Richard Hughes quits over new five-day ban

they going to strike and i for 1 am on their side.....

How long before Richard Hughes returns to the saddle?

as long as this ridiculous rule is in place.....the gripe is not the ammount of times they can hit a horse (7) the gripe is at what point in the race they can hit a horse 5 times or less (the last furlong) this is impossible to control from the saddle but easy to police from repeat videos.

I think the bottom line is...

1. Hughes has NOT hung up his boots forever, mearly until they REVIEW the rule, and clarity is obtained. Which I might add the BHA is now doing.

2. Hughes is known for not being a whip happy jock and rides with the attitude of the "the person who pulls the whip last usually wins" He has the full support of
Richard Hannon and owners, not to mention the Jockeys who will now strike on Monday....

3. The UK jockeys are now saying they will rather run 2nd than have a ban imposed where they could miss meetings, as Hughes is the Breeders Cup. (would really
like to hear the Punters reaction, when the Whip gets put down in a tight finish in ANY race, not only the big ones.)

4. Most countries including South Africa, Australia, America, Uk, France....etc,etc...are members and have signed the Agreement with the International Federation of
Horse Racing Authorities, why is it then....

4.1 America still uses the old whips, and not the cush/padded whips required in the rest of the world, and may use the whip from above the shoulder

4.2 Australia is the only racing country that Jockeys may still ride with spurs, and although have strict whip rules, in the last 100 meters the whip may be used with no
restriction except for more than 2 consecutive strides. (The rail is marked in red at the 100 meter mark for easy visual aid for the Jockeys)

4.3 South Africa - not more than 10 times, and not more than 2 consecutive strides (....although CT seems to be missing this page...LOL)

4.4 Dubai....doesn't seem to have anything in writing....."cough"

5. With racing being so International with the likes of Hughes, Dettori and many other of their calibre travelling from one country to the next, often overnight, with all the
different variations to the rules makes me helluva glad I'm not a jockey!

As an owner I am fully in agreement with Barry on this one..very well put Barry.

I hate seeing a horse of mine getting a hiding when its got no chance of winning.

osacr,

that is not the debate here. INFACT Hughes today on sky said
1: I am willing to stand naked in any public place and be struck with the whip that we use repeatedley
2: I dont not want to be branded as a "whip jockey".

Now anyone that watches international racing will know that Richard Hughes is one of the best hand and heals riders in the world. YET he has now been "done" twice for whip misues in 2 days.....that cannot be right.

In the U. S., if a jockey doesn't hit his horse in the stretch run to the finish, that jockey is called in for questioning, asking him why he stopped "trying." This is the current state of affairs where I race. Stoopid with a capital S.

I once raced a headstrong filly, on her second run the jock out of fustration cut her in the gut with only one smack, she cowered like a dog in her box for 9 weeks. Further races there were distict intructions for various Jocks not to use the stick. On the 10 odd times she earned a cheque 2 wins 8 places no whip was used. The other 22 unplaced runs she got smacked despite the instructions. I will never race another horse.

Barry Irwin Wrote:

---

> In the U. S., if a jockey doesn't hit his horse in
> the stretch run to the finish, that jockey is
> called in for questioning, asking him why he
> stopped "trying." This is the current state of
> affairs where I race. Stoopid with a capital S.


100000% agree but that is niot the case in question over here in the UK

j pegged


you will not be missed in racing.......you either in and make your stand or out and go away. Richard Hughes and racing in the UK is the most animal friendly in the world.

EVEN the hottest fav, ridden by the BEST jock in the biggest race can and IS pulled up here if anything untoward is suspected. I have witnessed this with my own eyes.

IN EVERY single race in the UK the ones at the back are eased out and not ridden out. I fail to see the argument put forward by Richard Hughes being in the same vein as yours.

Flat Jockeys have withdrawn their services from Mondays Windsor card

This thread is a little ironical.....In other threads,when jocks have been criticised,accusers are called grandstand jockeys,and yet in this situation ,some feel better placed to assess the situation than the jocks on board..............the jocks feel strongly enough about it to strike so there must,at least,be some merit in what they are unhappy about!