Mark Zahra cops $50k fine, seven-meeting ban for whip breach in Caulfield Cup
Mark Zahra was stripped of a third of his winnings after breaking whip rules in the Caulfield Cup but stewards decided not to lodge a protest against the result.
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Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra was slapped with a $50,000 fine and a seven-meeting suspension for breaking whip rules on Without A Fight.
Zahra drove Without A Fight to the line ahead of English galloper West Wind Blows in a gripping finish to the $5m event.
Without A Fight got home by a head to give Zahra his second Caulfield Cup after winning with Verry Elleegant in 2020.
Zahra pleaded guilty to striking Without A Fight nine times, four more than allowed, and 13 times in total in the tight finish.
Zahra earned $150,000 in winning percentages for his Caulfield Cup triumph before stewards stripped him of a third of that for his whip breach.
WITHOUT A FIGHT WINS THE 2023 CAULFIELD CUP! ðŸ†@FreedmanRacing@MelbRacingClubpic.twitter.com/nbeBLIik2A
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) October 21, 2023
Stewards gave Zahra a $25,000 discount on the penalty for his good record with his whip use.
Racing Victoria chief steward Rob Montgomery said the panel decided against lodging their own protest against Zahra’s win on Without A Fight as they believed the offence made no difference to the result.
West Wind Blows’ connections also did not lodge a protest against Zahra’s overuse of the whip.
Despite picking up a seven-meeting suspension, Zahra will not miss any of the upcoming major race days.
Zahra will begin his suspension after next Saturday’s Cox Plate meeting but Victoria’s racing schedule will allow him to miss seven fixtures and be back for the Victoria Derby meeting on November 4.
Racing Victoria stewards last lodged their own protest for a breach of whip rules in December last year, making Invincible Caviar the sole winner of a race at Flemington after dead-heating with Blake Shinn’s mount My Yankee Girl.
Originally published as Mark Zahra cops $50k fine, seven-meeting ban for whip breach in Caulfield Cup
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