A jockey poses for a photograph holding his hat and whip at a stables in Aston Rowant, southern England October 14, 2011. Trainer Richard Hannon gave his full support on Friday to leading jockey Richard Hughes who has handed in his licence after being banned for the second time in four days under horse racing's harsher new whip rules. Hughes was suspended on Monday, the first day the rules came into effect, and fell foul of the regulations again when riding More Than Words at Kempton on Thursday. REUTERS/ Eddie KeoghEddie Keogh/Reuters
- British racing's whip row flared up again on Saturday after top jump jockey Ruby Walsh was handed a five-day ban at Aintree for hitting a horse nine times in a winning ride, one more than allowed.
Reluctant jockeys for the following race had to be persuaded with the help of 16-times champion AP McCoy to leave the weighing room and the event started five minutes late.
Angry Walsh, who has won virtually every big race in England, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National, told www.racingpost.com: "The punishment didn't fit the crime. I miss a Grade 1 chase at Down Royal (Northern Ireland) and a good race at Cork (Ireland).
"I thought I rode a good race and I gave the horse one down the shoulder going into the last which counted and so they gave me the ban."
Irishman Walsh is a frequent visitor to England, riding for champion trainer Paul Nicholls.
"I don't want to be coming over here and getting banned in small races and missing big rides for (trainer) Willie Mullins back home," he said. "I will have to discuss it with Paul Nicholls."
Stipendiary steward Robert Earnshawe said: "The jockeys were slightly reluctant to come out for the sixth race but myself and (fellow stipendiary steward) Adrian Sharpe, along with the help of AP McCoy, persuaded them to come out and ride."
Walsh was heard to ask spectators: "Did any of you see anything wrong with my ride in the previous race? I want to know because it seems to be public perception that counts."
Some of the heat seemed to have been taken out of the issue on Friday when the British Horseracing Authority revised the rules which came into effect this month.
But although the Professional Jockeys' Association welcomed some of the changes it expressed "serious concerns" about the level of penalties for minor infringements.