Goodwood ban for Chaves after King George Stakes ride
A visiting jockey from a country where whip use is forbidden has received a 22-day ban for breaching the rules in Britain.
Brazilian-born Elione Chaves is one of Scandinavia's most successful jockeys with more than 1,700 wins, over 1,000 of which were registered in Sweden. He has won several championships and the winners of nearly every major race in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Chaves went to Goodwood to ride Swedish-trained multiple Listed winner Lamborghini in the Group 2 King George Stakes in which the five-year-old finished sixth, less than three lengths behind winner American Affair.
However Chaves was referred to the BHA’s Whip Review Committee after going over the limit in the closing stages.
The committee’s report said:
“Elione Chaves, the rider of LAMBORGHINI BF (IRE), placed sixth, was found to have used his whip twice above the permitted level of six, down the shoulder in the forehand position with his hand off the reins and without giving his mount time to respond from half a furlong out.
“Taking into account that this was a Class 1 race, the penalty in respect of being above permitted level was doubled. He will be suspended for 22 days from Tuesday 18 August 2026 to Tuesday 08 September 2026, inclusive.”
Use of the whip for encouragement has been forbidden in Sweden since 2022. The country’s racing regulator Svensk Galopp's rules allow riders to carry a whip but it in can only be used for safety.
At the time of the change Helena Gärtner, project manager in the Scandinavian Racing Regulations Committee, said:
“Whip use in horse racing simply does not belong in 2022.
“Until now, Swedish rules have allowed the rider to use the whip 3 times in most races. However, the use of the whip has not been allowed in jump races and races for two-year-olds.”
The rule has since been adopted in Denmark and Norway.
