Jockeys struggle to cope as new whip guidelines begin

Fox was handed a 15-day ban at Salisbury after hitting Orthodox Lad 11 times – seven times in the final furlong – when winning the Bathwick Tyres Salisbury Handicap by a short head.

Hughes was given five days after finishing third on Swift Blade, who was adjudged to have been hit six times inside the final furlong during the same race.

Both jockeys will lose their percentage of prize-money and will also have to forfeit their riding fee.

Hughes said: “I’ll have to go back to school to learn how to count.

“I knew exactly what I was doing and I was aware – I hit him down the neck for correction matters, nothing else.

“I rubbed him once before and he was leaning in, so I flicked him one down the neck, purely to keep him straight.

“They said you aren’t allowed to use your stick as correction and I was under the impression you were allowed to do that.

“If I let him bump the other horse, I’d have got two days.

“I feel a bit hard done by as I thought it was a corrective measure and nothing else, but they said six is six.”

Head of stewards William Nunneley, said: “Kieren Fox hit his horse 11 times, four before the final furlong and seven in the final furlong.

“Under the new regulations, he’s picked up a 15-day suspension and he loses his riding fee and his share of the prize-money.

“Richard Hughes hit his six times in the final furlong and he has received a five-day suspension.

“It had to happen some day and I’m afraid the penalties are there and they are severe. We’ve been trying to educate the riders and at the end of the day, they are the people on top and they are the ones who got us where we are, if you like.

“I’m very disappointed we’ve had two breaches and I’m certainly disappointed with Kieren Fox as that’s not just forgetting, that’s way over the top.

“I was rather hoping that they would understand they have got to change the way they use the whip. It’s a behavioural thing that has got to change.

“They wanted clarity and what we had before wasn’t working – we had 850 breaches of the rule in a year. We had to try and find a way of getting them to concentrate on their riding.

“We’ve noticed a big difference in the way people have been riding (in the last 10 days). They have definitely been thinking about it.”

Frankie Dettori had earlier admitted he was “scared” riding under the new rules, which state a Flat jockey can only hit their mount seven times – and just five times inside the final furlong.

Dettori said: “That was my first ride and I must say I was very aware and very scared. I spent most of the race worrying and making sure I counted them.

“It will take time to adapt and I also found it very hard to distinguish if I was inside or outside the furlong marker.”

Increased entry-point penalties have also been implemented, with a five-day minimum suspension for not adhering to the frequency limits. The previous minimum penalty was a caution.

Dettori added: “When I left the house this morning I set myself a rule that I would not exceed four (hits). That way I will not be too close to the edge.

“I think we just need to tweak it (the rules) a bit.

“We have to do something for the sport so we don’t look like we’re cruel to animals, but the whip is a tool of our profession, if used correctly.

“If we can sit down with the BHA to try and tweak it in a way that us, the stewards and the public can understand it, it would be acceptable.”

Dettori later won on Godolphin’s Ecliptic in the Bathwick Tyres Free Admission Raceday Conditions Stakes but did not need to resort to the whip.

William Buick was in action at Windsor and guided John Gosden’s Money Never Sleeps to an easy win in a six-furlong maiden.

“I think all the jockeys have been practising for a while,” said Buick. “I was practising all last week and I kept within the rules except on one horse where I got carried away.

“I didn’t get banned but I would have got something like 11 days under the new rules.

“The penalties are very harsh so you’ve got to abide by them, it’s not worth getting done.

“I’d rather finish second than get done because you can miss good rides and an awful lot of earnings.”

Although Dettori and Buick and Mackay are established weighing-room names, 7lb apprentice Racheal Kneller is at the other end of the scale.

But after guiding Seneschal into second at Windsor she feels the new sanctions will not really affect her.

“I was keeping count in my head but I’ve never really been a stick-happy jockey anyway,” she said.

“Seneschal is a 10-year-old so he knows what he’s doing, it’s just a case of saying, ‘Come on, let’s go’.

“Now you know what the penalties are you have to keep count but I doubt I’d go over seven anyway but it definitely makes you more aware. I counted five and then I thought I’d leave it there, just in case.”