There are two jumps meetings today at Sedgefield and Huntingdon but the stable does not have any runners.  There are two all-weather meetings at Southwell and Newcastle and they race in Ireland over jumps at Thurles.  Yesterday, Paricolor was a little disappointing at Doncaster with no obvious reason but he has returned home okay which is the main thing and we can go again.

David is off to Cheltenham sales today where bidding gets underway at 1.00pm.  He went up to look at all the horses yesterday and has been through the form with a fine tooth combe and so with a bit of luck we might have a new recruit or two heading back to Pond House this evening!

Yesterday it was revealed that 19 jockeys had fallen foul of the new whip rules during the first week of them being implemented which sounds a staggering amount.  The jockeys have had a ‘bedding in’ period but it does not seem to have helped many!  A horse was even disqualified because their jockey broke the rules.  Charlotte Jones was on board Lunar Discovery at Ayr last week and finished second in the mares bumper.  She was found to have used her whip 11 times, four times over the limit which triggered an automatic disqualification for the horse and 14 day ban for the rider.  I do feel sorry for the owners of the horse and I so think disqualification is very harsh but it is the new rules and something we are going to have to get used to.  Another jockey to be hit with a big ban is jockey Lorcan Williams who will miss the Cheltenham Festival with an 18 day ban.  Jockeys Luke Scott, Cameron Isles and Kevin Brogan are jockeys that will all miss day one of the Cheltenham Festival.  I didn’t really realise that the bans are doubled if the offence occurs in a class 1 or 2 race – which is why Lorcan Williams ban is so long.  The BHA defended the new rules with the comments below:

"Disqualification has been introduced as the ultimate deterrent for overuse of the whip. There is simply no excuse for using the whip four or more times above the permitted level. It was always likely that the disqualification rule would need to be invoked in the early stages of the implementation of the new rules. We hope that this sends a clear message to all jockeys and reinforces this deterrent effect."

 

For interest, below is a list of all the jockeys who were banned during the first week with their offence:

 

Gavin Sheehan (used whip once above permitted level)
Ban: March 7-10

Conor O’Farrell (used whip without giving mount time to respond)
Ban: March 7-10

Charlotte Jones (used whip four times above permitted level)
Ban: March 7-20

Luke Scott (used whip twice above permitted level in Class 2 race)
Ban: March 7-20

Caoilin Quinn (used whip once above shoulder height)
Ban: March 7-10

Dillan Hurst: (used whip twice above permitted level)
Ban: March 7-13

Edward Austin (used whip without giving mount time to respond)
Ban: March 7-10

Jack Hogan (used whip once above permitted level)
Ban: March 7-10

Dylan Kitts (used whip once above permitted level)
Ban: March 7-10

Niall Houlihan (used whip once above permitted level)
Ban: March 7-10

Harry Kimber (used whip without giving mount time to respond)
Ban: March 7-10

Toby McCain-Mitchell (used whip without giving mount time to respond)
Ban: March 7-8, March 10, March 19

Meisha Micklewright (used whip once above shoulder height)
Ban: March 7-8, March 10, March 19

Alex Edwards (used whip twice above permitted level)
Ban: March 7-13

Aidan Coleman (used whip without giving mount time to respond)
Ban: March 7-10

Cameron Isles (used whip without giving mount time to respond and twice above permitted level)
Ban: March 7-17

Harry Kimber (used whip once above permitted level)
Ban: March 11-13, March 18

Lorcan Williams (used whip twice above permitted level and above shoulder height in Class 1 race)
Ban: March 7-24

Kevin Brogan (used whip once above permitted level in Class 1 race)
Ban: March 7-14

Derek Fox (used whip twice above permitted level)
Ban: March 7-13

 

My eyes will be glued to the TV this evening to watch Manchester United against Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League knock out match.  The first leg at the Nou Camp ended in a 2-2 draw and so United are in a strong position with two away goals to their advantage.  It was a great game last week and the Spanish side will be tough opposition but fingers crossed we can get the win and go through. 

The second cricket test between New Zealand and England gets underway in Wellington today.  England were very good in winning the first test and hopefully they can perform the same in this match.

Why did the chicken go to the gym?  To work on his pecks!  Have a good Thursday.