Sir, - Like many others, I have become enthralled by the upward trajectory of Rachael Blackmore’s career just 15 months after her becoming a fully-fledged professional.

At time of writing, she stands seven clear at the top of the Irish jump jockey’s table. That is despite missing a winner after breaking her nose at Limerick and, also, the three meetings that immediately followed.

She lost a further two days through suspension in June but now faces a much greater impediment by way of the three and five-day suspensions imposed by the Tipperary stewards at the same meeting last Sunday. Herein lies a problem.

Last year Rachael received a five-day suspension under the non-triers’ rule.

Following an appeal, this was upheld at the hearing even though the vet concerned declared that the horse in question was found to be lame afterwards.

ASTONISHED

Neutral observers present at the time were astonished at that verdict and, especially, at the presiding officers’ statement that such an injury was ‘not particularly relevant’!

I have now watched back all three of the rides that have led to the latest rebukes.

During them, the whip was used one, three and three times before the final fence and seven, nine and seven between there and the winning post.

On no occasion was overuse an issue and, for all of this riders’ considerable brilliance, the phrase ‘tap’ rather than ‘crack’ would be far more appropriate. I would defy anyone to look at each ride and emerge with a different view.

To add insult to injury, she has also been sent back to school for a day.

For someone who is employed by around 90 individual trainers each year and is in the top three for rides overall, that one really takes the biscuit!

Rachael Blackmore is being tarnished as a whip-happy jockey when nothing could be further from the truth.

In summary, I believe that it has now reached the stage where someone who is en-route to being Irish racing’s greatest asset is being treated extremely unfairly.

Racing’s greatest appeal should be the fact that both genders can and do compete and succeed equally. The powers that be in Irish racing should review this persecution for that is what it is becoming.

Under the current circumstances, the appeal of moving to France with its’ greater rewards and, most strikingly, the 2kg allowance on offer for female riders must be massively tempting to her.

It is also highly likely that the stewards there would view her riding with considerably more sympathy. – Yours etc.,

PAT REID,

Swanson Terrace,

O’Connell Avenue,

Limerick City and London.

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