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Outrage over ‘utterly disgraceful’ rule as King George winner Jim Crowley set for 20-day ban

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KING GEORGE winner Jim Crowley is staring down the barrel of a 20-day ban as fury erupted over the ‘utterly disgraceful’ rule that threatens to tarnish his big moment.

Veteran rider Crowley steered Hukum to victory in the race of the season after seeing off Rob Hornby on gallant runner-up Westover.

Crowley, right on Hukum, appeared to strike his horse nine times with the whip

The 13-2 chance’s victory in one of the most thrilling head-to-heads you will ever see was worth an amazing £708,875 for owners Shafwell.

But videos showed Crowley appearing to strike the six-year-old as many as nine times.

Current Flat rules have a limit of six and, after the new legislation was brought in, punishments for breaking the rules are stricter than ever.

And because Crowley’s ban came in a Class 1 race then the punishment, which would have been ten days otherwise, is doubled to 20.

That could rule him out of the ride on awesome Prince Of Wales’s Stakes winner Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte at York later in August.

A decision will be made when the whip review committee meet tomorrow, with Hornby also at risk of a suspension.

Mostahdaf is currently 7-2 joint-favourite with Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington for a race regarded as one of the world’s best.

Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold blasted the new rules.

He told the Racing Post: “I think you would find everybody in the racing community felt that was an outstanding race.

“There were two top-class horses with two excellent jockeys giving their all, which is what racing is all about.

“I counted Jim hit the horse eight times – somebody told me it was nine – but if anyone thinks either of those jockeys beat their horses up they were watching a different race to me. Both jockeys were fantastic.

“The fact the racing authorities have seen fit to bring in a rule that says a jockey gets banned for a ride like that is – in my opinion only – an utter disgrace.

“They are hanging racing out to dry.

“The people sat behind a desk who came up with a set number of times a horse can be hit should be hanging their heads in shame.”

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