Gun jockeys Hugh Bowman, Kerrin McEvoy says industry needs to improve public perception with whip use
Two of Australia’s greatest jockeys say whip use does not hurt the horse and the racing industry needs to address the stigma attached to it, particularly with the younger generation and animal welfare activists.
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Champion jockeys Hugh Bowman and Kerrin McEvoy are urging the racing industry to resist any push to ban the whip.
Animal welfare groups want the whip to be made obsolete, while some overseas racing jurisdictions are about to trial whip-free races.
The Daily Telegraph understands banning the whip has been discussed at a national level but does not have the full support of the state racing bodies.
Under Australian rules of racing, there must be universal agreement from the states to either modify the whip rules further or implement a ban.
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But Bowman and McEvoy, who have ridden the winners of more than 4000 races between them, including 169 at Group 1 level, maintain banning the whip is an extreme and unnecessary measure.
“I don’t think that (banning whips) is necessary,’’ Bowman said who partnered legendary mare Winx.
“Whips don’t hurt the horses and that is what we (racing industry) need to publicise.’’
The modern padded whips have been used in Australian racing for a decade and were introduced because they don’t inflict any pain or injury to the horse.
There have also been rule changes that restrict the use of the whip in races.
McEvoy said jockeys are placing a greater emphasis on balance rather than the whip and the majority are riding within the rules.
“We have a padded whip which doesn’t hurt the horse,’’ McEvoy said.
“I feel the stewards are enforcing the whip rules well and everyone has adjusted accordingly.’’
Racing does need to be more proactive about horse welfare issues and there have been significant measures taken to provide for rehoming of retired thoroughbreds for example.
But there remains a stigma about whip use, particularly with the younger generation and animal welfare activists.
There are moves worldwide to further restrict or ban the whip, and British racing authorities are introducing a special series of races later this year in which jockeys will be banned from using the whip as encouragement. However, the very fundamentals of Australian racing make banning the whip a radical move.
Revenue from wagering turnover is the lifeblood of the racing industry and punters want to see the horses they have backed given every chance to win.
As Bowman and McEvoy have pointed out, more needs to be done to educate the public that the modern padded whips do not hurt.
Jockeys also need to carry the whip as a safety measure to ensure a horse maintains a straight course during a race.
Under the rules of racing, jockeys can only use the whip five times before the 100m and then are allowed unlimited strikes to the finish. Further modifications to this rule are being considered.
WALLER WALKING ‘WINX PATH’
Trainer Chris Waller is likely to follow the “Winx trail” with Funstar by resisting the temptation to start his outstanding filly against older mares in the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Funstar was narrowly beaten by arch rival Probabeel when resuming in Surround Stakes and both fillies are at the top of early betting for the Coolmore on the opening day of the Golden Slipper Festival.
But Waller is leaning to running Funstar in the Group 2 $200,000 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) instead and relying on Sweet Scandal, Fiesta and Noire in the Coolmore Classic.
Waller ran Winx in the Phar Lap Stakes five years ago which she won impressively before an unlucky fifth in the Vinery Stud Stakes prior to her second in the ATC Australian Oaks.
This was the last time Winx was beaten as she won her next 33 starts including 25 at Group 1 level.
“At this stage, Funstar will probably go to the Phar Lap Stakes and then the Vinery Stud Stakes,’’ Waller said.
“It has been a good race to us and a nice stepping stone for my horses.’’
Waller said Kubrick, Nudge and Subpoenaed will also be nominated for the Phar Lap Stakes but he has the option of starting the latter duo in the Kembla Grange Classic on Friday.
Jamie Richards, trainer of Probabeel, said on Sunday he is undecided which race to start his filly with the release of Coolmore weights later on Monday influencing her next start.
DUO IN PUSH TO UP SLIPPER NUMBERS
Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are hopeful Postcode, Dubai Star and Kaakit Akit can win at Rosehill on Saturday and join brilliant stablemate Farnan in the field for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper.
Farnan vaulted to outright favouritism for the Golden Slipper on March 21 after his dominant win in the Todman Stakes last Saturday.
The Waterhouse-Bott stable has Postcode nominated for Saturday’s Pago Pago Stakes while the fillies Dubai Star and Kaakit Aki in the Magic Night Stakes. The winner of these races are exempt from Golden Slipper ballot.
TJ LOOKS RACE OF THE AUTUMN
The $2.5 million Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 4 is shaping as the race of the carnival.
Bivouac, Godolphin’s outstanding three-year-old colt, is likely to go straight to the rich Randwick sprint after his superlative effort to win the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington while Nature Strip was back to his brilliant best after his runaway Challenge Stakes win.
They are now at the top of TJ Smith betting but this isn’t going to be a two-horse war.
Redzel, the dual Everest winner, was terrific chasing home Nature Strip and Santa Ana Lane’s closing sixth suggested he is a real chance of defending his TJ Smith title.
Loving Gaby ran her usual competitive race to finish second behind Bivouac while another of racing’s golden generation, Exceedance was a beaten favourite when sixth after having no luck.
All these elite sprinters are being aimed at a star-studded TJ Smith Stakes along with the likes of Pierata, Trekking, In Her Time and others.
HAWKES’ RETURN IS MIXED
Team Hawkes had a mixed bag at Flemington winning two races from Wild Planet and Spend but it could have been so much better with Ole Kirk a certainty beaten when third in the VRC Sires Produce Stakes and Exceedance having no luck.
ALL-STAR OFF THE AGENDA
Fifty Stars, the winner of the Blamey Stakes and Australian Cup, won’t back up for a third week in a row in the All-Star Mile next Saturday.
The Lindsay Park stable won’t ask the in-form galloper to back up three-weeks in a row and instead are likely to aim him at the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Golden Slipper Day.
Perth galloper Regal Power, a runner-up in the Australian Cup, is favoured to get a start in the All-Star Mile.