TONY PATTILLO CREATES HISTORY OF SORTS AT EAGLE FARM

QUEENSLAND jockey, Tony Pattillo, created history of sorts when he scored an upset win on Andy Said in the Moreton Hire Plate at Eagle Farm today (Wednesday, August 5).

In the process Pattillo became the first rider in Australia to be fined under new rules introduced nationally from the start of the month regarding use of the whip.

Pattillo was fined half of his prizemoney percentage and had to forfeit his riding fee for using the whip on six occasions in consecutive strides inside the 200m mark, which was twice the legal limit, when he drove Andy Said to victory.

The Australian Racing Board introduced new guidelines and heavy penalties for misuse of the whip following growing complaints from animal welfare agencies. The new rules came into effect on August 1.

Riders are now required to use padded whips and are not permitted to raise their whip arm above shoulder height. They are also limited to hitting their mounts no more than five times in the last 200m of a race and only once can they hit the horse in three consecutive strides.

Stewards have the capacity to suspend, fine and, or make riders forfeit prizemoney if they break the rules. Queensland chief steward, Wade Birch, had said prior to the implementation of the new whip rule that provided riders made a conscious effort and did not flaunt the rules, they would not be hit with heavy penalties in the early stages.

“Some leniency can be shown for first and second-time offenders,” Birch said. “Away from that if someone shows no regard for the rules, the penalties are there and they are quite solid. Over use of the whip is something we need to eliminate and the penalties reflect that."