Fears that the new whipping rules could overshadow the Cheltenham Festival this week prove unfounded

Fears that the controversial new whipping rules could cause a storm of controversy at the Cheltenham Festival this week failed to materialise.

After the final race on Friday, it was confirmed that none of the winning riders had faced the threat of disqualification for breaking the rules.

And only six of Cheltenham’s 444 attractions were referred to the Whip Review Board.

The new, stricter regulations were tested on a major racing arena for the first time at this week’s Festival.

The British Horse Racing Authority (BHA) has faced criticism for introducing the rules, which allow a horse to be disqualified if a jockey uses the whip four or more times more than the allowed seven times in a race. of jumps, on the eve of the Festival.

There is now a limit to the number of times a jockey can whip his horse during a race.

Since the new rules, which include tougher suspensions, were implemented on February 13, two second-place finishers have been disqualified.

The big question this week was how the jockeys will react when the stakes are higher at Cheltenham.

British jockeys have had little time to get used to the rules, including an adjustment period where they were told what penalties they would have received, but most Irish jockeys will be operating under the rules for the first time.

However, any potential disqualification would not be announced on the day, with all bets settled on the result.

But it was confirmed after the final race of the Festival on Friday night that none of this week’s winning jockeys had faced the threat of disqualification.

BBC journalist Francis Keogh tweeted: ‘Six of Cheltenham’s 444 attractions will be referred to the Whip Review Board. Three of the referrals were for use above the allowable level, two for misplacement and one for use above shoulder height.’