The British Horseracing Authority has announced a number of changes to the Jumps Pattern programme in an effort to strengthen the upper tiers of British National Hunt racing.
Several graded races have been removed from the calendar altogether while others have changed date or in some cases, venue.
The changes have been made in an attempt to space out Graded and Pattern contests more appropriately and to increase competitiveness.
Headline changes in the hurdling division are the relocation of the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle from Sandown to Aintree’s new meeting on Boxing Day while the Grade Two International at Cheltenham will now take place on Trials day in January rather than in December.
Major alterations to the chasing programme include the Grade Two Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton becoming a Grade Two limited handicap while the Future Stars at Sandown and the Many Clouds at Aintree have been removed from the programme altogether.
Noble Yeats won the Many Clouds Chase this season (Nigel French/PA)
Other races to be lost include the Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle at Ascot, the Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick, Haydock’s Champion Hurdle Trial and the Dipper at Cheltenham.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who sits on the Jump Pattern Committee which advises and suggests recommendations to the BHA board, won this season’s Tolworth with Tahmuras.
He said: “The changes to the timings and venues of certain races are all sensible and will help trainers better campaign their good horses. Increased competition and more prize-money at the top end can only be a good thing for the sport.”
There is also an ambition to introduce a new Grade One two-mile hurdle at the end of the season to provide another opportunity for those in that division after the Champion Hurdle.
Grey Dawning was the last winner of the Leamington Spa Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick (Nigel French/PA)
BHA director of international racing and racing Development, Ruth Quinn, said: “The Jump Pattern programme in Britain has undergone an in-depth review, focusing on how we best support and improve the performance of jump racing at the top end of the pyramid, both in the short and longer-term.
“The Jump Pattern Committee has worked closely with racecourses, especially the Jockey Club – which stages most of our Jump Pattern races – to identify ways to see our best horses more regularly running against each other, but also strengthen our important developmental races, which help propel our horses towards the height of their ability.
“Working to these guiding principles, we have developed a package of changes, with races repositioned within a slimmed-down 2023/24 programme. The aim is to ensure our top contests are spaced more appropriately and consistently throughout the season – and hopefully deliver more competitive, meaningful and engaging racing as a consequence.
“Increased funding, investment and prize-money remains an important aim in terms of how we continually strengthen our higher profile contests, but these structural changes to the programme are a significant step in ensuring that our horses can maximise their prospects of succeeding at the highest level, as well producing a race programme that is consistently more engaging to bettors, fans and the media.”
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British Horseracing Authority chief executive Julie Harrington has “robustly condemned” the actions of protesters who delayed the Grand National – and also announced a “painstaking” analysis will take place in an attempt to understand what caused three fatalities over the three days of the meeting.
Sandy Thompson’s Hill Sixteen suffered a fatal fall at the first fence in the National – which was delayed by around 15 minutes after animal activists got on to the track – adding to the deaths of Dark Raven earlier in the afternoon and Envoye Special on Thursday.
“Our thoughts are with everyone connected to the horses who suffered fatal injuries this week. No one will be more affected by this news than the trainers, owners and stable staff who have provided these horses with first-class care and attention throughout their lives,” Harrington said in a statement.
“The BHA and Aintree racecourse will now analyse the races in painstaking detail, as is the case every year, to build on our existing data and help us understand what caused these incidents.
Protesters are detained by police on the course perimeter (Tim Goode/PA)
“British racing works tirelessly to improve the sport’s safety record and reduce avoidable risk. Every incident is reviewed by the BHA alongside the racecourse and other bodies. As a sport we have for years shown great determination and commitment to improve welfare standards by taking measured scientific, evidence-based, regulatory and education-based steps.
“It is for this reason that the fatal injury rate in the sport has reduced by over 1/3 in the last 20 years, to 0.2% of runners.”
Reflecting on the protesters on the course, Harrington said: “We respect the right of anyone to hold views about our sport but we robustly condemn the reckless and potentially harmful actions of a handful of people in disrupting the race at a time when horses were in the parade ring.
“Those involved in British racing are rightly proud of our sport and the role it plays in providing an unparalleled quality of life for horses bred for racing. Love and respect for horses is at the heart of everything we do.
“The Grand National is and always will be an iconic sporting event and the actions of a small number of people will do nothing to diminish its huge and enduring international appeal.”
Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale believes racing needs to be pro-active in the debate with activists.
“What this has done has bring the issues the sport was facing to the fore and allowed us to get out there and talk about them confidently – because we should,” Truesdale told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday.
A protester is detained by police (Tim Goode/PA)
“We should be out there talking about the measures we’ve taken, how much care these horses get, the changes we’ve made over the years, not just at Aintree, but everywhere and we should be proud of that.”
Truesdale and his team had employed a huge security presence, but it was still not enough to prevent some protesters from getting on to the track.
“We should be out there calling the protestors what they are, which is law breakers. The impact they had on the horses yesterday would have been completely at odds with that they are trying to achieve,” he said.
“We should be telling our story positively, that is what we should be doing. We don’t want this to become a war of words as that doesn’t seem to cut through to these organisations. What we should be doing is engaging with the more rational organisations like World Horse Welfare and the RSPCA, all of whom can see the changes we’ve made and who continue, rightly, to put us under pressure to make more changes.
“I was with Roly Owers (World Horse Welfare chief executive) yesterday on the radio and I agreed with pretty much everything he said and those are the people we should be working with as a sport whilst telling our story.
“A site of that size and that layout is very difficult to completely secure. You could never look people in the eye and say ‘that can’t happen’.”
On protesters making it on to the course despite their intentions being well publicised, Truesdale said: “I actually walked it yesterday morning and even then we had hi-vis policeman out on the other side of those fences.
“I think the police and our security teams deserve immense credit for the effort they put in, they did as much as they possibly could but the reality is we were never going to prevent that on a site of that size and layout. I thought it was dealt with extremely efficiently and well but we will continue to review security as we always do.
“The fact there was only a 15-minute delay is a tribute to everyone involved.
“We need to review the whole thing over the next few weeks, it would be wrong to give specifics this morning. The BHA team will do that and come up with any recommendations as they have done every year. We should be setting the tone and saying we will not rest until we continue to reduce fatality rates. I’m sure there’s plenty we can come up with.”
Protesters outside Aintree on Saturday (Peter Byrne/PA)
The BHA works with World Horse Welfare on a number of matters.
“Yesterday was a very sad day,” said Roly Owers, chief executive of the charity, in a statement issued to the PA news agency.
“From Aintree to television screens across the world, this year’s meet was difficult to watch. The loss of Envoye Special, Dark Raven and Hill Sixteen is heart-breaking and we offer our condolences to their connections who we know will be devastated.
“Whilst it is true that accidents can happen anywhere – and the risks can never be removed altogether – jump racing poses specific risks that it has a responsibility to relentlessly reduce wherever possible. Whilst in the immediate aftermath of these events it is a time to reflect and review what has happened, it is clear to us that despite the changes made by Aintree and racing to date, much more needs to be done.
“In practical terms, this is an urgent reminder of the need to bring work on the Jump Race Risk Model to the fore. The model is a key tool to help inform how to make this and other jump races safer. Progress on this key project has not been quick enough and this needs to change now that racing has an agreement in place with the Royal Veterinary College to help take it forward.
“Overall, the types of questions that need to be considered are the number of runners, how to reduce the number of fallers, how to better manage loose horses and how to better manage the start.
“No one can accept fatalities as a certainty at any race and no one, least of all anyone in racing, wants to see what we witnessed in yesterday’s Grand National.”
Police officers respond to Animal Rising activists attempting to invade the course at Aintree (Peter Byrne/PA)
Merseyside Police arrested 118 people on Saturday after scores of activists climbed fences, with at least two fixing themselves to a jump using glue and lock-on devices, according to Animal Rising.
Animal Rising spokesperson Nathan McGovern said in a statement on Sunday: “We believe there were 118 arrests of Animal Rising supporters yesterday, with 68 in custody following the action.
“Five have been released thus far and 42 were de-arrested and turned out on to the street by police. No one has been charged at this time.
“The actions taken at Aintree yesterday aimed to prevent harm from coming to horses in the Grand National, with Hill Sixteen sadly falling in the race itself – a death that would have been prevented if the race had not been run.
“Supporters of Animal Rising do not take the risk of arrest lightly, but taking action to protect animals and nature is more important than upholding business as usual.
“This is just the start of many peaceful actions to really create a national conversation about our fractured connection with animals and our natural world this summer, whether they result in arrests or not.”
Also in a statement on Sunday, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Paul White said: “The Grand National race was temporarily delayed for a short period of time while officers dealt with protestors who attempted to gain entry onto Aintree racecourse, and this was across the whole site which covers an extensive perimeter of around 5km which in parts is open land.
“As you can understand, the safety and wellbeing of everyone is of paramount concern when dealing with large-scale public events such as this, and this includes those who are protesting.
“To put into perspective, it is estimated that around 70,000 visitors attended the Grand National and the event went safely with an enjoyable atmosphere despite the short interruption from protestors.
“We had a robust plan in place to deal with incidents, and as such our officers and security staff were able to quickly deal with the situation in a safe and appropriate manner.
“It is also important to add that we respect the right to a peaceful protest and expression of views, but criminal behaviour and disorder will not be tolerated and sadly this is what took place at yesterday’s event in an attempt to disrupt the race which resulted in the arrests.”
Jockeys who repeatedly break the whip rules with technical offences will be referred to an independent judicial panel after five breaches, rather than three, in a change announced by the British Horseracing Authority on Thursday.
New regulations regarding use of the whip were introduced over jumps on February 13 and came into full force on the Flat this week, with riders allowed six strikes on the level and seven strikes in National Hunt contests.
Riders who contravene the number of permitted strikes on three occasions within a six-month period will still be referred, but those who commit three technical offences – such as using the whip above shoulder height – will not be.
Instead once a jockey commits five offences of any type, which can be a combination of above permitted level and other misuse offences, they will then be sent to the panel.
Procedures around repeat whip offences have been changed (David Davies/PA)
The Whip Review Committee will now meet twice a week, considering races from Thursday to Sunday on Tuesdays before convening on Fridays to discuss the first three days of the week.
Jockeys will also now have the option of starting bans 14 days on from the date of the offence rather than when a suspension is issued by the Whip Review Committee. This only applies if a rider opts not to appeal the decision.
Brant Dunshea, chief regulatory officer for the BHA, said: “We are very grateful to the Professional Jockeys Association and to our jockeys, both for the manner in which they continue to adapt to riding under the new rules, and their constructive engagement with the process which has helped bring about these further improvements.
“We will continue to liaise with the PJA and jockeys as we continue the roll-out and embedding of the new rules.”
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The British Horseracing Authority has revealed there were only six referrals for whip offences during the course of the Cheltenham Festival, with no danger of disqualifications for breaching the rules.
A number of high-profile racing figures had expressed concerns about the possibility of numerous bans under the revised rules, which limit National Hunt riders to seven strikes of the whip during a contest.
Exceeding the limit by four strikes or more results in disqualification of the horse and a doubled suspension for the rider – but no transgressions of that magnitude occurred in the Cotswolds, the BHA said.
The whip has been a hot topic since new rules were implemented last month (David Davies/PA)
From 444 rides over the 28 races of the Festival, just six referrals have been made and only one of those was for a winning ride.
Three referrals were for use above the permitted level – of which the winning ride was not one – two for using the whip in the incorrect place and one for using it above shoulder height.
The BHA acknowledged there would be “inevitable interest in such a high-profile event and the first major Festival under the new rules”, prompting them to release the information ahead of the Whip Review Committee’s regular weekly meeting on Tuesday, when bans will be imposed and then announced.
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The British Horseracing Authority “need a bit of backbone” with regard to whip regulations, according to Paul Nicholls – who has described himself as “livid” with the timing of the new rules ahead of Cheltenham.
New rules and a tougher penalty structure for misuse of the whip were introduced on February 13, with 19 jockeys – including one of Nicholls’ stable riders Lorcan Williams – committing offences in the first week of implementation.
Williams was banned for 18 days for a winning ride at Haydock, with the suspension ruling him out of the Cheltenham Festival in its entirety.
Nicholls has voiced his concern about the timing of the new rules previously, but he described himself as “livid” and accused the BHA of “appeasing” critics of the sport rather standing up for participants.
Lorcan Williams was banned for 18 days (John Walton/PA)
Speaking during an exclusive Betfair Cheltenham Festival preview podcast aired on Friday evening, he said: “I’m actually disappointed with the way BHA have handled it – talk about shooting the industry in the foot.
“There are people in the BHA (who) need to take a real look at themselves. Are they doing the right thing for the industry? Because I think they are letting us down and I think this whole thing is wrong.
“We don’t want to appease people who don’t understand the game. We’ve got to stand up for ourselves and say ‘look, this is where we are’, it’s not a welfare issue. We need a bit of backbone – the BHA need a bit of backbone to stand up for us all the time instead of appeasing the wrong people.
“There’s a lot of us trainers who have kept quiet really and are very, very annoyed with the way it’s been handled and that’s not just trainers, a lot of owners (are) upset about the whole thing and it will drive people away if they are not careful.
“I’ve been livid all along with the timing of it.
“Nothing seems to be simple with the BHA these days, which is sad because they’ve got a tough job to do. But I think honestly they do need to take a look at themselves and see what they are doing towards the industry and they need to be a little more proactive at getting things right.”
While a total of 20 bans were handed out in the first week, the number of referred rides during the second week under the new structure reduced to 12, with nine suspensions issued, two results pending and one ride found not in breach.
They have also been two disqualifications, the first being the James Moffatt-trained Lunar Discovery, with her rider Charlotte Jones banned for 14 days after striking the horse 11 times.
The whip review committee, which now assesses offences, disqualified a second horse earlier this week, as amateur rider James Turner was found to have used his whip five times above the permitted level of seven strikes when riding the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Mavis Pike to finish second at Newcastle last Saturday.
The changes to the whip regulations were the product of a consultation process, with the steering group including a variety of industry figures, including trainer John Gosden, broadcaster Nick Luck and jockeys Tom Scudamore and PJ McDonald.
The whip has been a hot topic since revised rules were announced (David Davies/PA)
Initial proposed changes included prohibiting using the whip in the forehand position, but that measure was rescinded in January following rider outcry, with harsher penalties and further a cut in permitted use of the whip instigated instead.
David Jones, chair of the Whip Consultation Steering Group, said: “The changes to the whip rules were the result of an exhaustive consultation process. The new rules are based on recommendations which were put to the BHA Board by a Steering Group which consisted of expertise drawn from across the racing industry and beyond, including prominent jockeys and trainers.
“They were unanimous in agreement that changes must be made to ensure more judicious use of the whip for encouragement, and improve the perception of whip use.
“The changes include a reduction of one in the permitted number of uses of the whip to six in a flat race and seven in a jumps race, and increased penalties for offences. Jockeys consulted were in agreement that increased penalties were necessary.
“Similar changes were recently announced in France, where the thresholds for acceptable use are already lower than in British racing.
“This is not about appeasing those who wish to see the sport banned, or attempting to convert them. It is instead about ensuring that racing takes control of its own destiny, and ensuring that we safeguard the sport against changing perceptions amongst its future audiences.
“Racing has so much to be proud about. We all look forward to celebrating the magnificent horses and people and the wonderful stories that our sport produces in the coming weeks.”
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A second horse has been disqualified under the British Horseracing Authority’s revised whip rules.
Amateur rider James Turner was referred to the Whip Review Committee after finishing second aboard the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Mavis Pike in the Fresh Approach at Vertem Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race at Newcastle on Saturday.
Turner was deemed to have used his whip five times over the permitted level of seven, with none of the strikes considered to have been clearly and unequivocally for safety purposes.
As a result the horse is disqualified from the race and Turner is suspended for 20 days, running intermittently from Tuesday 14 March to Monday 24 April.
The new regulations came into full effect on February 13 and the James Moffatt-trained Lunar Discovery was the first horse to be disqualified, with her rider Charlotte Jones banned for 14 days after striking the horse 11 times.
A total of 20 bans were handed out in the first week, with 12 rides referred from February 20-26 and nine suspensions issued so far, with two results pending and one ride found not in breach.
Conor O’Farrell’s ride aboard Knocknamona in the Campbell Handicap Chase at Carlisle came under scrutiny and he was found to have used the whip once above the permitted level and received a four-day suspension running from March 18 to March 21 inclusive.
William Shanahan fell foul of the new whip rules (David Davies/PA)
On the same card, William Shanahan used his whip twice over the threshold when riding Our Sam in the Cambridge Handicap Hurdle and is therefore banned for seven days from March 14-20 inclusive – meaning he misses any chance of riding at the Cheltenham Festival.
Conditional rider Philip Armson received a 14-day ban and a £650 fine for overuse of the whip during his winning ride on Gwencily Berbas in the Virgin Bet Devon National Handicap Chase, with the suspension running from March 14-27 inclusive.
Alice Proctor, an amateur, was also handed a 11-day ban for her ride on Golden Poet, having been found to have used her whip when out of contention in the Maurice Broadway 70th Birthday Celebration Open Hunters’ Chase at Taunton.
High-profile riders Sam Twiston-Davies and Tom Cannon were both given suspensions for rides at Lingfield and Market Rasen on Supasunrise and Presenting A Queen respectively.
Tom Cannon (Mike Egerton/PA)
Both will serve four-day bans for using their whips without giving their mounts time to respond, ruling them out March 18-21 inclusive, but leaving them free to take their rides at the Festival.
A BHA spokesperson said: “Jockeys are clearly quickly adapting to the new rules, and we praise them for this.
“We hope all jockeys realise that using the whip without regard for the thresholds in place could very easily lead to disqualification, and to ensure that this does not happen.
“There is no justification for using the whip four times or more above the permitted level.”
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Lorcan Williams described himself as “devastated” to be missing the Cheltenham Festival having been banned for 18 days after breaching the new whip rules at Haydock on Saturday.
Williams was riding Makin’yourmindup in the Prestige Novices’ Hurdle and narrowly got the better of Kevin Brogan on Collectors Item, who was also suspended for eight days.
As the race was a Grade Two, both jockeys had their penalties doubled. In Williams’ case he used the whip twice above the permitted level of seven and with his arm above shoulder height.
“I’m absolutely devastated to be missing the four biggest days of the year. Obviously I’m not going to be the only one, but I’m absolutely heartbroken. I’ll just have to take it on the chin and keep moving forward,” Williams told Sky Sports Racing.
Some finish to the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle at @haydockraces & great sportsmanship after the line 🏇
“I found the shoulder height (rule) very difficult. It’s a very hard situation for me. I’ve been trained my whole life, I’m lucky enough to live in an area with a jockey coach, so we’ve been trained all our lives for that.
“I’m one of the biggest jockeys in the weighing room at 6ft, I’m a big bloke, and the technique I use is for the welfare of the horse that I’m riding. I get very low in the saddle, I tuck myself away to make myself sellable to owners and trainers. I’ve got very long arms and the technique I use of bringing it over my head is to make sure I’m making the right connection with the horse in the correct spot.
“I tried all things, even when the rule of the backhand was informed (since rescinded) I was keeping it in the backhand for muscle memory, but I’m not the only jockey that has been pulled in.”
Williams admitted he was not keeping count of his strikes in the tight finish, but claims to do so in the heat of a race is challenging.
Makin’yourmindup after winning at Haydock (Ashley Iveson/PA)
He said: “It’s very difficult, with all the emotion that comes across in a close finish when you are trying to finish in the best possible position. I’m a jockey who rides very much off instinct.
“On Saturday I only used my stick from the back of the last, I used it twice in the backhand because myself and Kevin Brogan got close and had a little collision, so I used my stick with instinct. I used two in the backhand to correct my horse, then switched over to the left and used on instinct to ensure the best position.
“I’m very aware of the rules but it’s very hard with all the emotion that comes in, it’s very difficult (to count). I rode off instinct and I wasn’t aware of how often I’d used it – like I said, two of my hits were to correct my horse.
“If it had been two weeks before I’d have been only getting four days, but now it’s ruling me out of the four biggest days of the year.
“It’s a lot for a jockey to take on board, we have a lot to think about and having that held above us, it is very difficult to get in the right position and control the horse.”
Williams explained he knew soon after the race that he had transgressed, but was not officially informed until 6pm on Tuesday that he would be getting a ban.
“We were made aware we were being called in,” he said. “There was a collision so that was all sorted in an inquiry, then we were brought in separately and we had to give our reasoning as to using our whips in that manner. That’s always been the way it has been.
“I had to wait until yesterday (to find out). It was quite stressful because I had to wait until about 6pm, so I was refreshing my emails flat out. It was quite a bit of stress waiting to see what we were getting.
“My coach rang me and I’ll be popping in once a week and I’ll be trying my very best to get this correct.
“I think we all need to come to an agreement and meet in the middle because at the moment, even in the bedding-in period it wasn’t a success and I think owners, jockeys, trainers and the BHA all need to come together because at the moment us jockeys are seen as the inflictors and we need to get the right image across.”
Chief regulatory officer of the British Horseracing Authority Brant Dunshea (Victoria Jones/PA)
The BHA’s chief regulatory officer, Brant Dunshea said: “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 continue 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.”
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A total of 20 riding suspensions were incurred during the first week under the British Horseracing Authority’s revised whip regulations, with one serious breach resulting in disqualification.
New rules came into force on February 13 following a bedding-in period when the new penalty structure was not in force but jockeys were advised of the punishment they would have received for offences.
Whip bans are no longer handed out on the day of the offence, with all breaches referred to the Whip Review Committee, which met on Tuesday to assess the cases.
Charlotte Jones was found to have used her whip 11 times when beaten a head into second on Jimmy Moffatt’s Lunar Discovery at Ayr last Tuesday.
As she breached the seven-stroke limit by four, with the Committee stating “none of the hits were clearly and unequivocally for safety purposes”, her mount was disqualified and Jones will be banned for 14 days (March 7-20 inclusive).
Lorcan Williams has been banned for 18 days (John Walton/PA)
Lorcan Williams is one of the higher profile names to fall foul of the regulations and he will miss the Cheltenham Festival having been given an 18-day ban for his winning ride on Makin’yourmindup at Haydock on Saturday.
Williams, who is attached to champion trainer Paul Nicholls’ stable, had feared he would be severely punished after driving home Makin’yourmindup in a narrow finish to the Prestige Novices’ Hurdle.
He was adjudged to have used his whip twice over the allowed amount, but as the race was a Grade Two a harsher penalty was admonished, as befits the new structure.
His suspension begins on March 7 and runs to March 24. Williams was also fined £1,050.
The rider of the second in that race, Kevin Brogan, also used his whip above the permitted level, with his extra strike costing him an eight-day ban, as his suspensions in class one and two races are doubled.
Aidan Coleman was given four days for a ride at Ascot (John Walton/PA)
Aidan Coleman, Gavin Sheehan and Derek Fox also featured on the suspension list, with the first two banned for four days and the latter for seven, while Luke Scott got 14 days for his ride aboard Progressive at Wetherby.
Harry Kimber picked up two separate bans, meaning 19 individual riders broke the rules, with three offences occurring in the same conditional jockeys’ hurdle at Newcastle on February 16.
Breaches were not limited to overuse, with some riders – including Coleman – judged to have not given their mounts time to respond while others were found to have used the whip with the arm above shoulder height.
The new rules were introduced following a consultation process, with a late revision made in January when the original intended directive ruling out using the whip in the forehand was reversed in favour of a reduced amount of strikes and tougher penalty structure.
Following the issuing of suspensions, David Jones, chair of the Whip Consultation Steering Group, said: “The changes to the whip rules implemented last week were the result of an exhaustive consultation process.
Whip regulations were changed following a consultation process (Daniel Hambury/PA)
“The new rules are based on recommendations which were put to the BHA Board by a Steering Group which consisted of expertise drawn from across the racing industry and beyond, including prominent jockeys and trainers.
“They were unanimous in agreement that changes must be made to ensure more judicious use of the whip for encouragement, and improve the perception of whip use.
“The changes include a reduction of one in the permitted number of uses of the whip to six in a Flat race and seven in a jumps race, and increased penalties for offences. Jockeys consulted were in agreement that increased penalties were necessary.
“Similar changes were recently announced in France, where the thresholds for acceptable use are already lower than in British racing.
“This is not about appeasing those who wish to see the sport banned, or attempting to convert them. It is instead about ensuring that racing takes control of its own destiny, and ensuring that we safeguard the sport against changing perceptions amongst its future audiences.
“Racing has so much to be proud about. We all look forward to celebrating the magnificent horses and people and the wonderful stories that our sport produces in the coming weeks.”
Brant Dunshea, the BHA’s chief regulatory officer, added: “Jockeys have had more than four weeks to adapt to the new rules through the bedding-in period. As the jockeys themselves have stated, it is now up to them to ensure that they ride within the new rules.”
Dunshea described disqualification as “the ultimate deterrent for overuse of the whip” and hopes the early instance “sends a clear message” to riders.
He said: “There is simply no excuse for using the whip four or more times above the permitted level. It was always likely that the disqualification rule would need to be invoked in the early stages of the implementation of the new rules.
“We hope that this sends a clear message to all jockeys and reinforces this deterrent effect.”
Jimmy Moffatt (second right), along with owners Kevin and Anne Glastonbury and jockey Charlotte Jones confirmed they would not appeal (David Davies/PA)
Connections of Lunar Discovery later announced they would not be appealing the disqualification.
A statement issued through the National Trainers Federation on behalf of trainer James Moffatt, owners Kevin and Anne Glastonbury and Jones said: “It is obviously very disappointing and upsetting for all of us here to see that Lunar Discovery was disqualified from her second-placed finish last week.
“However, it was understood by the sport that in tightening up the rules and penalties around whip use, we would see a reduced level of discretion as to what constituted an offence.
“On this basis, despite being firmly of the view that there was no detrimental impact at all on our horse, we are accepting of the outcome that the Review panel has reached. Lunar Discovery was in excellent health after her race and will be ready to go again in due course, where she will continue to be ridden by Charlotte, after she has served her first ever whip ban.”
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Willie Mullins believes the full introduction of new whip rules should be delayed until the end of the current British jumps season.
New regulations are set to come into force on February 13, with the British Horseracing Authority continuing to allow the use of the whip in the forehand position, having reversed a previous decision to ban it after objections from jockeys, although permitted use of the whip has been reduced whilst also toughening up the penalty structure.
The very worst whip offences could result in disqualification of horses and riding bans of 20 days – a tariff which will be doubled in class one and two races – with a soft launch having been in place since January 9.
A number of riders have voiced their misgivings about fully implementing the rules next week, with British champion trainer Paul Nicholls calling for the BHA to push back the start date until the current campaign has concluded.
Willie Mullins believes delaying the introduction of new whip rules would make sense (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA
While Mullins described the regulations as “jockeys’ business”, he feels it would be better to wait until the new season to make such significant changes, ruling out the possibility of high-profile winners at either Cheltenham or Aintree being overshadowed or impacted by whip contraventions.
He said: “I don’t do whip rules, that’s jockeys’ business. If they lose races then it’ll be my business then, but I’m absolutely keeping out of whip rules.
“Why do they always bring up this before Cheltenham? It should be done after Cheltenham during the off-season. It’s like bringing in new rules before the semi-finals and final of the World Cup in soccer.
“It’s a shooting yourself in the foot job. They’re highlighting the whole thing for the wrong reasons and it should be done before a new season like in any other sport, trial it somewhere if you want.
“I wouldn’t even bother reading about it now. That’s my jockeys’ problem.”
The first week of the ‘bedding in’ period produced 44 referrals to the whip review committee, which will be responsible for handing out suspensions under the new system, while numbers for subsequent weeks have not been published.
The BHA announced last week that while it was not considering altering specific rules or guidance, it would review “the manner in which the rules and guidance are being applied” both by raceday stewards and the committee.
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The British Horseracing Authority is examining how the guidance around the new whip rules is being applied following further outcry over the imminent changes to the regulations.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls urged the BHA to consider delaying implementation of the new rules – which are due to take full effect on February 13 in the National Hunt sphere – after it was suggested his stable jockey Harry Cobden could have been banned for 24 days for his winning ride on Il Ridoto at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Fellow jumps rider Sean Quinlan also hit out at the revised regulations on Sunday, calling for further discussion around the directive concerning the whip being used above shoulder height.
The BHA had initially proposed to prohibit the use of the whip in the forehand position – but reversed that decision following discussions after objections from jockeys, instead opting to cut permitted use of the whip to six and seven strikes in Flat and jump races respectively, whilst also toughening up the penalty structure.
Whip rules are due to come into force on February 13 over jumps (David Davies/PA)
Using the whip above shoulder height will incur a four-day ban when the rules are properly introduced, with a soft launch currently in place and riders advised of what would constitute future breaches and what penalty they would have been given.
The ‘bedding-in period’ began on January 9, with the first week producing 44 referrals to the whip review committee, which will be responsible for handing out suspensions under the new system, while numbers for subsequent weeks have not been published.
Although underlining it is not considering altering specific rules or guidance, “the manner in which the rules and guidance are being applied” both by raceday stewards and the committee is being reviewed by the BHA.
A spokesperson said: “The purpose of the bedding-in period is to identify any practical considerations regarding the new rules and guidance, allow officials to familiarise themselves with the rules and guidance, and jockeys to identify areas where they may be required to adapt their technique ahead of implementation.
“As part of this process we are currently assessing some elements of the existing procedures, which includes the manner in which the rules and guidance are being applied on raceday, and by the whip review committee.
“We are not looking at changes to the specific rules or guidance, but instead how the guidance is being applied. We continue to urge riders to use the bedding-in period to make any necessary adjustments to their riding style in line with the guidance.”
The new rules will be fully implemented on the Flat from March 27, with a soft launch from February 27.
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