Win2Win Racing
2nd February 2012, 20:12
Paul Struthers, the in-coming chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, today reiterated his desire to find a solution to the issue of the whip in time for the Cheltenham Festival.
Struthers, who begins his new role on Monday week, has been gathering opinion from riders around the country, and as former head of communications at the British Horseracing Authority, Struthers was on the review group that looked into the use of the whip.
"Everyone wants it sorted in time for Cheltenham," he told At The Races from Southwell.
"What we can't have, and what would be terrible, is every single day at Cheltenham being dominated over an issue that is not really an issue. I'm really hopeful we can get a resolution that keeps as many people as happy as possible.
"The key issue that is coming through to me is rides that would never have even come under scrutiny a year ago are getting bans. David Probert the other day went one over for the third time and he got six days. He got four days the time before and two for the first time.
"He's gone three over across three races and is banned for almost two weeks. There's a strong feeling from everyone, not just jockeys, that that is not proportionate whatsoever.
"Penalties and discretion are the key, and I'm really hoping we can come to something jockeys can happily live with and the administrators like and the public like. Cheltenham is a month and a half away. If they want the rules in place before then - you can't bring it in the Monday before Cheltenham - you have to look at making changes a week or two before.
"We've got until the end of February, I'd say, to get this ironed out and get everyone on-side, hopefully. If we don't sort it out I don't know what will happen."
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Struthers, who begins his new role on Monday week, has been gathering opinion from riders around the country, and as former head of communications at the British Horseracing Authority, Struthers was on the review group that looked into the use of the whip.
"Everyone wants it sorted in time for Cheltenham," he told At The Races from Southwell.
"What we can't have, and what would be terrible, is every single day at Cheltenham being dominated over an issue that is not really an issue. I'm really hopeful we can get a resolution that keeps as many people as happy as possible.
"The key issue that is coming through to me is rides that would never have even come under scrutiny a year ago are getting bans. David Probert the other day went one over for the third time and he got six days. He got four days the time before and two for the first time.
"He's gone three over across three races and is banned for almost two weeks. There's a strong feeling from everyone, not just jockeys, that that is not proportionate whatsoever.
"Penalties and discretion are the key, and I'm really hoping we can come to something jockeys can happily live with and the administrators like and the public like. Cheltenham is a month and a half away. If they want the rules in place before then - you can't bring it in the Monday before Cheltenham - you have to look at making changes a week or two before.
"We've got until the end of February, I'd say, to get this ironed out and get everyone on-side, hopefully. If we don't sort it out I don't know what will happen."
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