‘Destroying the sport’ – racing in meltdown as 19 jockeys banned for 134 days just weeks before Cheltenham Festival

RACING chiefs were accused of ‘destroying the sport’ after the scale of the carnage from the first week of the new whip rules was revealed.

In total, 19 individual jockeys racked up a combined 134 days in bans – and Charlotte Jones became the first rider ever to be disqualified for going over the whip limit.

PA:Press AssociationIn total, 19 jockeys have been banned following the first week of new whip rules[/caption]

GettyCharlotte Jones became the first jockey ever to be disqualified for a whip breach[/caption]

The figures have caused shock in the racing industry and a degree of panic in the weighing room with the Cheltenham Festival just three weeks’ away.

Whip suspensions are decided each Tuesday by the BHA’s whip review committee.

As a result, all of the jockeys will start their bans on the same date of March 7 – meaning that their will be 17 professional jockeys out of action until at least March 11.

Any jockeys who fall foul of the rules in week two, which covers the period February 20-26, will miss the Festival.

Among the big names to find themselves in hot water after week one are Aidan Coleman and Gavin Sheehan – though both will be able to ride at the Cheltenham Festival having picked up four-day suspensions.

But Jones, 28, has been banned for two weeks and will have to spend a day at the British Racing School to undergo further training after creating a slice of unwanted history.

She used the whip 11 times aboard the runner-up Lunar Discovery at Ayr on February 14, meaning the horse became the first ever to be disqualified for a whip breach.

Racing fans and professionals reacted with horror at the findings, which covers the period of February 13-19.

One said: “God help us. That’s all I say. At this rate, we’ll have no jockeys available to ride”

Another tweeted: “You are destroying the sport.”

While another added: “You lot (BHA) are an absolute laughing stock. Not another sport in the world would this happen and there is plenty worse than horse racing.”

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Brant Dunshea, the chief regulatory officer at the BHA, defended the number of bans dished out and said the onus was on the jockeys to ride within the rules.

He said: “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.

“Disqualification has been introduced as the ultimate deterrent for overuse of the whip. 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.”

Top jockey Lorcan Williams was the hardest hit after picking up a whopping 18-day ban for his winning ride aboard Makin’yourmindup in the Grade 2 Prestige Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday.

He went two strokes over the limit and was deemed to use the whip above shoulder height – and he will now have to sit out the Cheltenham Festival.

Williams said: “I’m absolutely devastated to be missing the four biggest days of the year.

“I won’t be the only one but I’m absolutely heartbroken.”

Kevin Brogan, who rode the runner-up, also went over the seven-stroke limit and was banned for eight days.

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.”

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