Sam James handed 34-day ban for overuse of whip under totting-up rules

Group 1-winning jockey Sam James has been banned for 34 days, nine of which have been suspended, after falling foul of the whip totting-up rules for the second time in eight months.

James, 34, was referred to the disciplinary panel by the Whip Review Committee last month after he was found to have gone one strike above the permitted level of six when finishing second on Karmology in a Listed race at York on July 26.

The BHA had initially proposed settling the matter via the Fast Track disciplinary process, but the proposed sanction of 34 days was not accepted by James. The rider changed his position to agree with the BHA in recent days, but a full hearing took place on Thursday after the late change of heart was not accepted by disciplinary panel chair, Sarah Crowther KC.

Charlotte Davison, representing the BHA, said the proposed sanction had been arrived at by comparing James’s case with that of Marco Ghiani, who was banned for 34 days in March for similar whip breaches.

Roderick Moore, representing James, said the rider had erred at York having believed he had accidentally hit his boot with his first attempted use of the whip, which he had pointed out to stewards after the race.

“Mr James said what he said in good faith and he believed that his first hit was on his boot,” Moore said. “We are all human and we all make mistakes. Because he thought he had hit his boot, he thought he had all six strikes left.”

Moore added that a ban of 34 days would have a “profound financial impact” on James, but added: “When all is said and done, I think the BHA has got this absolutely right; I haven’t said that much over the last decade and a half.”

Rachel Spearing, who chaired Thursday’s panel, noted that James’s infringements had come primarily in higher-grade races, and asked whether the rider had experienced “a rush of blood to the head” in attempting to gain the best possible placing in such contests.

James said: “I don’t think it’s pressure. I have miscounted on a couple of occasions and it’s happened to be in bigger races, but I haven’t felt it was due to pressure to finish in a certain position. 

“I have already been speaking to [sports psychologist] Michael Caulfield and other sports people to help me with this matter. I’m not doing it on purpose, but it seems to be that the more that it happens and the more that I’m trying not to do it, the more I end up going one over. I don’t think I can just carry on and things will be all right.”

As part of James’s sanction, he will be required to undergo two days of training, with the rider told by Spearing that it would be potentially problematic for him if he was referred for a third time under the totting-up process.

She added: “He's an experienced jockey and a talented, successful jockey. He’s tasked with riding some of racing’s most talented and special horses in the full glare of the public. 

"These rules exist because racing, and the regulator, is very clear that they are totally committed to not abusing horses through the misuse of the whip. While that is not a comment on Mr James’s riding, this is important for the integrity of the sport.”

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