A jockey has been warned she is in danger of getting a huge ban unless she stops committing whip offences. Nicola Currie is one of Britain’s top female riders who has ridden 236 winners and landed the coveted Alastair Haggis Silver Saddle trophy as top jockey at the 2021 Shergar Cup at Ascot.
The 31-year-old from the Isle of Arran rode 81 winners in 2018 but her momentum since has been stalled by injury and suspension. In 2025 she has already matched last year’s total for the whole year with six winners from just 28 rides but will now miss a sizeable part of the early stages of the Flat Turf season just as it gets under way.
Currie was referred to the disciplinary panel after she went one over the whip strike limit at Wolverhampton in February.
It was her fourth breach in just over four months, a pattern which was a source of concern to panel chair Fiona Horlick KC.
In her report on the case, Horlick said: “Those offences occurred in just 64 rides, an offending rate of 1 breach in every 16 rides, a very high offending ratio especially for a flat jockey. This is a significant aggravating factor.
“Two breaches were for using her whip twice above the permitted level, an aggravating factor. Three of the breaches occurred in just under two months, two within 11 days of each other indicating that Ms Currie demonstrated a concerning disregard for both the Rules of Racing and the protection of horses from excessive whip use.
“Even more concerning is that this is Ms Currie’s second referral for totting up multiple whip offences in less than 18 months. On 2 October 2023, Ms Currie was suspended for 28 days with nine days deferred for six months. A second referral indicates that Ms Currie is not deterred by a long period of suspension and this is a further significantly aggravating factor.”
At her February inquiry Currie was reported to have admitted she “knew more than better” about the whip restrictions.
The panel issued Currie with a 39-day suspension, nine of which were deferred for six months or 200 rides. One of the days would be spent receiving specialist training,
Horlick said: “I accept that this penalty is appropriate and reflects the several aggravating factors of this case.
“However, Ms Currie should have heeded her last period of suspension and she should understand and expect that further breaches of Rule (F)45 would be overwhelmingly likely to result in a very considerably more severe sanction.”
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