Proper clarity is needed for whip rules to prevent a repeat of ludicrous Cesarewitch hokey cokey

The first thought after hearing the appeals panel's decision to reinstate Alphonse Le Grande as the winner of the 2024 Cesarewitch was I could live with it. The second was the whole palaver was something I very much could have quite happily lived without.

Alphonse Le Grande passed the line first. Job done, there's your winner. Except it didn't take long for people to watch the race back and realise Jamie Powell's ride was going to land him in trouble as he used his whip ten times. Before the trophy was presented everyone was pretty sure the result would be changed by the Tuesday following the race.

Then ITV's Kevin Blake took to X to highlight Powell's final 'strike' had, in fact, missed. Alphonse Le Grande's name was back on the trophy right up until the whip review committee ordered it be scratched out again, most likely because contact was made on the way back.