Front page of the Racing Post today.

I am taking sole credit for this, as the only person to bring it up on Saturday.
Nothing on Social Media and, of course, nothing from the Racing media fraternity and press.
(also nothing in the BHA day reports)

Unlike a lot of people on here, I have no idea if the whip is cruel or a symbolic 'feather'.

However, been banging on for years that to break the rules to ensure a big race prize,
is possibly denying connections of a 2nd placed horse a glorious day out. I hate this.

Last time I winced and got really angry was Jason Maguire on Ballabriggs in the National
Despite winning by more than a couple of lengths, he whipped it continuously throughout the long final run-in.

Ballabriggs needed supplemental oxygen afterwards and never got anywhere near troubling the judge again in his final 6 runs

He got a 5-day ban, which several pundits and people complained about being too harsh.

It is good to see times have changed in those intervening years.

Billaway - Foxhunters

Mullins camp apologised to the little-league connections, who would have had their greatest day,
but for Patrick Mullins deliberately going way over the whip limit to just get Billaway up.

Should have been chucked. 4-day ban was impotent.

All of ITV/RUK and many on here called it ride of the week at the time

My final post on this was ITV's Matt Chapman, on Twitter, was asked about his thoughts on 'Crowley's use of the whip?'

Matt Chapman's official response...... 

'Fantastic'

If Crowley could count to 10 which would have meant a DQ and he stopped at 9 it begs the question that 'in the heat of the moment when it's difficult to count properly' as we are led to believe, he can obviously count to 6? So the leeway within the rules meant he was able to cheat with virtual impunity. Utterly bonkers.

Seems plenty think the whip does not make a horse run faster,if that is the case then the horse won despite it's use? How then can the horse be disqualified for trying harder and running faster than the runner up?

When is the last time a horse was reported as being marked with the feather duster which whips are these days compared with the old style sticks?

Marked or not, that's irrelevant; two camps whether a persuader assists or not. However, even the slightest possibility of an "unprofessionally" gained advantage over another eg 9-strikes instead of 6 cannot and must not be tolerated. It's ought to be stopped or punished with an automatic disqualification.

I still remember copper wires being ripped-out of telephone junction boxes and sold to unscrupulous dealers for cash. This trade was ended when the g0vernment made it illegal for this transaction to be concluded in cash.

Disqualify and give the fodder a chance for a change ffs

Penalties for controversial new whip rules eased following review with senior riders
ASCOT, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 01: A jockeys whip at Ascot racecourse on October 01, 2011 in Ascot, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
The whip rules have been amended following a six-month review of the data
Credit: Alan Crowhurst
Whip penalties have been eased in the latest amendment to British racing’s controversial whip rules following an assessment of the first six months under the new regime.

While there have been no changes to the technical aspects of the whip rules, such as the maximum number of times the whip can be used in a race, sanctions have been amended after discussions between the BHA, Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) and senior riders.

Flat riders could have their punishment for using the whip one more time than the maximum allowed level of six strikes reduced by one day, to three days, if the rider has had 100 or more rides in Britain since their last breach of the whip rules. A two-day reduction could be permitted if the rider has had 200 or more rides in Britain without breaking the rules.

The same reductions would also apply to jump jockeys who had ridden 75 times without using the whip above the permitted level of seven times, or 150 days without breaching the rules.

The amendments to the rules come at a time when the whip debate has been reignited by the prospect of a significant ban for jockey Jim Crowley after he exceeded the maximum use of the whip during a pulsating finish to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a race won by Crowley on Hukum over the Rob Hornby-ridden Westover.

Under the new rules, penalties will only be doubled in Class 1 races and any Class 2 race worth £150,000 or more. It will also apply to any Class 2 race restricted to apprentice, conditional or amateur riders.

Jim Crowley holds up the trophy after Hukum wins
the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes
Jim Crowley is in danger of picking up a significant ban for his use of the whip on Hukum in the King George
Credit: Mark Cranham
Additionally, riders will only be referred under the totting up rule when punished for using the whip above the permitted level four times in a six-month period, up from three times. The maximum suspension under the totting up rule has also been reduced to four months from six months.

Streamlining to the penalty process has also been brought in, with jockeys able to have their cases heard on the day by racecourse stewards when going one strike over the permitted level. They will have no right to appeal the sanction if taking this option.

The BHA also announced that a time limit of seven days will be imposed for retrospective reviews by the Whip Review Committee (WRC) into potential breaches of the rules, except in the case where there could be a potential disqualification.

Sam Angell, chair of the WRC, said: “These changes reflect an ongoing process to improve the new whip rules and penalties, while retaining the original objectives, which are to ensure more judicious use of the whip for encouragement, improve the perceptions of whip use and ensure that the outcomes of races are fair.

"The BHA remains extremely grateful to the PJA and the senior riders who have engaged so constructively with this process. This dialogue will remain ongoing.

"We continue to see a reduction in the rate of offences, which is a testament to the measures being taken by the jockeys as they continue to adapt to the new rules, for which they deserve great credit.

Data published by the BHA on Monday showed 425 rides had been referred to the WRC during the first six months of the new whip rules, resulting in 360 breaches, or 0.96 per cent of rides during the period.

Using the whip above the permitted level accounted for 61 per cent of the suspensions, with less experienced riders receiving a higher proportion of the bans. Professional riders accounted for 77 per cent of the rides and 57 per cent of the penalties, whereas jockeys classed as apprentice, conditional and amateur received 43 per cent of the bans despite taking 23 per cent of the rides.

“We continue to see a reduction in the rate of offences, which is a testament to the measures being taken by jockeys as they continue to adapt to the new rules, for which they deserve great credit,” Angell added.

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CagliariG 31 Jul 23 19:26 
Not much danger of you being affected Quixall,unfortunately!!

Excuse me you don’t know my P/L……

Oh you don’t believe all the sh!te on here do you ffs

Crowley 20 days official
£10,000 fine

what/wheres   the deterrent  when max fine is less than the jocks winning %

do away with the whip the dodgy ones will be on the menu over the water better a smack don't you think where will the less enthusiastic dodgepots go?

Still leaves him with 50 large in the hip

Should be disqualified…..tbf..

Let's hope Marquand could get a leg up on Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International.

It comes to a fair amount of money.
Mostadahf wins the York race he'll lose that percentage aswell.
That's over £500k to the wnr.

Jocks need an all out strike like everybody else the authorities dont make me laugh who thinks they are fit for purpose racing has gone significantly backwards last ten years in so many ways.