Talks ongoing over whip controversy
Riders on the Flat and over jumps remain at odds over the new whip rules, with last Friday’s revised regulations failing to appease all factions of the weighing room.
Ruby Walsh was the first high-profile National Hunt jockey to fall foul of the new guidelines at Aintree on Saturday, when receiving a five-day suspension.
Walsh claims he will now restrict his visits to these shores, and has already scrapped plans to ride at Chepstow on Tuesday and Wetherby on Friday.
The PJA believe any strike action would be counterproductive – a stance which has been mirrored by the BHA.
BHA spokesman Robin Mounsey said: “We are committed to our own constant monitoring of the situation regarding the adjusted whip rules, and are pleased that the majority of jockeys are adhering to them.
“We urge that they continue to do so in a professional manner, in the best interests of the sport.
“We are however also fully committed to ongoing and constructive dialogue with the Professional Jockeys Association on the issue.
“There are ways of formalising this engagement, and all sides should agree that it is not best conducted in public.
“To this end we are also having positive conversations with the Horsemen’s Group.”
Two jockeys were found in breach of the new regulations at Redcar on Monday, with Patrick Mathers and Iva Milickova hit with seven-day and nine-day bans respectively.
Kieren Fallon meanwhile has added further spice to the debate by arguing that horses ridden by jockeys who break the BHA’s new rules should be disqualified.
Fallon, who claimed such a move would prevent the need for riders to be handed punishments that now range from five-day suspensions to the withholding of prize-money, was adding his support to a view expressed by Sir Mark Prescott, among others.
The trainer, who backed the new maximum permitted limit of seven smacks in a Flat race, said: “I love simple rules, yet now we have a situation whereby breaking the rule can win you a race but cannot lose you a race. That’s illogical.”
In agreement, Fallon said: “The only solution is to do what Sir Mark Prescott suggested and disqualify the horse. Then there would be no rules broken.
“It isn’t fair that if one person doesn’t mind breaking the rules to win the race that the owner, trainer and jockey of the second, whose rider stuck to the rules, has to suffer. There would be no need for suspensions as the jockey would lose everything anyway.”
