A RACING chief has proposed a radical renaming of the ‘whip’ as debate rages over its continued use.
Former champion jockey Seb Sanders sparked a social media storm when he branded the technique of many jockeys as ‘horrible’.
He said: “They’re hitting underneath the number cloth, down the ribs, and it’s not the right place.
“It needs policing. The whip is under pressure as it is without the jockeys hitting horses in the wrong place.
“I hate seeing it. It’s awful. It’s horrible to watch. It’s not being policed.”
That prompted a furious response from legendary jump trainer Paul Nicholls’ daughter Megan, a rider on the flat.
She posted in reply to Sanders’ comments: “Talk about throwing jockeys under the bus! I feel like @sebsanders1 is hoping for a headline!
“Maybe we should find some old replays to compare the use of the whip.”
Outgoing British Horseracing Authority chief Nick Rust recently confirmed the use of the whip will be looked at again in 2021.
But Australian Trainers’ Association president Robbie Griffiths has come up with a new plan entirely.
He claims the word ‘whip’ itself is the problem and needs to be changed.
Griffiths reckons doing so will change the negative ‘perception’ whips have.
He said: “When used correctly they’re never, ever, ever used to inflict punishment or pain in any way.
“It’s obviously a perception thing, not a welfare issue, so if we’re trying to fix perception we might have to change the title of the instrument jockeys use.”
A ‘persuader’ is one such term sometimes used in racing in place of the ‘whip’.
However, Racing Victoria chief Giles Thompson said the name of the instrument was not the issue.
He said: “It just seems to me a distraction from the reality of what we’re facing.
“I have concerns it’s compounding the head in the sand. It’s unrealistic to suggest you could rebrand something like that.
“The visual is still there. You can call it what you like but the visual is still the same.”
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