PNicholls

I have enough on my plate without getting too involved in the politics of the sport, but the decision has been made about the new whip rules and professionals in the sport have to give them a chance.

And I was happy to put my name behind them in the BHA press release last week, along with Sir Henry Cecil, Frankie Dettori and AP.

Don't get me wrong, I certainly wouldn't want to be riding these days and personally I was happy enough with the old rules. And having spoken to AP and Ruby about this at length this week, I can see both sides of the argument and the worries that some jockeys have.

There are new tough rules out there, and harsh penalties for those who transgress them, and they will take some adapting to.

But no-one can be in any doubt where they stand now - it is there in black and white - and we have to give the new rules a chance. And it could end up being for the betterment of the sport as a whole, not simply the perception, and that has to be good for everybody.

For example, it may improve the standard of jockeyship, and make jockeys strive to better themselves. Because the stronger and more accomplished riders will find it easier to adapt and cope.

I would have had no chance!

And the whip is not always the answer - and that was brought home to me with Big Buck's win in the World Hurdle. You would have thought he would be the last horse on whom you would want to lose your stick on, as Ruby did.

But win he did. Jockeyship, allied to the horse, won the day.

One offshoot of the whip rules is that I think you will see more of the lazier types wearing blinkers and cheekpieces, but let's see how everything pans out and go from there. And if tweaking is needed, then so be it and I hope there is some flexibility if needed.

But one thing I wasn't impressed with this week was Towcester racecourse, and their continued PR stunt about wanting to stage whipless and hands and heels races - and I am certainly not alone on that score.

Firm ground is obviously far damaging to horses than a few smacks with an air-cushioned whip and Towcester would be better served concentrating on providing safe ground and running a racecourse, as opposed to a PR agency.

It was good to see the BHA, and many trainers and jockeys, stand up to them.

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