Chief steward Peter Chadwick warns there will be harsher penalties for whip breaches in Stradbroke Handicap
Queensland’s chief steward has warned jockeys who breach the whip rule in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap will cop “more severe” penalties.
Queensland’s chief steward Peter Chadwick has issued a stern whip warning ahead of Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap, saying jockeys who excessively whip their mounts can expect severe penalties.
The Sunshine State’s racing industry operates under a whip rule template which prescribes various penalties depending on the degree a jockey over whips a horse during a race.
However, Chadwick said stewards can use their discretion to potentially throw the book at any jockey guilty of whip offences in Queensland’s most prestigious race on Saturday.
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“With the Stradbroke being the feature race of the carnival, it (whip rule penalties) is at our discretion,” Chadwick said.
“And certainly being the feature race that it is, the penalties will be higher than normal.
“We want jockeys to try their best in the Stradbroke but also be mindful of being on their best behaviour in regard to whip rules.
“Penalties may be more severe in the Stradbroke, we would consider the nature of the breach and where the horse finished.
“Everyone is out there doing their best but the stewards also have to enforce these whip rules and we will be doing that.”
Whip rules came into sharp focus during the Sydney autumn carnival when champion jockey Nash Rawiller produced “the ride of the century” when winning the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Think It Over.
But stewards were not impressed with the jockey’s excessive use of the whip, issuing a 14-day suspension along with a $40,000 fine.
Rawiller appealed the severity of his penalties with the result leaving the jockey’s suspension period unchanged but his fine reduced to $30,000.
Originally published as Chief steward Peter Chadwick warns there will be harsher penalties for whip breaches in Stradbroke Handicap
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