Veteran jockey Andrew Fortune suspended after Kenilworth whip breach
Veteran South African jockey Andrew “The Candyman” Fortune has been suspended for 14 race days and fined R14,000 after pleading guilty to excessive whip use aboard Future Free at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last month.
The National Horseracing Authority of South Africa confirmed Fortune was charged under Rule 58.10.2 after striking the horse 17 times during Race eight on April 15, exceeding the permitted limit by seven strikes.
The inquiry was held in Durban on May 15, with Fortune admitting the breach.
During mitigation submissions, Fortune argued that the previous crop penalty framework — which applied before April 1 — should govern the matter. However, the Inquiry Board ruled that revised whip regulations introduced from April 1, 2026 were fully enforceable after being adopted by the National Board and published in the Racing Calendar.
The suspension marks another headline moment in Fortune’s remarkable comeback story after battling severe addiction issues before returning to elite racing ranks and winning this year’s Group 1 Cape Town Met.
