BHA to launch review into whip use at showpiece meetings

The BHA confirmed on Saturday plans to launch a review next month into its regulation of the whip and to consider if the deterrents are sufficiently strong on the sport's showpiece days.

Racing’s governing body and regulator moved to quash speculation regarding an imminent raising of penalties for big-race whip infringements, and stressed any new rules might not even be in place in time for the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Having on Wednesday made public the findings of its review into equine deaths at this year’s festival, which also received negative coverage due to a number of high-profile whip bans, the BHA will now turn its attention to the future of the whip.

The BHA statement said: "The BHA stated in March that we would be looking at penalties for whip offences to ensure they present a sufficient deterrent, especially in higher-profile races. We have been continuing to monitor data in 2018, and now that the Cheltenham review has been published we are in a position to consider how to progress this issue.

"This process will start in January, when we will begin putting timelines in place and properly scoping out the project. Before any final decisions are made a full and proper process will be followed which will include gathering the views of participants."

The statement added a welfare strategy for next year would also likely consider the use of the whip. It said: "As we said this week, a new welfare board will be working with the BHA on a industry welfare strategy in 2019. That board, when formed, will no doubt consider all aspects of welfare, which may include the use of the whip in British racing – but no decisions have yet been made."

Confirmation that the views of racing professionals would be taken into account by the BHA during the review was welcomed by Paul Struthers, the chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association.

He said: “We’ve been assured by the BHA that no decisions have been made and that they want to work with jockeys not against them, which was good to hear.”

Read The Briefing from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com with all the day's latest going, weather, market moves and non-runner news