GOLD COAST, JAN 10: MM 2YO CLASSIC – THE STEWARDS REPORT. TARRANT AND BELL FALL FOUL OF WHIP RULE

By Graham Potter | Sunday, January 11, 2015

Luke Tarrant had the ride of his life when he guided Le Chef to a no-nonsense victory in the MM 2yo Classic ... but he also had an unwanted, head-line day in the steward’s room.

Tarrant picked up two suspensions in successive races, which will be served accumulatively, for whip use. The fact that Tarrant will now be out of action from midnight on January 17 to midnight on February 7 poses something of a speed-bump / road block on his road to achievement.

The young apprentice is just three wins away from outriding his city claim in what must be close to a record time-frame. His master, Frank Phillips, wasn’t impressed though.

“Everyone is patting him on the back and telling what a good job he did. Someone has to tell him it was a bad ride with regard to whip use. He didn’t have to do that,” said Phillips.

“Frank has already been up me for my use of the whip,” said Tarrant. “That’s why he is a good boss. He’ll praise you when you do something right but he’ll also let you know when you do something wrong.

“I think I do deserve to get a suspension but a month is a long time. It was a $2 million race with a lot on the line and all I was trying to do was win it.”

*Luck also ran out for reigning Premiership champion jockey Tim Bell in the steward’s room. Bell, who picked up $500.00 fines on both December 31 and January 1, was suspended this time, getting a week penalty for whip use.

Bell also received a seven meeting suspension on a reckless riding charge earlier in the race in which he guided Tinto to victory.

The whip rule has always been a contentious issue a particular argument has been revived in recent times. Read Jim Byrne’s prophetic viewpoint, published on HRO before the Magic Millions race-day, where he put forward his personal idea of how whip use should be written into the rule book in terms of making provision for a clear-cut avenue to be able to protest against overuse of the whip.
Jim Byrne's whip rule theory

STEWARDS REPORT: MAGIC MILLIONS 2YO CLASSIC

FREQUENDLY - Bumped another runner at the start. LE CHEF - Bumped another runner at the start.

OLD TRIESTE - Slow to begin. Near the 700m improved up on the heels of RACY and when being steadied shifted out. SAGA OF THE STORM - Slow to begin. SURF SEEKER - Slow to begin.

ZOUTENANT - Raced in restricted room near the 600m and had to be steadied when awkwardly placed at the heels of WICKED INTENT near the 400m. C. Munce was reprimanded for shifting out when insufficiently clear of ZOUTENANT.

WICKED INTENT - Raced in restricted room near the 600m. FLAMENCO - Raced in restricted room near the 600m. PERIGNON - Raced in restricted room near the 600m.

SURF SEEKER - Inconvenienced near 400m. PERIGNON - Held up near the 400m.

RACY - Hung out rounding home turn.

PEPPERANO - Raced wide throughout.

T. Bell pleaded guilty to a charge under AR137A(5)(a)(ii) in that he used his whip in a forehand manner in excess of the five (5) permitted occasions prior to the 100m. Jockey Bell was suspended for one (1) week which was ordered to be accumulative to his careless riding suspension from Race 2. The accumulative suspension will commence midnight 17 January 2015 and expire midnight 6 February 2015. In assessing penalty stewards took into account jockey Bell's poor record.

App. L. Tarrant pleaded guilty to a charge under AR137A(5)(a)(ii) in that he used his whip in a forehand manner in excess of the five (5) permitted occasions prior to the 100m. App Tarrant was suspended from riding in races for a period of three (3) weeks to commence midnight 17 January 2015 and expire midnight 7 February 2015. In assessing penalty stewards took into account App Tarrant's poor record and the fact that he had won a feature race.

App L.Tarrant was fined the sum of $500 for making a celebratory gesture on LE CHEF prior to the winning post.

J. Parr will be interviewed at a later date regarding his failure to fulfil his engagement on RACY.

*One race later, after receiving a three week suspension for his use of the whip on Le Chef, Luke Tarrant was again in trouble in the Magic Million Cup

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT: MAGIC MILLIONS CUP:

App L. Tarrant pleaded guilty to a charge under AR137A(5)(a)(ii) in that he used his whip in a forehand manner in excess of the five (5) permitted occasions prior to the 100m. App Tarrant was suspended for a period of one (1) week to be served accumulative from his suspension in Race 6. This suspension will commence midnight 7 February 2015 and expire midnight 14 February 2015.

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