Jockey Devin Habib feels sting of NHA whip

Use of the riding crop, or whip, is back in the racing spotlight following a string of fines and suspensions incurred by jockey Devin Habib over the past few weeks. The Joburg jock’s latest punishment was a 10-day ban from riding, handed to him by the National Horseracing Authority on Wednesday 19 August.

Habib was charged with striking the horse Flashlight 16 times in Race 1 at Turffontein on 15 August. The maximum number of whip strikes allowed is 12. Flashlight was the odds-on favourite (at 9-10) and finished second, less than a length behind the winner.

In a media release, the NHA said the severity of the sentence was because of Habib’s poor record in regard to this particular misdemeanour – he had contravened Rule 58.10.2 (read with Guideline M on the use of the crop) seven times in a 30-day period.

This release came a day after another one detailing Habib’s violation of the same rule on 8 August, when he struck The Sash 15 times in Race 5 at Turffontein. For this, the rider got a ban from riding at three consecutive race meetings and a R10,000-cash fine.

“Further, it was accepted that rules are in place to ensure a level playing field for all participants and that prior penalties handed down had not served to be a deterrent,” declared the NHA. 

Earlier, Habib picked up a total of R12,500 in fines and four days of suspension for his whip use in two races at Turffontein on 23 July. The NHA’s recent actions on “the stick” have drawn some fire, with complaints that jockeys and the public have not been properly educated about how and why regulations are applied.

During July, jockeys Eric Ngwane, Shadlee Fortune, Richard Fourie, Nathan Klink, Wayne Agrella, Donovan Dillon, Robert Khathi, Grant Behr, Warren Kennedy, Craig Bantam and Serino Moodley were all found guilty of violating whip rules in various parts of the country. The punishments varied, leading to accusations of inconsistency.

It is accepted that the riding crop helps a jockey control a horse – ensuring safety of animal, rider and the opposition in a race – in addition to encouraging it to perform at its best in the interests of connections and punters. These variable factors mean the stipendiary stewards – the cops of the racetrack – are given some discretion in assessing the merits of each case. 

The SA Jockeys Association complains that there has been no constructive engagement and discussion between all the relevant role players. The current rule was amended in May 2020 and a notice about it was handed to jockeys around the country, but the reasoning behind it was not effectively communicated by the NHA, said the SAJA.

The crop has been a hot topic in racing globally for some years, with the game facing allegations of cruelty from animal rights activists. All major racing countries now have introduced strict limits to the smacking of horses. In the UK it is seven strikes in a Flat race and eight in a jumps race. In Australia, it is five times before the final 100m but no restriction in the finish.

The California Horse Racing Board recently limited riders to six “underhand” strikes. Also, after two successive strikes, a rider must allow the horse to respond or not before wielding the whip again. Similar rules are proposed for other parts of the US, where racing has faced an avalanche of criticism in the wake of several well-publicised incidents – notably Victor Espinoza thrashing American Pharoah to Triple Crown glory in 2015.

The Mexican jockey struck the champion colt 33 times on the way to victory in the Kentucky Derby.

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