Ben Allen suspended again on whip breach

Victorian Jockeys Association chief executive Des O’Keeffe has described the whip rule an embarrassment after apprentice Ben Allen incurred a second suspension in the space of a week at Sandown.

Allen was outed for eight meetings by Racing Victoria stewards on Saturday, his first day back riding after incurring a five-meeting ban last week.

O’Keeffe, representing Allen before stewards, said the whip rule of five strikes before the 100m mark is embarrassing.

Allen was suspended for striking Noela’s Choice on two occasions more than allowed before the 100m mark.

His suspension begins after racing at Bairnsdale on Monday and he can return for the Sandown meeting on June 15.

“This rule is an embarrassment for racing,” O’Keeffe said.

“Hopefully Racing Australia will see the folly of it when they meet on Friday.”

After sitting out the majority of the week Allen landed a winner with his first ride back aboard the Robert Smerdon-trained Clemency in the Ladbrokes Park Handicap.

Smerdon was full of praise for Allen.

“He’s got it all, I think,” Smerdon said.

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“He’s got the right temperament. He’s got the thing you can’t teach them, the composure.”

Smerdon said Allen hadn’t ridden for him a lot but was keen to use his services when available.

“I tried to book him for this horse 10 days ago, but I think he waits for Darren Weir, gets the all clear before others can get a look in,” he said.

Smerdon completed a double when Odyssey Moon took out the Ladbrokes Cash In Handicap.

Dwayne Dunn and his apprentice son Dylan, each have extra reason to celebrate a winning day, the 18th birthday of, daughter and sister, Jessica Dunn.

Dwayne now holds a three-win lead in the jockeys’ premiership after a double aboard Inspired Estelle in the Ladbrokes.com.au Handicap and Nesbo in the Ladbrokes Line Play Handicap.

Dylan took out the final race, the Ladbrokes Infohub Handicap on Magnus Lad but it came with a $500 fine for a whip breach.

“I’m angry with myself for that,” Dylan Dunn said.

“I was concentrating hard, especially with the race being on the Hillside track.”

Fellow apprentices Jake Bayliss and Beau Mertens also fell foul of whip rules and received fines.

Bayliss was fined $600 after winning on War Legend in the Ladbrokes Mega Margin Handicap and Mertens $200 aboard Testability in the Ladbrokes Park Handicap.

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