brant dunshea | Horse Racing Free Tips

New Whip Rules to Start in Early 2023

The British Horseracing Authority approved new guidelines, penalties and procedures regarding the use of the padded whip Tuesday. In Flat racing, the rules will be fully implemented Mar. 27, with a bedding-in period that begins Feb. 27. In Jump racing, the bedding-in period will commence Jan. 9 before being fully implemented Feb. 6. During the bedding-in period, jockeys will be asked to ride under the new rules, however, will not be subject to the new penalty framework.
The core recommendations include:

Use of the whip for encouragement to be limited to the backhand position only
Threshold for acceptable use of the whip to remain at seven in a Flat race and eight in a Jumps race
Development of a whip review committee which is responsible for evaluation of all rides and any necessary sanction or action, to increase consistency and drive ongoing improvement in riding standards
Increased penalties for offences, including doubled suspensions in major races

Disqualification introduced for offences in which the whip has been used four times or more above the permitted level in all races
Brant Dunshea, Chief Regulatory Officer for the BHA said, “We recognise that some of the new rules are going to take some time to get used to for some jockeys, which is why we have factored in time for communication and education as well as a bedding-in period before the rules and penalties are implemented in full.

Full details of the rules, guidance, penalties and procedures can be found on the BHA website.

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BHA Whip Consultation Opens

The British Horseracing Authority on Thursday opened a 10-week open, public consultation on British racing's whip rules and penalities. The consultation, a recommendation of the industry's independently chaired Horse Welfare Board, aims to gather and assess the views of industry participants, stakeholders and wider audiences regarding the rules, use, and penalties for rule breaches.

The first part of the consultation is an online questionnaire that will be available until Sept. 6 and is open to anyone. The second part of the consultation will involve detailed discussions with relevant parties and focus groups.

Upon conclusion of the full consultation process the data, views and suggestions gathered will be considered by the Whip Consultation Steering Group, which includes representation from across the racing industry and wider sectors including politics, horse welfare and the media. Recommendations will be presented to the BHA Board for consideration and approval in early 2022.

The BHA has published three explanatory videos on how the consultation will work: how the process will work, about the whip and how the whip is used. A Q&A document is also available.

Julie Harrington, chief executive of the BHA, said, “At a time when societal and political views are constantly changing, the future health of our sport will depend in part on the maintenance of social licence and the trust that the public and politicians have in us. The racing industry must be willing to listen to and understand a range of perspectives if it is to prosper and safeguard its long-term future. Moreover, we must have rules and a penalty structure which are viewed as fair to participants and the betting public, which encourage riding within the rules and which deter rule breaches. By carrying out this consultation we are looking to signal and facilitate a positive, open debate about this important issue for our sport from the viewpoint of perception and fairness. We encourage everyone with an interest in the subject to take part in the consultation. This is your opportunity to be heard.”

Brant Dunshea, chief regulatory officer for the BHA, said, “The consultation process will be open and transparent, and the views of all parties are welcome and will be considered. The decisions that result from this process are then racing's to make, guided by the consultation responses and the significant expertise that exists within the Steering Group. We encourage all respondents to make use of the supporting information in the consultation, which explains the current design of the whip, and the rules and penalties relating to its use, to ensure that anyone responding to the consultation is informed by the facts.

“This is a complex issue and not a binary one. The consultation will cover a broad range of ground regarding the use of the whip for encouragement, the rules under which the padded whips are used for this specific purpose, and the penalties for breaches of those rules. We ask everyone involved to take part in this debate constructively and respectfully.”

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British Horseracing Authority Developing Jockey Saliva Testing Pilot Program

In a move to further safeguard human and equine wellbeing and safety, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is currently developing a pilot program to assess the use of saliva testing on race days as a method of screening for cocaine and some other banned substances in jockeys.

The pilot, which is currently planned to commence in the spring, is being developed in conjunction with the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) and uses oral swabs to provide a near-instant indication as to whether substances are present in a rider's system, above the existing thresholds.

Should the pilot prove successful, British racing would become the first major sport in Britain to utilize on-the-day screening for banned substances through oral swabs.

Any jockey who tests positive would be stood down from riding for the day, in the interests of the safety of fellow jockeys and horses, as is the case with breathalyzer tests for the presence of alcohol.

As well as providing instant responses, saliva testing is also highly cost effective. If the pilot proves successful and the system is rolled out on a permanent basis, this – combined with increased funding being allocated to testing in 2021 – would result in a significant increase in the number of race day tests carried out each year.

Brant Dunshea, Chief Regulatory Officer for the BHA, said:

“This is an exciting and innovative proposal which could have a huge impact on our ability to protect the sport against individuals who are competing while under the influence of prohibited substances. We are pleased to be working with the PJA on its development.

“We hope that the use of on-the-day screening, alongside increased testing capacity, will provide greater deterrent to potential offenders and greater reassurance to riders that they are competing in a safe environment, should the pilot be successful.”

Saliva testing will be used alongside urine testing with a broad range of substances detectable. Raceday saliva tests will act as a preliminary screen, and any jockey who tests positive in this manner would then be required to take a confirmatory test for the purposes of any further investigation or disciplinary action.

Moreover, any jockey who returns a positive test will also be contacted by the BHA's Chief Medical Adviser to discuss any care and support that may be appropriate.

Brant Dunshea added:

“There is much more to tackling issues such as substance use than pure regulation. The BHA is also working with the PJA to take a wider look at this issue and how we can better educate and protect our participants and rehabilitate those who do become involved.

“We want to encourage a culture of openness within our sport. We want people to have confidence to come forward and speak up about all issues around health and well-being, and will seek to support anyone who faces problems or has found themselves in difficulty.

“We would encourage anyone who is involved with issues around substance use, or know of someone who is, to contact the PJA or the BHA's Chief Medical advisor Dr Jerry Hill directly, or contact the PJA's confidential helpline and support network run by Sporting Chance.”

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