IRISH jump jockeys met with senior British Horseracing Authority officials this week to discuss the new whip rules in Britain and the riders remain concerned that they are more likely to receive suspensions at Cheltenham than their British counterparts.

Since February 13th, the whip can only be used seven times (reduced from eight) in a jumps race in Britain. A horse could be disqualified if the whip is used four times or more above the permitted level. There are also stiffer penalties for using the whip incorrectly, in particular if used above shoulder height, and the suspensions are longer if rules are broken in bigger races.