Top Cape jockey Richard Fourie booted home three winners at Kenilworth on Tuesday but also twice incurred the wrath of the Stipes under the revised twelve strikes crop rule.
Richard Fourie – nailed twice (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The rule, introduced by the National Horseracing Authority on Friday, allows a rider to only strike his mount a maximum of twelve times from start to finish.
Fourie, one of the most consistent and reliable jockeys around, was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 – read with Guideline M on the use of the crop – in that he used his crop more than 12 times during the race whilst riding Imperial Rage. He signed an admission of guilt and was fined R750 and was charged with the same offence and received the same penalty when winning on Timeless Tiara.
Craig Zackey, who was charged at Scottsville on Sunday when winning on the 50-1 Special Blend for Duncan Howells, was again charged under the crop rule when going down narrowly on the 40-1 Winter Shadow in the Pick 6 opener.
We are keen to understand what would have happened had he not shown the necessary vigour in this tight finish?
Zackey signed an admission of guilt and was fined R750 for his indiscretion. He was fined R1000 at Scottsville – the Sporting Post is endeavouring to ascertain the reason for the ‘first’ offence being more heavy than the second – and whether it is related to the amount of excessive strikes.
Also – consider the distraction of counting every jockey’s whip strike number – that must be time consuming and surely a distraction from other important monitoring duties required of the limited raceday staff complement?
After the East Cape Derby pace drag of Saturday, the Stipes called in all the jockeys riding in the second race and their attention was drawn to the importance of setting a reasonable pace in Western Cape races in future and they were advised that this will be closely monitored.
