RICHARD HUGHES has given uphis riding licence in protest at the new whip regulations after receiving a ten-day ban at Kempton on Thursday night. It was his second whip ban in the four days since the tough new regulations were introduced. Thetop jockey said he would relinquish his licence until the new rules were reviewed and gave up his two remaining rides on Kempton's all-weather card. "I can't ride horses knowing that I'm not doing myself and the owners who pay £100 a time justice," said Hughes. "I will only consider starting again if there is a review of the rules. I'd rather sweep roads than do half a job. I've notified Richard [Hannon]." The fresh punishment meansHughes will miss the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs next month when he was due to ride Strong Suit in the Breeders' Cup Mile. He also stated he would not ride at Ascot's British Champions Days on Saturday. Hughes registered his disgust with the new rules after his first whip ban on Monday, the day regulations were introduced. The rules limit jockeys to seven strikes (five in the last furlong) on the Flat and eight over jumps. Thursday night's second ban, picked up on More Than Words and increased from five to ten days for being his second such offence, appeared to be the final straw for Hughes, who took particular aim at the limit of five whip strikes in the final furlong. He said: "We're allowed to hit them seven times and both times I've been done, I've hit them six times, which is less than the amount you're allowed and I've got a fifteen day ban because of it and I miss the Breeders' Cup. "They've madethe rules so you hit them more, so you have to get two into them before the furlong pole as then you've only got five left. I was always told as a young jockey the last jockey who goes for his whip normally wins." In an interview with Racing UK, Hughes added: "They're taking the art of race riding away from me, it's like telling Messi not to use his left foot anymore." Hughes is one of the sport's leading lights and finished a close second to Paul Hanagan in an epic duel during last season's Flat jockeys' championship. Earlier on Thursday, the BHA announced they would review the penalties for whipoffences. Fellow jockey James Doyle also received a five-day whip ban at Kempton for his ride on Tigers Tale in the 7f nursery, while on Wednesday William Buick, Pat Cosgrave and Natalia Gemelova all fellfoul of the beefed-up penalty structure, which has stoked ill feeling in the weighing room.
I can't blame Richard Hughes and I feel very sorry for him. You would think he was intentionally butchering horses from the severity of the bans. I can see flat jockeys striking if this is not resolved soon. Idiots like McCririck have brought about these ridiculous rules.
now if only Frankie, AP & Fallon the big names in the sport started to follow suit and make a bigger statement. be correct
The missus works in the Turf Club and she was saying all the talk is of quitting and protests at this.
TRAINER Richard Hannon came out in full support of his stable jockey Richard Hughes on Friday, a day after the rider relinquished his licence following a second whip suspension in four days. Hughes, who was fourth in the Flat jockeys' championship, will miss the ride aboard Strong Suit in the Breeders' Cup Mile after he was deemed to have struck the unraced juvenile More Than Words six times in the final furlong, one hit over the threshold, in a 6f maiden at Kempton on Thursday. Hughes received an escalated ten-day ban as it was his second offence in the last 12 months, on top of the five days he received at Salisbury on Monday, when the new whip regulations were introduced. Hannon, who won last season's Flat trainers' championship, wrote on his website: "It is absolutely ridiculous, and we will be the laughing stock of America when we get to the Breeders' Cup and tell them that we could not bring our jockey because, though he weighs little more than 8st, he was suspended for striking half a ton of horseflesh six times with a padded foam whip. "Qatar Bloodstock, who own Strong Suit, have made an enormous investment into our racing this season, and how this horse runs at Churchill Downs will go a long way to determining his value as a stallion. "Strong Suit is a very good horse, but he is not an easy ride and takes a bit of knowing, and now because of one stupid decision we find that we are going to America without a jockey." Richard Hughes: 15-day ban PICTURE: Edward Whitaker/RacingPostPix.com Hannon continued: "Richard Hughes does not abuse horses and he never has done. If Sheikh Fahad thought that he did he would not have horses with us, and nor would Andrew Tinkler or Julie Wood. "Both Andrew and Julie have also ploughed a huge amount of money into racing - Julie has 26 horses with us and she was actually delighted with the ride that Hughesie gave More Than Words at Kempton and could not believe how they could possibly do him for the whip. "The whole thing is a complete shambles and a total embarrassment. We are 100% behind Hughesie, but this is not all about him. The entire situation re-thinking - people who do not understand race-riding are destroying the sport." Following his decision, Hughes will miss his rides at Ascot on British Champions Day on Saturday. Dick Turpin will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon in the Qipco-sponsored Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, while Mickael Barzalona will ride Casamento in the Qipco Champion Stakes. Gerald Mosse takes the ride on Polly's Mark in Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, with Kieren Fallon replacing Hughes on Libranno in the Qipco British Champion Sprint Stakes.
A horse barely even feels the whip, its made out like its barbaric but its a pin prick to them. Stupid rule, but I cant see how will the horseracing authorities will resolve this without losing face. Interesting off season ahead.
Admit there wrong,go back and come up with a solution that suit's everyone and **** the pandering to the cruelty mob.
Spot on. How many winners has John McCrirrick ridden? Even the booby must shudder at the thoughts of a gallop with him on board. It won't be long before the grand national is run over brush hurdles the way these idiots are going. Fair enough if a horse is clearly marked after a race and distressed then bans are fine in my opinion but let the jockeys do the job they have been trained to do FFS.
May be the horse hardly feels it, but I have been at the finishing line in many race tracks and the first time I heard a jockey whip a horse, I could not believe the loudness of it. Fair play to Richard for making a stance, as I am away, this is all news to me. If other jockeys follow suit, then the powers to be will find themselves in a spot of bother. I would agree, it is a ridiculous ruling.
Race horses are amongst the most well looked after and well treated animals in the world. Its a joke. Do gooders ruining a fine sport. With the adreline ad what not the horse can't feel it, how much does a horse weigh compared to a jockey? Outrage.
I seen Ruby walsh got banned for 5 days for whipping the horse one more time than he should have, even though Nicholas said he gave the horse a fantastic ride and won the game.There was a protest in the dressing room.Walsh was saying he is thinking of only racing in Ireland from Now on.
Walsh falls foul of whip rule Racing: Barry Geraghty believes Ruby Walsh was badly done when banned for five days for overstepping the new British whip rules on Edgardo Sol at Aintree yesterday. Walsh may consider restricting his visits to Britain for big meetings in future. And Geraghty, who also divides his time between Ireland and England, is unhappy with the regulations now in force. “I thought Ruby gave his horse a brilliant ride,” said Geraghty. “He stopped using the whip with about 100 yards to go and gave him one more smack and it was the difference between winning and losing. “It was a brilliant ride and to get suspended for that is flying in the face of what we are trying to do. We want to win races but not at all costs. If you are on a horse that travels well to the last, or between the last two, there’s no need to get stuck into him for a major effort until late in the race. “But if you are on a horse that’s a bit lazy and wants a couple of smacks early on in the race to keep him up to his job your eight have gone and you’re just watching the race go away from you. “You can’t ask the horse for the effort he needs to give to win when you are reduced to a passenger.” Walsh was left fuming after being found guilty of using his whip with excessive frequency. Walsh, who had earlier finished last of three on red-hot favourite Master Minded in the Old Roan Chase, won the Betfred Bundles Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase but was found to have used his whip more than the allotted eight times allowed under the new regulations. There was a slight delay to the following race as the jockeys refused to enter the paddock, however they were eventually persuaded. After being told of his ban by the stewards, Walsh appeared outside the weighing room before taking his mount on Gansey in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase, saying: “Who found my ride ridiculous? “Come on, where’s this public perception we keep getting told about . . . If that ride deserves five days this game is done for.” Stipendiary steward Robert Earnshaw added: “The jockeys had a discussion and were slightly reluctant to come out. I and Adrian Sharpe went into the changing room and with the help of AP McCoy persuaded them to come out.