Julie Harrington: new whip rules are not pandering to people who will never love the sport

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington has insisted racing's new whip rules were not introduced to appease people who "will never love the sport".

The change to the rules around the use of the whip has drawn strong criticism, with 13-time champion jumps trainer Paul Nicholls on Friday slamming the timing of its introduction before the Cheltenham Festival, which starts on March 14. Nicholls said the BHA needed "a bit of backbone" to stand up for the sport.

The swirl of attention generated by the change to the whip rules in close proximity to the Cheltenham Festival was also labelled "a shame" by Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning rider Sam Waley-Cohen, who also expressed an eagerness for racing to showcase the positive welfare steps that are in place for horses participating in the sport.

Harrington said: "I'm obviously disappointed to hear those comments [from Nicholls] but actually it does take backbone to make some unpopular decisions. We know there is huge passion on either side of the debate about the whip and I have to be strong in that we are not pandering to those people who will never love the sport.

"What we're trying to do is make sure the sport is fair and that it's as attractive as possible to those people who don't have a strong opinion either way on the sport.

"Everybody would agree that there's different sides and schools of thought on whether the whip is a welfare issue but I think everybody does agree that it is a perception issue for the sport. It would be negligent of us to know that and sit and do nothing about it.

"For those people who work closely with horses, and the whip review panel on our behalf was filled with people who do so, their strong recommendation was to continue to keep the whip for encouragement because they believe it is not a welfare issue. The whip is recognised as a useful tool in horsemanship, in terms of getting horses to engage, give its best and get around the course safely.

"I do not believe the whip is an issue of welfare but I'm also leading a sport where I know there is a huge passionate debate on both sides and difference of opinion."

The whip: the number of permitted hits has been reduced by oneCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The whip can be used by jockeys six times on the Flat and seven times over jumps under the new rules – a reduction of one strike – with disqualification for their mount if they go four or more times over that threshold. Jockey suspensions for offences are also more severe.

Whip suspensions were given to 19 jockeys in the first week the rules were introduced from February 13. A further 12 riders were suspended after the whip review committee convened for a second time this week.

Harrington said on Racing TV's Luck On Sunday: "There is the issue of fairness and we needed to make sure there is a sufficient deterrent to riding outside of the rules and there isn't a win at any costs mentality.

"There's never a good time to make changes and making changes is difficult. There will always be people who disagree but there is a clear understanding that those rules are in place now and it's up to the jockeys to ride within those rules.

"We've been really pleased seeing how hard riders have worked to make these adjustments and I commend them for that."

Sam Waley-Cohen: "The quality of riding at every level in the sport – professional, conditional and amateur – has just got better and better"Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Of the 31 jockeys receiving bans under the new rules, 18 have been either an amateur or a conditional rider. However, Waley-Cohen, who won the 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Long Run and last year's Grand National on Noble Yeats, is confident riders will adjust in time before riding at the festival.

"I have no doubt at all that the amateur riders competing at Cheltenham will be able to cope just fine," he said. "It takes time to adjust to these things coming in and with those jockeys who are riding less often it can take a few extra rides to get used to the changes.

"The quality of riding at every level in the sport – professional, conditional and amateur – has just got better and better so I am certain they'll be able to ride to the rules during Cheltenham."

Whip bans are doubled if the offence takes place in Class 1 and 2 races. Lorcan Williams, a rider based with Nicholls, will miss the Cheltenham Festival after receiving an 18-day suspension for overuse of the whip on Prestige Novices' Hurdle winner Makin'yourmindup last month.

Four days of Williams' 18-day ban were for using the whip above shoulder height, a rule that has proved contentious and has led to some jockeys having to adapt their style to compete within the rules.

Waley-Cohen, who retired from riding after winning the Grand National, said the attention the changes to the whip rules have generated is unfortunately timed for racing.

“I think it’s always a shame when something like the brilliant racing at Cheltenham gets overshadowed by something else,” he said. “It’s a fantastic sport and we have to always be asking ourselves if we are doing the right processes and sending the right message. 

“This sport has some of the best horse welfare in the entire world and there are so many fantastic things that are done for horses and it’s important that it isn't lost in all this talk around the whip. It’s the right debate to have had but you don’t want to get bogged down on the wrong things as well.”

Read more . . .

'Livid' Paul Nicholls hits out at BHA over timing of new whip rules 

'Everyone's petrified' - Richard Patrick hits out over new whip rules 

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