The subject of the whip is never too far away from the racing headlines, with many observers rightly concerned about keeping its use to a minimum to look after the equine stars of the show.
Happily, the sport has introduced several improvements in this area. Modern-day whips are made from a forgiving foam-padded material designed to encourage the horse without inflicting damage. The number of whip uses is also strictly policed; the jockey may use the whip six times during a UK flat race and seven times in a jumps contest.
All of which is very well for the horses, but what about the jockeys? The subject of how many times a jockey may whip a fellow rider rarely makes the racing news for one very good reason – it is an exceedingly rare occurrence. Rare, but it does happen, as displayed at Turffontein on Sunday.
Lerena Loses His Cool
The explosive incident occurred in the Play Soccer 6, 10, and 13 Maiden Plate, as a field of seven set out over the 7f trip. The villain of this piece was none other than former South African Champion Jockey Gavin Lerena. Best known to UK racing fans for riding a double at the 2016 Shergar Cup meeting, this time, the 39-year-old hit the headlines for altogether different reasons.
Heading into the final furlong, Great Notion and Green Street engaged in a two-way tussle for the lead. However, the real drama was unfolding on the near side. Seemingly involved in a fairly run-of-the-mill battle for the minor positions with the Jason Gates-ridden Blurred Vision, Lerena suddenly and seemingly inexplicably lost the plot.
Jockey Hits Jockey read more below.. https://t.co/PUhXnCugm5 pic.twitter.com/EAuQbMYExH
— SAHorseracing (@SAHorseracing) January 26, 2025
Did Lerena not enjoy Gates and Blurred Vision coming so close to his mount, Gimme A Storm, and let it show! Was the prospect of a looming defeat on the pre-race favourite all too much, or did he simply get out of the wrong side of the bed that day?
Whatever the case, Lerena took serious umbrage to being overtaken by Blurred Vision. Having received an unsatisfactory response from his mount, the rider of 2,500 winners turned his attention elsewhere – sitting bolt upright in the saddle, the red mist-stricken jockey gave his whip a twirl and promptly administered three firm strikes to the back of Gates. A bewildered Gates managed one swipe back in response before forging ahead to finish fourth ahead of Gimme A Storm in sixth.
Apologies in the Aftermath
Unsurprisingly, this incident was the major talking point following an otherwise uneventful Sunday card at the Johannesburg track. Having calmed down, Lerena issued a statement apologizing for his actions later on Sunday, stating:
“I feel it is imperative to offer a formal statement to the racing community. What took place is entirely inconsistent with my character, and I deeply regret the incident. I extend my sincerest apologies to the owners and trainer of the horse, my sponsors, the racing fans, and the relevant race day authorities affected.”
However, the exact reasons for this errant use of the whip remained vague, as Lerena continued:
“I do want to clarify that my reaction followed encounters and actions from Mr Gates.”
Perhaps we will learn more at the inquiry into the incident, set to be conducted by South Africa’s National Horse Racing Authority at a future date.