Excessive use of whip ‘unacceptable’

An apprentice Kiwi jockey has been suspended for 12 national riding days for excessive use of his whip, in what the judicial committee labelled the worst breach they had ever witnessed under the rule.

Kavish Chowdhoory was found guilty of breaking New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing rule 638 (3)(b)(ii) when riding Ego Princess to victory at Avondale on Monday, with the committee describing his actions as ‘inexcusable’, ‘grossly unacceptable’ and that they ‘raise alarming animal welfare and public concerns’.

The rule states: ‘A rider shall not strike a horse with a whip in a manner or to an extent which is excessive’.

The 26-year-old was in just his 15th race-day ride – his first of four races on the day – and had not been a whip rider previously. He admitted the breach but the extreme nature of his offending meant the committee felt the usual $300 fine for a first breach of excessive whipping, under the Judicial Control Authority guide, would be inappropriate in this case.

At the hearing, stipendiary steward Alan Coles identified via available video footage that Chowdhoory had struck his mount 22 times from the 400-metre mark to the 100m mark.

He said he then used his whip a further 15 times in the last 100m, equating to 37 times in the final straight. The only respite was for three strides, with the horse going on to win by three-quarters of a length.

Chowdhoory accepted the number of strikes and was unable to offer any explanation for the excessive and unacceptable manner in which he used his whip, which included him using it with his arm above shoulder height – deemed to be unacceptable under the whip guidelines.

Noel Harris, Chowdhoory’s apprentice jockey mentor, said he couldn’t believe the way Chowdhoory used the whip in the final straight, and that he had spoken to him pre-race and advised him that two taps would be sufficient to keep his mount going.

Senior stipendiary steward Matt Williamson said Chowdhoory appeared to be using his whip with as much force as possible, and that his display of riding was a poor look for racing.

The committee determined Chowdhoory’s punishing force and quantity of strikes to be unprecedented and felt it extremely important that a penalty has the effect of deterring riders from committing similar offences.

Williamson said given the very high severity of the breach, a suspension of not less than 10 days should be imposed, with the committee then deeming 12 to be the appropriate number.