Penalties eased in whip amendments

THE British Horseracing Authority yesterday announced further amendments to the new whip rules, which were originally introduced on October 10.

The number of uses per race for the whip by a jockey is to remain at seven for the Flat and eight over jumps, but a number of changes to the structure for penalties will come into effect from tomorrow, on an afternoon when the three-day Paddy Power Gold Cup meeting gets under way at Cheltenham.

Any rider now going one strike over the allowed limit will receive a two-day ban and not the current five, and while a second offence for one extra will still be doubled, it will be from two to days to four, and not from five to 10.