Winston fails to have whip ban overturned

ROBERT Winston has failed in his bid to overturn the 22-day whip ban he received at Southwell last Thursday.

Winston was banned for misusing his whip aboard Zenarinda, who finished a neck second in the Follow Us On Twitter @bluesq Handicap.

Winston’s subsequent appeal was dismissed by a disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority yesterday morning.

The jockey was found to have used his whip excessively, and down the shoulder in the forehand position.

His punishment was so severe as it was his second such offence within the previous 12 months.

The BHA later confirmed that Winston’s suspension would remain at 22 days, although they did though return his deposit.

The Panel accepted the seven hits behind the saddle in the straight, but found that the further three hits in the forehand position down the shoulder were unnecessary as exceptional circumstances did not prevail.

Fergal Lynch meanwhile has submitted an application to the British Horseracing Authority in a bid to regain his British riding licence.

Lynch, who was acquitted on alleged race-fixing charges in December 2007 when a trial at the Old Bailey collapsed, was given a £50,000 fine as part of a plea bargain with the BHA in 2009 after he admitted stopping a horse, supplying inside information about six of his rides, and associating with the disqualified Miles Rodgers.

Lynch moved to America in 2008, but in July 2009 his licence was withdrawn at Philadelphia Park, where he had been a leading rider.

“The application was made on Tuesday and we are awaiting the BHA’s response,” said Lynch’s solicitor Rory Mac Neice.

The jockey has recently been riding on a Spanish licence in Ireland. His most recent application to be granted a British riding licence was turned down last March.