FOR the first time in Australian racing, stewards could be empowered to relegate a horse if its rider breaks whip rules, reports The Age.It says: Racing Victoria chairman Michael Duffy has been appointed to chair a panel that will review the penalties imposed for breaches of the whip rule, which yesterday was varied for the second time in six weeks. A revised set of national rules will come into force from September 26 after a compromise halted fears of further industrial action by jockeys over

FOR the first time in Australian racing, stewards could be empowered to relegate a horse if its rider breaks whip rules, reports The Age.

It says: Racing Victoria chairman Michael Duffy has been appointed to chair a panel that will review the penalties imposed for breaches of the whip rule, which yesterday was varied for the second time in six weeks. A revised set of national rules will come into force from September 26 after a compromise halted fears of further industrial action by jockeys over the spring carnival. This followed last Thursday's snap jockey strike.

Jockeys struck an agreement with the Australian Racing Board that allows them to use the whip up to seven times in the final 100 metres of a race. It is understood that high on Mr Duffy's agenda will be the introduction of tougher penalties, including the power to demote a horse whose rider has seriously breached the regulation. Currently, stewards have the power to fine and suspend riders, but owners of beaten horses had no right of redress.

''This outcome achieves everything that is important to us so far as both safety of riders and the welfare of horses are concerned,'' ARB chairman Bob Bentley said of yesterday's compromise.

Australian Jockeys Association chairman Paul Innes said: ''These changes won't take the danger out of racing, but it will lessen the dangers jockeys face in the last 100 metres of a race.''RSPCA chief executive Heather Neil said: ''The RSPCA is glad that the ARB hasn't given jockeys the mandate they wanted - to whip horses as much as they like in the end stages of a race. But we are disappointed they felt the need to capitulate at all.''