IHRB have no plans to replicate British racing’s radical whip rule changes

There are no plans in Irish racing to replicate the radical changes to whip use outlined by the British Horseracing Authority on Tuesday.

The results of a long-awaited steering group report on use of the whip in Britain will see horses disqualified for extreme breaches of the rules and jockeys restricted to using the whip for encouragement in the backhand position. These changes will be introduced in the late autumn.

Under new recommendations approved by the BHA board, disqualification of horses will occur when a jockey uses the whip 12 times or more in a jumps race and 11 times or more on the flat. That is four strikes more than the current permitted level.

Disqualification for riders will mean a 14-day suspension in a standard race and 28 days in a major race. A major race is now defined as including all class one and two races over flat and jumps, plus any race worth £27,500 and £20,000 on the flat and over jumps respectively.

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Under the new rules, last season’s Aintree Grand National winner Noble Yeats would have been disqualified.

The recommendations were drawn up by a 15-person steering group that included racing professionals such as trainer John Gosden as well as jockeys Tom Scudamore and PJ McDonald.

It makes Britain an outlier from other major racing jurisdictions in relation to potential disqualifications and forbidding riders from using their whip in a forehand position except for rare safety reasons.

The BHA said on Tuesday it will be interesting to see if other countries follow the British lead on an issue with potentially huge implications for punters, the betting industry, and perhaps most significantly of all, owners of horses that might get thrown out due to jockeys breaking the rules.

However, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board was quick out of the blocks to say there were no plans for a similar move here.

“Everything is constantly under review, including anything to do with stewarding or enforcement of our rules. However, in relation to disqualifications for whip use, or altering use in the backhand position, neither of those areas are on the agenda for the IHRB,” a spokesman said.

“We note the publication of their review. We would always look at what other jurisdictions are doing. But at the moment there are no plans on this,” he added.

There was upheaval when the BHA last tried to introduce major whip reform in 2011.

However, the body’s CEO Julie Harrington said: We must have in place rules which reflect best practises in horsemanship while at the same time safeguarding the sport’s public perception and, through this, the engagement of our fans and the future of our sport.”

[ Frankie Dettori has record-equalling sixth Irish Oaks in his sights with Emily Upjohn ]

In other news, Emily Upjohn is a 1-2 favourite to land this Saturday’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh.

Frankie Dettori’s intended mount could renew rivalry with Aidan O’Brien’s Tuesday who edged her out by a short head in the Epsom Oaks last month.

The pair are among 11 fillies left in the season’s latest classic at Tuesday’s acceptance stage.

O’Brien is numerically best represented with five hopefuls in all still in the reckoning with Tuesday joined by stable mates such as History and Toy.

The latter pair also hold entries however in the following day’s Group Two Kilboy Estate Stakes.

Tuesday faces the prospect of contesting a fifth classic this season if given a green light to run while Jessica Harrington’s Ribblesdale winner Magical Lagoon could be joined by her stable companion, Fennela.

Ground conditions at the Curragh are set to be quick as watering continues on ground currently described as good and good to firm in places.

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After controversy over a €50 general admission charge for Derby day at HQ last month, the equivalent charge for entry to Saturday’s Oaks will be €30.

The run of double-programmes continues with racing either side of the island on Wednesday.

Downpatrick’s afternoon card sees champion National Hunt rider Paul Townend travel north for a single spin on Another Choice in a maiden hurdle.

At the other end of the country Killarney’s July festival continues with a flat fixture highlighted by the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes.

First time cheek-pieces could help Voice Of Angels be a major contender for that contest while a step up to a mile, as well as getting the allowances, may be critical to Comhra getting back to winning ways in an earlier juvenile event.