Cloud Still Hangs Over Lerena-Gates Whip Saga

After nearly eight months, the Gavin Lerena-Jason Gates whipping saga is over. But only in a legal sense.

- Mike Moon

The incident and its aftermath will linger in infamy in the South African racing game, agonised over for some time.

Calls for racing to "move on" quickly from an unsavoury moment are understandable but unrealistic, especially in the context of that day at Turffontein in January making headline news around the world.

This week it was announced that Lerena, the country's new champion jockey, had his appeal against punishment for whipping fellow rider Gates dismissed with costs.

Lerena will serve a 30-day suspension and pay a R100,000 fine. A further 60-day riding ban and R100,000 fine are suspended for two years.