"The whip must not be used excessively prior to the final 400 metres."

Damian Lane fined $5000 & suspended for 7 days after his winning ride on El Dorado Dreaming,,ATC Sires' Produce Stakes
Struck his mount 4 times more than permitted prior to the 100m mark

Damian Lane lodged an appeal against the penalty but the appeal was dismissed

An apprentice Kiwi jockey has been suspended for 12 national riding days for excessive use of his whip, in what the judicial committee labelled the worst breach they had ever witnessed under the rule.

Kavish Chowdhoory was found guilty of breaking New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing rule 638 (3)(b)(ii) when riding Ego Princess​ to victory at Avondale on Monday, with the committee describing his actions as 'inexcusable', 'grossly unacceptable' and that they 'raise alarming animal welfare and public concerns'.

The rule states: 'A rider shall not strike a horse with a whip in a manner or to an extent which is excessive'.


http://www.stuff.co.nz

I lost count but watched the replay, he hit Ego Princess in excess of 24 times from the home turn.

The rule prohibiting use of whips which have not been approved by Racing Australia and whips that have been approved by Racing Australia but have been modified, is being extended to include possession of such whips by any person.

From 1 August 2018

Steward's report Flemington 21/07/2018

Apprentice Mitch Aitken pleaded guilty to a charge under the provisions of AR92(12) for failing to claim his full allowance in Race 2 (Linguist) and Race 4 (Credible Witness) and was fined $500. Mitch Aitken was 1kg over his declared minimum weight and this was Mitch Aitkens fourth offence this year under this rule.
Mitch Aitken pleaded guilty to a further charge of misconduct under the provisions of AR83a, the specifics of misconduct being:
(i) for disobeying a direction from a Steward to ensure he rides with the gear he weighs out with when weighing out to ride Credible Witness, and
(ii) after having weighed out to ride Credible Witness, he told a Steward a mis-truth regarding the riding gear he weighed out with. Mitch Aitken had his permit to ride in races suspended for a period to commence at midnight July 21st and to expire at midnight August 11th, a total of three weeks (twenty-one race meetings). In assessing penalty Stewards took into account his guilty plea and that he is an apprentice.

I have nothing more to say!

also from today, a new rule which prohibits the possession of a stockwhip in
relation to racing, training & pre-training

Not related to racing per se, but I've seen a video of a so called natural horsemanship horse breaker using a stock whip and was horrified.
I have used a stock whip, but never made contact with the horse at any stage, it was part of desensitising training, which I do with stock whips, cracking wood, riding whips and lunge whips. Again, the horse never comes into contact with any of these, they learn to accept the sounds, and that it will not hurt them.

interesting info, thanks