Denton Hall News

Dods hits out at 'unfair' punishment given to Jim Crowley after King George triumph

TRAINER Michael Dods has called for a review of the “unfair” punishment given to jockey Jim Crowley following his winning ride in the King George at Ascot.

Crowley has been hit with a 20-day ban and a £10,000 fine for breaking whip rules in Saturday’s epic race in which Hukum came out top in a titanic battle with Westover, ridden by Rob Hornby.

Crowley and Hornby were both referred to the British Horseracing Authority’s Whip Review Committee after the epic duel.

Crowley, pictured, was found to have used his whip nine times inside the final two furlongs, three more than the permitted number for flat riders.

Under new whip rules, introduced at the start of the year, Crowley’s penalty is doubled because it was a Group One race. He will be suspended between August 15-21 and August 23 to September 4.

Hornby was ruled to have gone once over the permitted level and received a four-day ban.

Dods hit out at the severity of the punishment, saying “it’s not good for racing”.

“That was one of the best races we’ve seen for a long time and no-one watching it thought the jockeys had been excessive in their use of the whip. The horses weren’t abused and it was a super race.

“Jim Crowley is a world-class jockey, who’s kind to the horses he rides, and it’s not right that he’s facing a 20-day ban and a £10,000 fine. It needs to be reviewed for the good of racing.”