Racing Australia will be asked to allow more flexibility in policing of the whip rule.
The national chairman of stewards conference in Sydney, which yesterday concluded its two day meeting, will forward to RA recommendations relating to the whip rule.
Ray Murrihy, the chairman of Racing NSW stewards, said he could not articulate all the contents of the recommendation, but divulged that stewards have “some concern about the flexibility of the current restrictions”.
Racing Australia introduced the new whip policy on December 1, 2015 which restricted a jockey to using the whip only five times in a race before the 100 metres as well as not using it in consecutive strides.
“We really have some concerns about the flexibility of the current restrictions and we will make some recommendations,” Murrihy said.
Recommendations flowing from the conference will go to the next Racing Australia board meeting in June, although the whip issue may be fast tracked.
Murrihy said the conference was able to digest what happened with the whip rule during high prizemoney days at the Melbourne and Sydney autumn carnival as well as the Gold Coast Magic Millions day where $10 million was on offer.
To read more, go to: https://www.g1x.com.au/news/racing/stewards-seek-more-flexibility-in-whip-rule
