Unfortunately, one has already got used to it, it is almost like a ritual. At the latest a few hours after the Derby or the Prize of Diana, GaloppOnline.de announces that several jockeys have violated the whip rules and have to serve a long ban. This was the case again in the Blue Riband in 2022, and also in the just decided Mares Classic in Düsseldorf, when the second Adrie de Vries (riding Wagnis) and the third Lukas Delozier (the partner of Mylady) applied more than the permitted strokes.
Again and again, of course, the animal rights activists then pounce on this. Peta, which discredits the equestrian sport with sometimes confused and far-fetched accusations, is provided with welcome "fodder". Of course, there is a lot at stake in these races, money, fame and reputation. And it was extremely close both in Sammarco`s victory in Hamburg and in the three-way fight between Toskana Belle, Wagnis and Mylady, and in the heat of the moment, the will to win perhaps supersedes common sense. But counting is part of the game, and you can expect top athletes to play by the rules.
Every sport has its own set of rules, in canter it is the racing rules. And the whip measures are not new, but have been known for years. The theatre after the victory in Isfahan in 2016 is still remembered. Therefore, once again an urgent appeal to the top jockeys, pay close attention to how often you use the whip, even in the best races, and stay within the limits of what is allowed. The Turf must be a pioneer in animal welfare, and in many cases it is. But breaking the rules creates a false impression that nobody needs.
Even less do we need turmoil in the jockey`s room, like on Diana Day in Düsseldorf, when Mirco Sanna was put on the fence for 14 German racing days for "causing a nuisance by grossly disorderly conduct". What exactly happened there, we don`t know. But again, you have to behave and abide by laws, in this case the race rules, like normal citizens. After all, the races are not a fun event, but sport, which also appears in the media.
The racecourse spy
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