Jockey O'Brien Suspended for Whip Use
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British Horse Racing Authority stewards have suspended jockey Joseph O'Brien nine days and fined him £3,000 for using his whip more than the permitted number of times during two races June 19 at Royal Ascot.
The son of top Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien, Joseph O'Brien is suspended from July 3-9 for his aggressive ride aboard Leading Light in his victory over Queen Elizabeth II's Estimate in the Gold Cup (Eng-I), the fourth race on the card.
According to the stewards report, O'Brien used his whip above the permitted level from three furlongs out to the finish, in a race that was a close three-horse battle.
In a second incident the same day, O'Brien was suspended for two days—July 10 and 14—for using his whip above the permitted level from 2 1/2 furlongs out aboard unplaced Carlo Buggati in the fourth race.
O'Brien finished the Royal Ascot meet as third-leading jockey with two wins, five seconds, and two third-place finishes.