'I felt pretty intimidated' - Hollie Doyle complains about treatment by stewards

Hollie Doyle has said she felt "intimidated" during a stewards' inquiry that led to a six-day ban for improper use of the whip.

The jockey accepted she made a "massive mistake" in striking Echo Brava three times on the flank inside the final furlong when riding the 11-year-old for the first time at Kempton but said her decision to appeal was partly founded on her treatment during the stewards' inquiry after the race on January 30.

Her comments on Monday prompted Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, to call for audio of the inquiry to be made public.

At the hearing Doyle's defence asked for a penalty reduction and Doyle pointed to the relative size of Echo Brava in relation to her and explained how she adapted her use of the whip to strike him gently.

"He's probably one of the biggest horses I've ridden on the track," said Doyle, who rode 151 winners in 2020 when she came third in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Hollie Doyle with her third-placed trophy at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year showCredit: Peter Byrne/PA

"The race unfolded perfectly and he was an armchair ride. I didn't want to give him a hard time and tried to cajole him along. I gave him a little reminder and I've tried to only flick him rather than hit him hard. It was a small misjudgement. I was trying to encourage him gently and that altered my technique. I love horses and the last thing I would want to do is strike the horse short.

"I'm fairly thick-skinned but I felt pretty intimidated in the inquiry. I was repeatedly interrupted and spoken over. I accepted I had hit the horse short unintentionally but I couldn't get a word in.

"The tone in which I was spoken to backed me into a corner and left me no way to describe the incident. That's one of the reasons I opted to appeal. I would hate for a younger jockey to feel the way I did."

The independent panel was shown a two-minute recording of the inquiry, during which Doyle watched half-speed footage of the race and responded to repeated, direct questions about her whip usage.

Speaking after the hearing, a BHA spokesperson said: "It's important all parties involved in a stewards' inquiry have faith in the process and feel that they are given the opportunity to state their views in an objective environment.

Watch Hollie Doyle's ride on Echo Brava at Kempton last month

"We are grateful to Hollie for raising the concerns she had following her experience at Kempton. Over the past two years the BHA has developed and facilitated training for all stewards across the country on process and procedure, and while the pandemic has had an impact on that, further professional development in this regard is ongoing and planned in 2021.

"We also note the disciplinary panel, in dismissing the appeal against the six-day ban Hollie Doyle received for using her whip in the incorrect place, felt she had been able to make all of the points she hoped to raise in responding to the charge in the original inquiry."

Rory Mac Neice, acting on behalf of Doyle, asked the independent panel to consider her use of the whip in the context of the race, during which Doyle produced a mostly hands-and-heels ride.

Louis Weston, representing the BHA, acknowledged Doyle's breach was unintentional and successfully argued there were no extenuating circumstances that could have justified her penalty being reduced.

Struthers said afterwards: "We accept the disciplinary panel's finding. It would be interesting to know what the public and Hollie's colleagues think about the conduct of the original hearing and the BHA should make the audio of the inquiry available on its website."

Read more from recent BHA inquiries:

Aidan O'Brien fined £4,000 for 'million to one' mix-up over Fillies' Mile horses

Apprentice jockey loses appeal against suspension for 'serious misjudgement'

'Crazy' – Warren Greatrex hits out at non-trier insinuation as he wins appeal

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