STIER DEFENDS NEW WHIP RULES

British Horseracing Authority director Jamie Stier has defended the new whip guidelines following recent criticism from jockeys.

The BHA have announced significant changes following a 10-month review, with riders now restricted to how many times the whip can be used - as well as being handed out stiffer punishments for using it with excessive frequency.

From Monday, the whip can only be used a maximum of seven times in a Flat race, and eight times in a jumps races (and only five times in the last furlong/after the last obstacle).

A jockey who incurs a whip ban of three days or more will forfeit his riding fee and prize-money percentage.

Although the new rules were initially welcomed by many jockeys, there has recently been dissenting voices from the weighing room, suggesting the sanctions are too severe.

But Stier, BHA director of raceday operations and regulations, said: "People have lost sight of the fact that this all started last year in November.

"Primarily, there were discussions held and there were wide-held concerns from some of the welfare organisations and from people in the general public.

"A number of trainers and a number of other people closely associated with racing said to me that on several occasions they cringed when they saw the whip being used on horses.

"Since 2008 there have been on average in excess of 800 breaches of the rules per annum, so obviously what was in play was not being effective.

"It's an impossible argument to win when you're saying what you have in place is effective when you have over 800 breaches a year and up to a maximum of 950 in a season."

Stier believes that had the changes not been made and the current system allowed to continue, it would put further pressure on the sport and lead to the total abolition of the whip.

"We've got to be responsible. In caring for the welfare of the horse, we care then for the welfare of the sport," Stier told At The Races.

"To ignore the welfare aspects, regardless of what people will say, you are ignoring the future of your sport.

"We all hope, while there may be several difficulties in racing at the moment, there will be a prosperous future.

"People have got to acknowledge, and we acknowledge ourselves, that on the whole our sport is in good health on the horse welfare front.

"We've been very proactive and we've taken the steps we've taken to ensure we remain in front of the curve.

"To stand still would mean the sport would continue to be under pressure and as we continue to absorb that pressure, the greater the push would come to have the whip removed from racing.

"We've said categorically that the use of the whip is acceptable in racing.

"That is a very strong statement from the authority but in order for us to say that, we have to be able to say it (the whip) is used within acceptable guidelines.

"We need to be able to stand up in front of people and say that under these strict controls, the whip is not a welfare problem.

"Therefore the continued use of the whip for years to come will be assured."

Among the arguments against the changes is that some horses require more encouragement than others, and therefore the stronger-travelling horses have a definite advantage.

But Stier believes the new guidelines will lead to jockeys riding in a different manner throughout each race, and new lines of form will eventually bed in and be understood.

"It will bring about behavioural changes in the jockey, and that is what we're about," Stier added.

"Jockeys will change the manner in which they ride their horses and it will bring about some differences in performances, not so much I would suggest in the higher-class horses, but more notably in the lower-class horses.

"There will be established formlines come out of it and providing they are written accordance with the rules on each occasion, those formlines will be maintained.

"There are several people who say if you have less reliance on the whip you'll have improved jockeyship, which will bring about equally exciting finishes."

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