Brown fined for Shocking whip work

Corey Brown's Melbourne Cup win has been tarnished after he was fined $500 for using his whip to celebrate as Shocking was about to cross the finish line on Tuesday.

Stewards spoke to the winning jockey over concerns he may have displayed a so-called "celebratory gesture" with his whip before his mount crossed the finishing line.

Brown was ecstatic after he realised he had won the Melbourne Cup. Besides jubilation, he said he felt a sense of vindication after coming a close second on Bauer last year.

But his celebrations were soured by claims he was being investigated for an illegal use of the whip on Shocking at the finishing post - in breach of the new whip rules which came into effect in late September.

The claim was splashed across the front page of a Melbourne newspaper this morning and the RSCPA - which has been campaigning against whipping - pounced on the story.

But this morning a spokesman for Racing Victoria said Brown was being investigated with respect to his celebratory gesture, standing in the saddle and waving his whip, before he crossed the winning post.

The Victorian Jockeys Association's Des O'Keeffe says the rule on celebrations has been around for several years.

"The stewards introduced it as a safety measure. What they don't want is riders 'going off', to use a colloquial sort of expression, but you know, going wild in celebration prior to reaching the finish line," he said.

"They want riders to wait until they've actually completed the race and they regard that as a safety issue for the riders, the horses and for riders following them."

Last month jockey Glen Boss was fined $1,000 for his lavish celebration on So You Think when he won the Cox Plate.

A serial offender, Boss has been charged 18 times for making such gestures before the winning post.

At the time Boss said: "If you were told you are going to win the Cox Plate and it's going to cost you a $1,000, what are you going to do? You'd pay the fine every day of the week," he said.

Mr O'Keeffe says jockeys are well aware of the offence.

"If you win a Cox Plate or a Melbourne Cup or a Caulfield Cup and you're clearly winning it, which Corey Brown and Glen Boss both were, it's probably very difficult to contain your exuberance, to contain your excitement," he said.

Mr O'Keeffe is angry with the RSPCA for claiming Brown was being investigated over an illegal use of the whip. He says it is outrageous.

"That's a complete false premise, that the RSPCA seem to have run with," he said.

"Stewards are enquiring into Corey Brown's celebratory gesture and determining whether it's pre or post the finish post.

"That's what they're enquiring into and if the RSPCA have knowingly run this false premise they should be ashamed of themselves.

"If they're unknowingly running it, well it just shows how out of touch they are with the rules in an industry that they take such an active interest in.

"I've spoken to Corey Brown this morning, I've spoken to him here today at the races. He's insulted by it. He's upset by it. He deserves better and the RSPCA should behave in a more responsible manner."