Horses battle out a finish at Sha Tin last season. Photos: Kenneth Chan
The Jockey Club believes changes to its whip rules will “address perception issues” around equine welfare and act as a step towards “harmonisation with other racing jurisdictions” as the World Pool continues to grow.
Beginning from this Sunday’s season opener at Sha Tin, jockeys will not be permitted to use the whip in consecutive strides before the 100m mark, while the whip may be used at the rider’s discretion in the final 100m.
After consulting jockeys, trainers and owners towards the end of last season, officials have landed on a change that Andrew Harding, the club’s executive director of racing, hopes is the right fit for the ultra-competitive nature of Hong Kong racing.
“The topic of the whip is one that has been given a lot of attention in a number of racing jurisdictions over the last 10 to 15 years,” he said.
