• Horse Racing

Walsh fails in bid to overturn whip ban

ESPN staff
November 3, 2011
Ruby Walsh will be banned from November 5-9 © Getty Images
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Ruby Walsh has lost his appeal against the five-day ban he incurred for overusing his whip at Aintree last month.

An irate Walsh launched an appeal after being ruled by stewards to have used his whip nine times - one more than the legal number allowed in jump races under the new rules - when lifting Edgardo Sol to victory in the Betfred Bundles Novices' Limited Handicap Chase 12 days ago.

The British Horseracing Authority brought in new regulations, which permit jump jockeys to use the whip no more than eight times, on October 10 and Walsh was slapped with a ban after exceeding that limit.

Although the Irishman accepted he had used his whip nine times, he was adamant one of the strikes was only used on safety grounds as he approached a fence.

At the hearing, Walsh's solicitor Rory Mac Neice explained to the BHA's disciplinary panel, who watched footage of the race from four different angles, the jockey was worried his mount was positioned incorrectly and that created the risk of an accident.

Despite his pleas, Walsh's ban was upheld and he will miss big rides aboard Kauto Stone and The Nightingale at Down Royal on November 5.

Patrick Hibbert-Foy, the chairman of the review panel, said: "We did not consider [the use of the whip] was used at any time for safety, but rather for corrective purposes to get the horse to change his legs."

Walsh said: "I'm disappointed, they accepted it was for corrective purposes but not for safety. The whip rules need some common sense, it's going to be a long winter for all of us at this rate, the next time it's ten days and the third time it's three months."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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