The controversial new whip rules were in the spotlight at Randwick where apprentice Tommy Berry was reprimanded by stewards for his handling of frontrunning winner Gazza Guru.The rules came into place last Saturday at the metropolitan season opener at Rosehill where Corey Brown was given a couple of reprimands.Josh Parr was also reprimanded at Randwick on Wednesday for his use of the whip on eventual fourth placegetter Burin in the Zetland Handicap (1300m).Leading rider Blake Shinn was called in

The controversial new whip rules were in the spotlight at Randwick where apprentice Tommy Berry was reprimanded by stewards for his handling of frontrunning winner Gazza Guru.

The rules came into place last Saturday at the metropolitan season opener at Rosehill where Corey Brown was given a couple of reprimands.

Josh Parr was also reprimanded at Randwick on Wednesday for his use of the whip on eventual fourth placegetter Burin in the Zetland Handicap (1300m).

Leading rider Blake Shinn was called into the stewards' room where he and chief stipe Ray Murrihy counted and disputed the number of times the rider used the whip on Martin Place who finished a close third to Strike One in the Randwick Betting Auditorium (1550m).

"You get the benefit of the doubt Blake because the video footage is so poor," Murrihy told Shinn.

Under the rules, before the 200-metre mark jockeys will be permitted to hit the horse no more than five times and over the final 200m a rider cannot hit a horse in consecutive strides other than on one occasion, and on that occasion the jockey can hit the horse in three consecutive strides.

Gazza Guru bolted to a huge lead near the halfway point of the Waterloo Handicap (1800m) and despite tiring in the closing stages clung on to defeat Hawk Island by a neck with Superreact a half-neck away third.

"As long as we can see the riders are trying to make an effort, that's why the rules have been slanted the way they are, the riders have a couple of reprimands, then they'll be fined a riding fee and then suspended if they continue to infringe," Murrihy said.

"The penalties have been drawn up so we can help the riders to the point it becomes second nature."

Jim Cassidy made a winning return from injury at Randwick where he booted home Lady Beckworth in the opening race of the day.

Cassidy had only two rides and finished a close second to Sigma on Mossamine, again for trainer Graeme Rogerson, in the AJC Convention Handicap (1100m).

The jockey had been sidelined since injuring his right shoulder in an incident in the Queensland Derby in June.

Trainer Anne-Marie Ruttley celebrated her stable's first metropolitan winning double when Mr Vincent scored with Glyn Schofield aboard in the Zetland Handicap (1300m).

Stablemate Gypsy Googol earlier won the Rosebery Handicap (1800m) with Schofield in the saddle.