Lunar Discovery, the runner-up in a bumper at Ayr on 14 February, has become the first horse to be disqualified for a breach of the new whip rules after the British Horseracing Authority found that Charlotte Jones used her whip 11 times during the race, four above the new permitted level of seven.
Jones was one of 19 jockeys found to have broken the BHA’s latest whip rules in the first seven days of the new regime, which started on 13 February.
The Whip Review Committee meeting on Tuesday handed out a total of 134 days in bans, including an 18-day suspension for Lorcan Williams for a winning ride on Makin’yourmindup at Haydock on 18 February.
The ban will rule him out of the four-day Cheltenham Festival next month. Luke Scott (14 days), Cameron Iles (11 days) and Jones (14 days) will also miss the Festival, while Kevin Brogan (eight days) will miss the opening day of the sport’s showpiece meeting on 14 March.