1st October 2011 Dettori welcomes BHA’s new rules on jockey whip usage

The BHA today announced that jockeys will face stiffer penalties for use of the whip in new rules being introduced on Oct 10 following a 10-month review. Riders are being further restricted as to how many times they can use the whip in a race, as well as being handed out stiffer punishments for using it with excessive frequency.

Frequency guidelines have been removed and replaced by strict and easily understood limits on whip use.

The whip can only be used a maximum of seven times in a Flat race, and eight times in a jumps race (and only five times in the last furlong/after the last obstacle). This is roughly half the amount of times a whip could be used previously before being in breach of the rules of racing.

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

Penalties will increase for those who breach the rules on more than one occasion, and the second offence will be double that of a first offence.
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Dettori, arguably the most famous face in Flat racing, said he agreed with all aspects of the plans and praised the governing body for the clarity of the rules.

The Italian, who was banned for nine days after he hit Rewilding 24 times inside the final two furlongs of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, said: “I am not proud of having fallen foul of the whip rules in the past but I have never harmed a horse.

“These new rules are easy to understand which will help all jockeys ride within them.

“I accept these new rules are in the best interest of our great sport and it is right that they should be in place in time for Britain’s richest ever raceday, Qipco British Champions Day (Ascot, October 8).”

Tony McCoy, champion jumps jockey for the last 16 years and reigning BBC Sports Personality of the Year, said: “The PJA (Professional Jockeys Association) has worked closely with the Authority on the BHA’s Review and I hope my colleagues embrace the proposed changes as being in the best interest of the sport.

“I for one support the changes.”

Sir Henry Cecil, 10-times champion Flat trainer, added: “The BHA has done an excellent, thorough job with their review and I welcome these changes, which will hopefully serve British Racing well.”

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15th August 2011 Grand National fences to be made safer

Will changes to Aintree’s Grand National course make things safer, or is this merely a cosmetic exercise to appease the welfare groups and the once-a-year punter?

Following the unfortunate deaths of Ornais and Dooney’s Gate in last season’s race, The Grand National Review Group consulted animal welfare groups RSPCA and World Horse Welfare as well as the National Trainers’ Federation and the Professional Jockeys’ Association.

Now they are acting on those findings and changes will include the landing side of Becher’s Brook re-profiled to reduce the current drop (i.e. the difference in height between the level of the ground on takeoff and landing) by between 10cm (4 inches) and 12.5cm (5 inches) across the width of the fence. The height of the fence will remain unaltered.

Other changes will see the levelling of the landing side of the first fence, to protect horses from over-jumping at the start of the race, and a reduction in height of the fourth fence by two inches.

The height of the toe boards on all National fences will also be increased to 14 inches, in a bid to provide assistance to horses in determining the base of the fence upon approach.

Aintree’s Clerk of the Course Andrew Tulloch said: “We are not going to name all the jockeys and trainers who were consulted, although I can confirm that Donald McCain was one trainer we did speak to, contrary to reports elsewhere.

“With regard to the changes, it is a very difficult balance to get. Every year we review what can be done and we have worked very closely with the BHA, in particular with Jamie Stier (Director of Raceday Operations and Regulation), and the veterinary people.

“We have done extensive research and watched a lot of video and tapes from the races since that last major modifications in1990.”

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24th July 2011 Wootton Bassett ruled out of Goodwood

Wootton Bassett, the brilliant winner of the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day at Longchamp last year, will miss his intended engagement in Tuesday’s Bet365 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood after scoping badly this morning.

The colt’s trainer Richard Fahey said: “Paul Hanagan said he was a bit quiet when giving him a canter this morning so we had him scoped and it’s come back with a bit of dirt on it.

“I don’t want to drag him down there [Goodwood] if he’s not 100 per cent. It doesn’t look to be anything serious.”

Unbeaten in five outings at two, Wootton Bassett is without a win in two runs this season, finishing fifth in the French Guineas on his return to action before a disappointing seventh behind Frankel in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Both those races were over a mile and the return to the Lagardere trip of 7f in the Lennox was expected to suit, but he is now likely to return to France for the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on August 7 when he could clash with July Cup winner Dream Ahead.

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18th July 2011 Popular sprinter Hogmaneigh put down

Talented sprint handicapper Hogmaneigh, who was sponsored by racinghome.co.uk last season, was put down last week after a recurring foot problem proved untreatable.

The eight-year-old, whose five victories included the Dash at Epsom in 2007 and the Portland Handicap at Doncaster the following year, began his career with trainer Stuart Williams and took his owner Lucille Bone all over Britain and Ireland as well as to France to compete in the Prix de l’Abbaye in 2007.

He had suffered from serious foot abscesses and often had problems with sore feet through his 36-race career.

Lucille Bone referred to Hogmaneigh as “the gentle giant” and added: “He was part of the family, there are pictures of him all over the house. He won’t be forgotten.

“He took us all over the place, places we would only dream about. The days out at the Curragh and in France were very special.”

She nominated his win in a handicap at Sandown in 2006 as one of her favourite memories.

Lucille said: “I remember his big white face, you could spot him easily, the commentator that day said he’d dropped out of the clouds, coming from last to first to win.”

Hogmaneigh had joined Mark Johnston this season and Lucille Bone praised the trainer. She said: “Mark was fantastic at the way he handled our horse.”

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14th July 2011 Maybe remains unbeaten for O’Brien

Maybe maintained her unbeaten record with a ready win in the Group Three Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge had made a big impression when winning the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on her previous start and was always in control here.

Partnered by the trainer’s son Joseph, she tracked the sedate early pace set by Somasach before being produced to lead approaching the final furlong.

The daughter of Galileo was immediately pressed by La Collina but O’Brien Junior never had to get too serious to fend her off by a neck.

Gooseberry Fool came home well to take third for Sir Mark Prescott.

The winning trainer-jockey combination also took the opening maiden with Camelot who looked a very promising colt.

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11th July 2011 Frankel right on track

Tom Queally has moved to scotch any track worries ahead of Frankel’s Goodwood debut in the Qipco Sussex Stakes on July 27.

Following his narrow success in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, Sir Henry Cecil’s colt is unbeaten in seven starts and will now take on five-time Group One winner Canford Cliffs in an eagerly awaited clash dubbed the “Duel on the Downs.”

However Queally believes that the well-balanced son of Galileo will have no problems adapting to Goodwood’s unique course when he tackles Richard Hannon’s star in the Group One feature.

The rider said: “I cannot see the Goodwood track being a problem really – obviously Canford Cliffs has proved himself there before but Frankel is a very well balanced colt. It is going to be a great spectacle.

“The feeling I got off Frankel when he won the Guineas was second to none – he was in tip-top condition and basically ran them into the ground – it was a great day.

“He won at Royal Ascot which was the main thing and now all roads lead to Goodwood and we hope for a bit of luck there.

Asked how he thought the QIPCO Sussex Stakes would pan out, Queally replied: “It is hard to know – there may be contrasting tactics to what we have seen already.

“From my point of view, all I can do is look for chinks in Canford Cliffs’ armour, like in the races he has been beaten in.”

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18th June 2011 Society Rock Ascot

Royal Ascot’s second Group One sprint of the week also remained in British hands as the James Fanshawe-trained Society Rock went one place better than last year in the Golden Jubilee Stakes.

The line-up for the longer version was not as international as Tuesday’s five-furlong King’s Stand, taken by Fanshawe’s fellow Newmarket resident Robert Cowell and Prohibit, but still featured Australian, Irish and French raiders.

Aussie colt Star Witness, who was runner-up in the King’s Stand, was ridden more prominently on this occasion and led approaching the final stages.

But racing on saturated ground was not his forte and he was mown down by Pat Cosgrave and 25-1 shot Society Rock, with Monsieur Chevalier just half a length behind.

Society Rock could not match Starspangledbanner 12 months ago and had been beaten in a conditions race on his most recent start, but patience is a byword for his trainer, who continued a remarkable afternoon just over half an hour later when Deacon Blues plundered the Wokingham Stakes.

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