Riccarton Park – Canterbury JC 8 August 2026 – R6 – Billy Marshall

Following the running of Race 6, Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge 151st Grand National Steeplechase, Class D Jockey, Billy Marshall, admitted a charge that, as the Rider of BRUCIE in the race, he “struck his mount in 3 consecutive strides and in excess of the 7 permitted strikes”.

Rule 638(3) provides:

(h) Subject to the other requirements this Rule 638(3), in a Jumping Race or trial (including jump-outs and/or tests for certification purposes), a Rider must not:

(i)  strike a horse with a whip more than 7 times in total (other than in a slapping motion down the shoulder with the whip hand remaining on the reins).

(ii)  strike a horse with a whip in consecutive strides at any stage of the race.

EVIDENCE:

Chief Stipendiary Steward, John Oatham, began by saying that, because of Mr Marshall’s whip style, it is difficult to make an accurate count of his whip uses, particularly after jumping the last brush. There were three clear strikes prior to jumping the last fence, he submitted.

He then showed video replays of the final 200-300 metres of the 5600 metres race. He showed that, after jumping the last fence, Mr Marshall changed his grip on the whip and used it on three consecutive strides. Including those three strikes and those prior to the last fence, Mr Oatham alleged, there were “not less than nine” strikes in total. Many of the strikes were “waves”, he said, and were difficult to tell.

Mr Marshall referred to his whip style. He knew when he had hit the horse and agreed that it was difficult to tell from the replays, he said. That was the way he had always ridden, he said. He accepted the Stewards’ allegation that the number of strikes was not less than nine.

DECISION:

The charge having been admitted, it is deemed proved.

SUBMISSIONS FOR PENALTY:

Mr Oatham said that, notwithstanding that the charge involved alleged breaches of two different whip offences (more than 7 strikes and using the whip in consecutive strides), Stewards were charging it as one offence, given the “Black Type” provisions in the Penalty Guide. In the present case, he said, the Penalty Guide suggested a penalty starting point in this case, for two additional strikes, of a fine equal to 50% of the Jockey’s share of the stake earned by Mr Marshall’s mount, in this case $1,387.50. Mr Oatham suggested that the fine be rounded up to $1,400.

Mr Marshall has a clear record as far as breaches of the Whip Rules are concerned, Mr Oatham said.

REASONS FOR PENALTY:

It has to be said that Mr Marshall’s whip use looked bad, and that is of concern. At first glance it appeared, and was, excessive. However, none of the various video replays that were shown to the hearing was entirely satisfactory and, in particular, it was difficult for the Adjudicative Committee to determine the precise number of offending whip uses – that is to say, those that actually made contact with the horse. It is significant that neither could Mr Oatham state, with any certainty, the exact number of offending strikes, as opposed to those that were only “waves” of the whip.

Against that background, that Mr Oatham’s estimate of the number was “not less than nine” and, in the absence of any satisfactory evidence to the contrary, the Adjudicative Committee accepts the number of offending strikes, for the purpose of determining penalty, at nine, two more than permitted under the Rule.

The RIB Thoroughbred Penalty Guide (April 2026) suggests a starting point for penalty for two additional strikes of a $250 fine. For three consecutive strides, the starting point is a fine of $300. However, the Guide goes on to provide that, in any Prestige Jumping Race, the starting point for any fine will be an amount equal to 50% of the Jockey’s share of the stake earned by their mount or, in this case, $250 whichever is greater. Accordingly, the appropriate fine is $1,400 (rounded up).

Finally, the Adjudicative Committee suggested to Mr Marshall that his whip use, on this occasion, appeared overly excessive and would have looked bad to most observers, and urged him take steps to change his whip style to avoid uncertainty in the future.

CONCLUSION:

Class D Jockey, Billy Marshall, is fined the sum of $1,400.