Breeding & Racing Magazine

ARB Faces "United Opposition" To New Whip Rules

The controversial whip issue "is about to turn ugly again" declared The Herald-Sun this morning. "Just when it seemed a truce had been reached between industry bodies & the Australian Racing Board, the issue took a dramatic twist yesterday" when "an impressive list of representatives from all sections of the industry put their case on all issues related to the new whip rules to the ARB." The newspaper noted: "Central to those issues is the right of connections to protest against rival riders who break the whip rules. It is clear the ARB is back under the pump." Thoroughbred Breeders' Australia chief executive Peter McGauran "speaking on behalf of all bodies which made submissions" summed up: "All bodies are now united in their opposition to the limit on the use of the whip in the last 100m. We are all in favour of rider discretion with the supervision of stewards." And he said there was "unanimous opposition to the possible implementation of a protest against jockeys who break the whip rules" noting: "What we have now represents the gravest integrity issues & the future reputation of racing is at stake. A protest system simply will not work. It will cause a crisis in confidence, as stewards cannot make an informed decision to reverse placings where the rider exceeds the 7-strike rule as it stands at the moment."