Harsher whip penalties to be introduced in Victoria from August

Jockeys in Victoria that break the whip rules from the start of the new season could face a minimum seven-day suspension as well as a hefty fine under stricter penalties that will soon apply.

After a long spate of fines and suspensions for various whip breaches, the new guidelines on penalties have been introduced to provide a consistent framework for stewards and to further encourage jockeys to come in line with the rules.

The new guidelines – that begin from the new season on August 1 – for stewards when deciding penalty for overuse of the whip during a race were developed in consultation with the Victorian Jockeys' Association.

In a release on Thursday, Racing Victoria said the new guidelines on penalties would provide a clear framework for all industry stakeholders, in particular riders, setting out a minimum starting position for considerations on penalties that will be imposed by stewards if a breach of Australian Rule of Racing (AR) 132(7) pertaining to whip use occurs.

The statement by Racing Victoria said: "Whilst minimums have been implemented, the final penalties will remain at the discretion of the stewards in accordance with AR283, with higher fines and/or lengthier suspensions available for whip breaches in Group or feature races and/or if a rider has a poor disciplinary record for whip-related offences."

The RV executive general manager of integrity services, Jamie Stier, said: "We note the use of the whip and associated breaches of the national rules garners much debate, including in recent times a focus on the penalties being applied.

"All riders are expected to compete in accordance with the national rules and to that end, they should not use their whip outside the permitted limits. Should they do so and breach the whip rules then appropriate penalties are important for ongoing deterrence.

"Following extensive consultation with the VJA, we are providing a new set of penalty guidelines from 1 August which provide greater clarity for all parties, serve as an important deterrence and ensure that the Stewards retain some flexibility to consider the circumstances of the race and the rider’s record.

"It is important to note that these guidelines reflect the minimum starting point for considerations on penalties to be imposed and that the Stewards will ultimately deliver penalties that they feel are appropriate in all the circumstances to encourage compliance to the rules."

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