Alphonse Le Grande, trained in Ireland, has been stripped of his title in the Cesarewitch race, just three days after crossing the finishing line in Newmarket. His disqualification was confirmed on Tuesday by the Whip Review Committee of the British Horseracing Authority. They judged that Jamie Powell, jockey for Alphonse Le Grande, had broken the whip rules by using it 10 times, four times more than permitted, on the champion horse trained by Cathy O’Leary.
This makes Alphonse Le Grande only the third “winner” to get disqualified after being referred to the Committee under BHA rules, which were instituted the previous year. The rules allow for a jockey to strike a horse six times, and exceeding this by four results in the race outcome getting revised. Consequently, Manxman, originally the runner-up, is now declared the race winner.
Jamie Powell, an apprentice with a 3lb claim from County Kildare, also received a suspension for 28 days in the aftermath of the incident. Alphonse Le Grande’s team has a week to appeal his disqualification.
This event has led to an odd situation wherein Manxman will be recorded as a Cesarewitch winner in history, however, those who placed bets on him on the day of the race will lose out. While this showcases the importance of adhering to rules, it also highlights the issue of such rule breaches not being resolved on the day of the race. Despite this, people who bet on Alphonse Le Grande, with odds of 33-1, will still get their payout.
Additionally, the BHA defended its process towards allegations of it being too slow. Following initial recommendations from the Whip Consultation Steering Group, it asserted that further discussions and consultations with various audiences were held to ensure a fair and comprehensive decision.
The consensus arising from the evaluation process was that whip-related decisions should not be made on race day. This viewpoint was strongly supported by both betting industry and racing broadcasters, who prioritised their customers’ perspective. Shifting this responsibility to the WRC (World Racing Committee) before race day enables consistent and thorough decision-making – an essential facet identified in the whip review.
There is a system of oversight in place for references, such as defining what constitutes the use of a whip, verifying the whip’s contact, or confirming its use for safety reasons only. The introduction of the new rules has already proven indispensable several times. For instance, there were cases where riders were potentially disqualified, but the WRC, following its established methodology, decided to disregard one or more whip uses, thereby preventing any disqualification.
The recent WRC ruling, endorsed by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), was straightforward: “The whip was used ten times, making contact with the horse on each occasion, and none of its uses were purely for safety purposes.”
BHA’s chief regulatory officer, Brant Dunshea, highlighted that disqualification for such offences is a global practice. This disciplinary action was implemented as a deterrent to the blatant misuse of the whip, with the aim of maintaining the integrity of race results and public perception. Similar measures have been adopted by major racing nations worldwide. “This sends a clear message – overuse of the whip is unacceptable. There is no justification for using the whip four or more times beyond the allowed limit. However, it’s reassuring to note that infractions have been few since the rule was introduced. In fact, this is only the third time a winner has been disqualified for overuse of the whip,” added Dunshea.
In a separate development, there’s an escalating likelihood that the Ascot’s round course races lined up for Saturday’s British Champions Day may be shifted to the inner National Hunt track due to weather conditions and course ground status, echoing last year’s scenario. With around 25mm of rain forecasted for Saturday, and the round course labelled as ‘heavy’ and ‘soft’ in some areas, it seems probable officials will have to make such a change.
The track manager, Chris Stickels, warned that the weather outlook is unpredictable, with substantial rain expected over the week, persisting into Saturday morning. He reported that as much as 10 millimetres of rainfall were recorded on Monday morning, resulting in the round track becoming heavily waterlogged, with a softer surface in some areas. In light of the projected rainfall, he thinks it probable that the inner track would be used for Saturday’s event. Stickels cautioned that weather estimates can fluctuate, however, based on the current data, that was their current understanding, and they hope to make their decision swiftly to provide clear information for all parties involved.