Ballarat-based group 1-winning jockey John Allen says a clearer rule would be the best way forward for the racing industry as the whip again comes under scrutiny.
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This week, Racing Victoria announced that it was seeking national action on whip reform in Australian thoroughbred racing prior to the end of 2020.
RV is of the view that a new framework is required to transition the industry to an ultimate prohibition on use of the whip for purposes other than to protect the safety of horses and jockeys.
RV will be seeking a vote at the November 2020 Racing Australia board meeting that the transition commences with a significant reduction in the permitted use of the whip in a race. RV says it will propose that from 2021 riders are only permitted to use the whip on a maximum number of occasions throughout the entire race and never in a horse's consecutive strides. RV is proposing that the maximum number be between five and eight occasions per race.
The current Australian Rules of Racing permit the use of the whip a maximum of five times in non-consecutive strides prior to the 100m mark and at the rider's discretion in the final 100m of a race where its use in consecutive strides is permitted.
Allen said banning the whip completely would be a step too far, but agreed that some changes needed to be made.
"Personally there's just a bit of a grey area on the rules at the moment, where as if you have an exact number I think it's a bit more straight down the line," Allen said.
While he agreed with some of the proposed steps from RV, Miners Rest trainer Mitch Freedman questioned just who the industry was trying to please.
"I don't think the horses need to be struck in consecutive strides because I think they need time to respond," he said.
"I'd be in favour of having a total amount of hits per race.
"You're never going to please the people from the far left until racing is gone and that's the concern for me, but we've also got to engage audiences and if they don't like the look of it they're not going to become engaged.
"I don't like the look of the horse being beaten to a pulp in a finish, that's for sure. We need to find a happy medium, but we also need to ensure the jockeys still have it there for safety."
In calling for reform, RV articulated that jockeys should be permitted to continue to carry whips at all times.
There has been widespread criticism from participants about the lack of consultation from RV before proposing these changes.