Ruby Walsh reaffirmed his opposition to the new whip rules after making a winning return to British race riding at Wetherby.
The leading Irish jockey was furious after picking up a five-day suspension at Aintree last Saturday, promising to make his trips to Britain less frequent for ordinary races.
He missed the meeting at Chepstow on Tuesday, but headed to West Yorkshire for the ride on Fistral Beach and was rewarded with a comfortable victory.
The well-supported 5-2 favourite travelled strongly throughout the two-and-a-half-mile (4000m) feature, and was left in a clear lead when market rival Persian Gates crashed out two fences from home.
Walsh only had to push his Paul Nicholls-trained mount out to the line to score by eight lengths from Araldur.
“The owner has a yard full of horses and Paul thought it was worth me coming over,” Walsh said.
“It was a good prize, I thought it was worth coming over for and Paul did too.
“These are good races. I never said I wouldn’t be coming for these sort of races.
“Likewise tomorrow, I’ve got some good rides, Poquelin and What A Friend, and then there is the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on Tuesday.
“It is the ordinary races I will have to weigh up and see what the story is.
“It’s like a soccer player being on a yellow card and not wanting to miss the European Cup final.”
Walsh has appealed against the ban he picked up at Aintree with the hearing set to take place at British Horseracing Authority headquarters in London on Thursday.
“After Thursday, maybe things might change, I would not appeal if I didn’t think I had a case.” he said
“The BHA say they are reviewing the rules ongoing, but ongoing is ongoing, I think they should speed it up because the jumping season is getting going and there are good races coming up.
“Britain were world leaders with the whip instructions and others were trying to follow.
“It was a model other people were looking at, but now they have got something nobody wants.”
PA AAP TURF
