implementation of new rules beyond autumn 2022, allowing as many people as possible to influence and shape the technical discussion phase.

“In the past few days, however, further representations have been made to the BHA, including some themes which were not raised as part of the initial consultation or technical discussions.

“In light of this latest information, the BHA and the chair of the Whip Consultation Steering Group have agreed to continue dialogue to explore options that address the concerns being raised, while still delivering our core objective of a more considered and judicious use of the whip for encouragement, and improved perception of whip use.

“It is right that those discussions are allowed to take place away from the glare of publicity but we will look to provide an update as soon as possible in light of the existing timelines for the ‘soft launch’ of revised rules on January 9, 2023.”