Darley wants new whip rules re-examined
The former champion Flat jockey feels the new rules are not acting as a deterrent and are threatening to take away competitiveness from the sport.
He said: “The penalties are horrendous. Jockeys are trying to remain competitive and that is what they are struggling with.
“The objective was to reduce the amount of whip breaches and, as we have seen, these new rules have been put in place and if we carry on like we are they will be doubled.
“I think there has got to be a different process. The BHA and the welfare people have said that as long as the whip has got restricted use, it has got a use in horseracing and it is a tool of the trade.
“We’ve have got to look at what is happening now. Jockeys have to remain competitive.
“We have got to find a number that we think as horsemen should be the limit. We need to find a number that is acceptable.
“There is no buffer for them at all. Once they go one-hit over they get a five-day suspension, when they go two hits over they get a seven-day suspension and any prize-money taken away. They are taking the competitiveness away from them.
“It is not acting as a deterrent because jockeys are still getting banned so we really need to look at these rules again.”
