Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys slams Racing Victoria over grandstanding tactics to push whip reforms
Racing NSW boss Peter V’landys is the latest racing powerbroker to question the tactics adopted by Racing Victoria when announcing their national push for whip reforms.
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Racing NSW boss Peter V’landys has fired a shot at his Victorian counterparts over their public push for further restrictions on jockeys using the whip.
Racing Victoria used the media on Monday to outline a desire to implement “a new framework” for a transition of “the industry to an ultimate prohibition on use of the whip”.
“RV will propose that, from 1 January 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,” an RV statement read. “RV is proposing that the maximum number (of strikes) be between five and eight occasions per race.”
RV chief executive Giles Thompson added: “It is Racing Victoria’s view that progress on whip reform is needed now, and that the industry nationally, acting in its best long-term interests, should continue to work towards a prohibition on the use of the whip for purposes other than to protect the safety of horses and jockeys.
“It is critical that jockeys are permitted to carry a whip to ensure their safety and jockey safety is something that we will always advocate. We want to reduce the number of times the whip can be used in Victorian racing, and indeed nationally, from 2021.
“This would be an important step in the right direction for our industry, one that recognises the progression of community attitudes in the decade since padded whips were first introduced.
V’landys, Thompson’s NSW counterpart, questioned why RV would announce a public stand on the issue while also calling on other jurisdictions to follow their lead when they all meet to discuss this and other issues raised at a Racing Australia board meeting in November.
“As a member of Racing Australia we will be abiding by proper corporate governance procedures and we will prosecute our case in the Racing Australia meeting,” V’landys said.
“We’re certainly not going to prosecute it through the media or do any grandstanding.
“They can grandstand and look for cheap publicity all they like but we’ll follow proper corporate governance and express ourselves at the meeting like they should be.”
The Australian Jockeys Association chief executive Martin Talty said in a release that the decision by RV to air their intentions publicly “was bewildering”.
“Racing has enough issues of national importance needing to be addressed in a cohesive and collaborative manner without PRA’s being at odds with each other like this,” he said.
Originally published as Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys slams Racing Victoria over grandstanding tactics to push whip reforms