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Saudi Whip Bans


pete

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They seem to take it seriously over there. There's a certain irony in how they treat many human beings but we won't go there.

 This from Racenet:

NOW THAT’S A WHIP FINE

There was no slap with a wet lettuce leaf for Mike Smith in the $US20m Saudi Cup on Sunday when he was belted with a $US200,000 fine and a nine-day suspension for a whip infringement, but the question is what would have happened if he’d won?

Smith rode Midnight Bisou into second place behind Maximum Security but was found to have struck the mare 14 times – four more than the maximum of 10 allowed under Saudi Arabia's racing rules.

Smith also received an additional one-day suspension for striking Midnight Bisou without regard to her stride and adding insult to injury the US Hall Of Fame jockey was given another two-day ban for missing a weigh-in after an earlier race, how do you do that?

If there was one upside for Smith though – if he’d have struck Midnight Bisou another two times, or 16 times in total, he would have forfeited his entire $US350,000 pay-check and copped a 12 meeting ban.

Incidentally the fines for the two days of the Saudi Cup meeting, in any race, started at 10% of the jockeys prize for one strike over the permitted amount and for three strikes over quickly rose to 40% and a six day ban.

Maybe something similar might rein in the saddle-sitters here.

And that beggars the question what would have happened should Midnight Bisou have won the Saudi Cup under the circumstances? Would she have been allowed to keep the richest race in the world?

The following lays out what can be deemed misuse of the whip in Saudi Arabia and clearly, in their case if you are going to use the stick you better be vigilant about how you use it.

Using the whip with excessive frequency and more than 10 times.

Using the whip with excessive force.

Using the whip with the arm above shoulder height.

Using the whip rapidly without giving the horse time to respond (that is twice or more in one stride).

Using the whip on a horse which is showing no response.

Using the whip on any part of the horse's head or in the vicinity of the head.

The use of the whip in front of the saddle while the whip is held in the forehand position, unless exceptional circumstances prevail.

The continued use of the whip on a horse after its chance of winning or being placed is clearly gone.

The unnecessary use of the whip on a horse that has clearly won its race or has obtained its maximum placing.

Using the whip to the extent of causing injury.

Using the whip on a horse which is past the winning post..

Using the whip on a horse in any place except on the quarters.

Using the whip on another Jockey. 

Phew!

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