Jockey Diego Lima has been handed a 12-month ban and will be stripped of prize money after striking his horse on the head with his whip while in the stalls at York. The incident occurred before the start of the Sky Bet ebfstallions.com Novice Stakes, where Lima finished second aboard the 50-1 outsider Ranting Duke.
Footage showed Lima hitting the horse twice on the head with the thick end of his whip while the horse was stationary in the stalls. Former jockey Martin Dwyer described the act as 'bizarre', noting that the horse appeared confused and shook its head after the first strike. Racing TV pundit Tom Stanley said the behaviour was 'completely unacceptable'.
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) stewards initially suspended Lima for two days for improper riding. However, further review by the whip review committee found that Lima had used his whip 13 times during the race, far exceeding the permitted six strikes. Under BHA regulations, four or more strikes beyond the limit results in disqualification.
As a result, Lima has been banned for 12 months and ordered to forfeit his prize money from the race. Ranting Duke will also be disqualified from its second-place finish. The BHA confirmed that the penalty reflects the severity of the breach and the need to uphold animal welfare standards.
