Top jockey stands up and whips rival three times on back in ‘horrific’ race incident A top jockey caused astonishment when he stood up in his irons to whip a rival rider during a race.
Both horses came close together and, as Gates’s mount edged in front, Lerena suddenly stood up in the stirrups and issued three fierce blows with his whip to his rival’s back.
Gavin Lerena is a past champion jockey in South Africa where he has ridden nearly 2.500 winners and enjoyed multiple Group 1 success.
Lerena issued a statement on social media, saying: “I feel it is imperative to offer a formal statement to the racing community,” he said.
The incident led an unnamed jockey, speaking to Sporting Post, to describe the incident as “horrific”.
