Winston given 28-day suspension for whip misuse

The jockey Robert Winston was yesterday suspended for 28 days, eight of them deferred, following his appearance before the Disciplinary Committee of the Jockey Club for breaches of the guidelines governing misuse of the whip.

The jockey Robert Winston was yesterday suspended for 28 days, eight of them deferred, following his appearance before the Disciplinary Committee of the Jockey Club for breaches of the guidelines governing misuse of the whip.

The jockey was referred to Portman Square after being found guilty of a whip offence at Southwell on 6 November because he had already been suspended for 15 days for similar offences within the previous 12 months.

Winston's suspension will run from 20 November to 16 December on days when Flat racing is scheduled to take place - and on a date, yet to be arranged, to receive instruction regarding his use of the whip at the British Racing School.

The remaining eight days - deferred until 12 May next year - will not have to be served if he does not commit another breach of the guidelines before then.

At Southwell, he was found guilty of using his whip with excessive force and frequency, with his whip arm above shoulder height, without giving his mount, Replacement Pet, time to respond and when out of contention in a maiden contest.

Winston said after the hearing: "I was well out of order and it did not look very good when we watched the film of the race. I expected a long ban and I have just got to learn from my mistakes and do things right in the future because I have a good job with Mrs Lynda Ramsden next year.

"I don't have a great amount of experience really and I told the stewards the problem was that I have been trying too hard and that I will just have to settle down. I also said I have learned my lesson."