National Hunt course is first to ban whip

A racecourse has become the first in Britain to ban the use of whips at all meetings.

The National Hunt track in Towcester, Northamptonshire, will forbid jockeys using the stick from 5 October. Instead they will have to use system known as "hands and heels" which permits them to carry whips but only in the back-hand position.

The move follows widespread criticism after the Grand National earlier this month, but was criticised yesterday by leading jockey Tony McCoy as "a daft publicity stunt".