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Bittar stepping straight into the whip row controversy
paul Bittar, who starts work tomorrow as the British Horseracing Authority’s chief executive, will meet jockeys’ representatives on Friday in a bid to defuse growing concerns about the controversial new whip rules.
The talks come after seven jockeys received suspensions totalling 93 days last Thursday. William Kennedy then received a seven-day ban and forfeited around £2,000 of prize money after winning Saturday’s Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton on Swincombe Flame, though he will not appeal.
Kennedy struck his mount 10 times, two more than the permitted limit. He has received support from 100 people on Twitter, including champion jockey AP McCoy.
“A lot of people believe I was pretty hard done by, including me,” he said. “The loss of prize-money is what’s hardest to take. If she had not lost her back legs landing over the last, I would have probably won by a length and maybe wouldn’t have needed the whip.”
Both the BHA and the Professional Jockeys Association will be keen to resolve matters before the high-profile Cheltenham Festival in March. The BHA must be particularly concerned that heavy suspensions have not dissuaded some jockeys from giving their mount sufficient time to respond to the use of the whip in the closing stages of competitive races.
Last night, Kevin Darley, the PJA’s outgoing chief executive and 2000 Flat champion, said: “Jockeys have a number of ongoing concerns about the rules as they stand and are committed to working in a positive way with the regulator to address them.
“We do not believe that additional discretion for the stewards – which the BHA outlined in November – is being used sufficiently. There have been examples since the latest amendments when jockeys believe discretion could have been used, but it has not been.”
Today’s meeting at Fakenham has fallen victim to frost, while Southwell’s meeting tomorrow will have to pass a 7.30am inspection in the morning.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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