Jockey receives hefty suspension after whipping rival horse on the head

Jockey Ryan Hurdle has been suspended for ten meetings – the equivalent of three weeks - in South Australia after he was found guilty of deliberately striking a rival horse on the head with his whip in a race at Murray Bridge last week.

Hurdle was charged with improper riding for the incident that took place in the final stages of race four, a mile maiden, on Wednesday, August 26 in which he rode runner-up Conconi.

Stewards found that, between the final 150m and 100m of the race, Hurdle "turned his head" and used his whip "in a manner inconsistent with his normal use of the whip" to make contact with the head of eventual winner Allacciato, who was making a run to his outside under Eran Boyd.

Despite the contact, Allacciato finished powerfully to defeat Conconi by half a length.

Hurdle entered a plea of not guilty in the inquiry, which was held at Morphettville on Saturday, but was found guilty by stewards and banned from riding until late September.

In determining the penalty, stewards took into account Hurdle’s clean record and the low level of force with which he used his whip.

View the incident at Murray Bridge here

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