Ireland will impose stricter whip rules following a significant rise in the number of offences last year.
Whip offences in Ireland increased by 26% to 213 last year, and while the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board hasn't yet rolled out the new rules, it has said they will bring Ireland closer in line with Britain, where seven strikes are permitted on the flat and eight over jumps.
Denis Egan, IHRB chief executive, said the number of offences last year were at levels last seen prior to 2013, when the last set of new rules were released.
“The IHRB will be introducing more stringent whip rules in the coming months and for the first time there will be a restriction on the number of strikes allowed,” he said. “There will also be higher penalties for frequent offenders.”
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