Diego Lima, a jockey condemned for striking his horse over the head with a whip before a race at York, has received a significantly extended suspension. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) handed down a 24-day ban on Tuesday, following an initial two-day suspension imposed by York stewards.
Incident at York
The controversy arose during the Sky Bet ebfstallions.com Novice Stakes on May 19, 2026, when Lima's mount, Ranting Duke, finished second as a 50-1 outsider. Footage emerged showing Lima striking the two-year-old colt over the head while in the starting stalls, an action widely condemned by pundits.
Racing TV's Tom Stanley described the behavior as "completely unacceptable," while former jockey Martin Dwyer noted, "He is loaded into the stalls, the horse is perfectly stood still and he just hits him over the head with the thick end of his whip. The first time he does it the horse looked confused and shook his head, the second time the stalls open and he's very quick into stride. It's a bizarre thing to do."
Stewards' Initial Ruling
York stewards found Lima guilty of using his whip in an "inappropriate and unacceptable way" in the stalls, issuing a two-day suspension. They also referred him to the BHA's whip review committee for exceeding the limit of six strikes during the race.
Trainer Diego Dias initially denied that Lima struck the horse on the head, but the footage and subsequent review contradicted this claim.
BHA Committee Decision
The whip review committee determined that Lima struck Ranting Duke 11 times in the final two furlongs and used his whip in the incorrect place on the run to the line. As a result, Ranting Duke was disqualified, with the committee ruling that "none of the uses were clearly and unequivocally for safety purposes."
Lima, who has ridden in Brazil, Australia, Bahrain, and Ireland, was suspended from June 2 to June 25 inclusive, a total of 24 days. The ban reflects the severity of the offense and serves as a deterrent against such behavior in the future.
