I agree inasmuch as that any jockey who does not ride to his draw (unless he drops his charge out competely and goes
behind everything) should be penalised irrespective of interference. Is that still the way in France (irrespective of distance, you ride to your draw for a furlong or so)?
I see that as a commonsense "one-size-fits-all" approach. The premise there is that the jockey here currently may or may not get away with it (depending on events around him) whereas under that method, he's going to be fined at least for doing in
whether he interferes or not.
It also takes any stewarding inconsistency out of the equation - the evidence is there on VT. Racing's equivalent of the on-the-spot fine?
May be gubbins - not sure if I've fully thought it through (you might end up with horses in the river at Chester...)
.