Whip consultation put on hold due to coronavirus outbreak

The consultation on British racing's whip rules and penalties, which was part of the recommendations made in the Horse Welfare Board's landmark five-year strategy, has been "temporarily" postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The BHA made the request as the consultation would have required "significant focus" from senior officials who are involved in forming and delivering the sport's operation plan to deal with the current crisis.

The consultation would also have involved "a substantial element of face-to-face and group discussion", the BHA added.

'Pivotal moment for racing' as Horse Welfare Board releases five-year strategy

The HWB's independent chair Barry Johnson said the body had given its backing to the BHA's request.

Johnson said: "The Horse Welfare Board fully supported the BHA's request to postpone the planned consultation on the whip and will work with the BHA, at an appropriate time, to agree a new timetable.

"We are keen to ensure that any consultation on the whip is done thoroughly and well, with maximum involvement from people in the sport, which would be enormously challenging in the current circumstances.

"This postponement will allow British racing to focus on more immediate concerns relating to the welfare of people and horses. The Horse Welfare Board will support these efforts in any possible way and applauds the exceptional work that thousands of people in the industry are continuing to do on a daily basis, in caring for future, current and retired racehorses."

The Horse Welfare Board published its strategy in February

In its report 'A Life Well Lived', published in February, the HWB recommended that there was a minimum requirement for an increase in penalties for whip rule breaches.

However, it said the BHA should conduct a consultation seeking views from the industry and the wider public on a range of issues surrounding the whip, including penalties and what should be classed as allowable use, "mindful of the role that carrying a racing whip plays in ensuring the safety of horse and rider".

The coronavirus outbreak has also led to a delay in the implementation of changes to apprentice and conditional jockey training agreements.

The amendments, which were due to come into force on March 28, included controversial changes to the way income and expenses are to be split between apprentice jockeys and their trainers.

Apprentice jockeys were set to be given a larger share of their prize-money winnings and riding fees, with trainers no longer required to pay their expenses, a change that led to some trainers to say they would not take on any new apprentices.

The BHA said it would provide an update on when the changes would take effect when racing resumed.

The BHA also revealed that entries for the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas have been cancelled and are provisionally programmed to be opened at the six-day stage.

The governing body has also revealed that all hunter chases for the remainder of the 2019-20 season ending in May have been cancelled, irrespective of when racing might return in Britain.

The decision was taken following the cancellation of the point-to-point season.

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How racing's self-employed are tackling the shutdown

Fitter than ever: how Oisin Murphy has been spending his time in self-isolation

Daily update to help racing industry personnel through the financial crisis

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