PJA and BHA in bitter exchange over new system of stewarding on racecourses

The body that represents jockeys and the BHA have had a bitter exchange over the new system of stewarding on racecourses which threatens to place the two bodies at loggerheads over the way the sport is policed.

The Professional Jockeys Association used the decision of an independent panel to overturn a 12-day careless riding suspension imposed on Charlie Bennett to question the BHA’s new officiating system and branded the original call by Kempton stewards a ‘poor decision’.

The PJA also questioned whether the same decision would have been imposed under the old stewarding system.

PJA and BHA have had a bitter exchange over the new system of stewarding on racecourses

From January 1, the BHA has phased in a new model with two professional stewards on a race-day panel and one amateur honorary steward. That reversed the previous ratio with the BHA claiming the new panels are better equipped to deal with contemporary integrity issues.

But after Bennett won his appeal, Paul Struthers, chief executive of the PJA, said: ‘Under the old system there were very few poor decisions but those poor decisions, we know, were advocated by the professionals not by the honorary stewards.

‘We were not convinced the new system would see a marked improvement over a system which was not broken any way. One (poor decision) coming so soon after the introduction of the new system is worrying.’

Row has arisen out of incident which left jockey Rab Havlin facing at least six weeks out injured

A clearly irritated BHA responded saying: ‘The suggestion that the original decision was palpably wrong – or that a successful appeal under the very system which is designed to allow a second opinion – means that the new Stewarding model is failing is deliberately provocative and has no factual basis.’

Changes to the stewarding system have caused much unrest behind the scenes and split opinion. Some argue honorary stewards importantly deliver a greater independence of approach than a paid BHA employee.

Defenders of the new system argue the jockeys are opposed to change because they got an easier ride under the old stewarding system.

The row has arisen out of a serious incident which left another jockey, Rab Havlin, facing at least six weeks on the sidelines with a broken collarbone and fractured rib. His mount Beehaar, who clipped heels, was fatally injured.

Allaho earned his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival with an impressive win at Clonmel on Thursday but trainer Willie Mullins has to decide whether the Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding runs in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (2m 5f) or the longer Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (3m).