Ireland’s jockeys insist they see no need to pursue similarly radical changes to the whip rules that are set to come into force in Britain this autumn.
Last week’s British Horseracing Authority announcement of changes to rules relating to whip use, including potential disqualification as well as restricting riders to using whips in the backhand position, has proved divisive.
High-profile cross-channel figures such as former champion jockey Richard Hughes have been critical of the proposed changes which were the result of lengthy deliberations by an industry steering group.
The BHA declared it will be interesting to see if other jurisdictions follow its lead in relation to the whip although the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has ruled that out.
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Riders here agree with that IHRB stance according to the Irish Jockeys Association.
“We knew this review was coming and from a rider’s point of view it didn’t come as any surprise. It was well flagged, the direction they were going in the UK. Is there a need to follow that here – no, is the answer, I don’t think there is any need to follow it,” the IJA secretary Andrew Coonan said.
Instead, the IJA backed the IHRB whip rules introduced in 2019 which make provision for an automatic steward’s inquiry once a jockey uses the whip nine times or more in a race.
The IJA was initially critical of those guidelines but now feel they are working.
“What we’re seeing, and I think it is accepted among the riders, while we had difficulty adapting over a period of time to the new rules here, that they have bedded in well and riders accept that those rules are better for racing.
“They have improved the style of finish and so there’s an acceptance here that we are in quite a good position. But we can’t take that for granted. It needs to be constantly monitored and it is being constantly monitored,” Coonan said.
The IJA spokesman also described as “a complete red herring” any idea of Irish-based jockeys travelling to ride in Britain encountering problems adapting to any new rules.
“One immediately thinks of what happens at Cheltenham and Aintree, or wherever – I think that’s a complete red herring.
“These riders are going from county to country per weekend. We have fellas going to Japan, guys riding in France, Sweden, Germany, England at the weekends: you get into the country you’re in, you find out what are the rules, and you adapt to those rules.
“It’s not creating problems for riders at the moment. The rules are quite restrictive in France compared to here but that’s not creating problems. If they are the rules, you ride by those rules,” he said.
“The use of the stick in the backhand position is not unusual and you’ll find that riders almost always when they pick up the stick will flick a horse in the backhand position before they ever turn their stick.
So, it’s not an unusual practice or anything new for them. They will just not turn it into the forehand in that particular jurisdiction. You know that when you go there and you ride like that. It’s as simple as that to be perfectly honest,” Coonan added.
The cross-channel whip debate will continue in the context of this Saturday’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot which will have a maximum of half a dozen runners after Monday’s latest acceptance stage.
Colin Keane’s mount, the Irish Derby winner Westover, is an 11-8 favourite with some firms to land a blow for the three year crop ahead of the older generation.
The other member of the classic generation, Emily Upjohn, who was forced to miss last Saturday’s Irish Oaks due to travel problems, is next best in the betting.
Aidan O’Brien’s Broome is a 14-1 outsider of the sextet with most firms who reckon last year’s runner up Mishriff and the German Arc winner Torquartor Tasso hold better claims.
In other news, Willie Mullins has the topweights for both the Tote Galway Plate and Guinness Galway Hurdle at next week’s summer festival in Ballybrit.
Mullins pulled off the big-race Galway double last year through Royal Rendezvous in the Plate and Saldier in the Hurdle.
Saint Roi tops the weights for the latter event next Thursday and Mullins has 10 entries overall left in overall, including Echoes In Rain. The champion trainer has landed the €270,000 highlight four times in the last six years.
Lass year’s runner-up Easy Game is highest rated in the Plate but Gordon Elliott is numerically best represented with eight entries.
They include the recent impressive Midlands National winner, Hurricane Georgie. She won by 13 lengths at Kilbeggan and has risen by 11lbs in official ratings for that effort.
