Exclusive: Victoria to hit jockeys with stiffer penalties for riding infringements in Group 1 and feature races
Victorian jockeys are set to cop harsher penalties for riding infringements in Group 1 and feature races and they aren’t happy.
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Victoria is set to launch a major jockey crackdown on riding offences in Group 1 and feature races, with harsher bans for riding infringements at racing’s top level.
In a document seen by Racenet, it can be revealed the increased penalties will apply for riding and whip infringements from September 1, the day after Group 1 Memsie Stakes day at Caulfield on Saturday.
It is understood many top Victoria jockeys are deeply unhappy about the move, launched as the spring carnival is about to begin.
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They feel the stiffer bans are unwarranted and have the potential to detract from competitive riding in Victoria’s best races.
A new penalty template reveals Victorian stewards must apply an additional number of meetings, as specified, for riding offences in Group 1 races and also feature races where the minimum prizemoney is $750,000 or more.
It means jockeys are far more likely to have to miss a lucrative Saturday race meeting, or potentially multiple Saturday race meetings depending on the seriousness of the offence.
The new minimum penalties which apply under to Australian Racing Rule 131 (a) – which includes riding offences such as careless, reckless, improper, incompetent or foul riding – have increased.
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Low range 10-meeting offences will now incur an additional four meeting ban under AR 131 (a) in Group 1 and feature races in Victoria.
Medium range offences go from 14 to 22 meetings and high range offences from 18 to 26 meetings.
The minimum bans for whip-related offences in Group 1 and feature meetings in Victoria will also skyrocket.
For instance, a charge of seven strikes prior to the 100m (two more than allowed) will now incur a minimum 11-meeting ban whereas it was previously seven meetings.
All of the whip penalty template bans increase, up to the serious level of 15 strikes prior to the 100m (10 more than permitted) which goes from a 15-meeting to a 23-meeting ban.
Data garnered by Victorian stewards shows a significantly higher suspension rate in Group 1 races, with riders being almost twice as likely to be suspended in Group 1s.
Stewards insist they don’t want to see a win-at-all-costs attitude becoming commonplace and become dangerous for riders and unfair for connections of rival horses.
Originally published as Exclusive: Victoria to hit jockeys with stiffer penalties for riding infringements in Group 1 and feature races
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