I too would like to thank VVV for bringing this to all of our attention. He could easily have observed it and decided to ignore it, but he has highlighted it for all to see.
In a race, an improper use of the whip charge is also $200. In the heat of the moment and with bucks in the balance it is easy enough to see why a driver would CHOOSE to flout the rules. The horse wins, the expected fine is already paid for. Put simply, if whip standards are to be observed, much tougher penaltys should apply in the first place. And Geoff, really, if that was your horse getting the shit kicked out of it for ABSOLUTELY NOT ONE GOOD REASON how would you feel? If the RSPCA saw fit to pursue the offender, he would get no sympathy from me. If the industry was to get a black eye from such behaviour, they have brought it upon themselves by not enforcing strictly enough or having strong enough deterrents in place, in regard to the scant disregard of the over zealous or improper whipping action which we read about in almost every stewards report.
Its an area the industry could easily improve. IMO a horse will pick up the pace a bit by being tapped up. What are we asking of them when they are fair dinkum under the bat and are well and truly beaten?