Robert Winston has been suspended for 19 days, four of them deferred, at a meeting of the disciplinary committee of the Jockey Club today.
Last season's leading apprentice had been referred to Portman Square by the Southwell stewards last Monday after being found guilty of using his whip with excessive force when out of contention on Sonicos in the Waterford Maiden Stakes.
As Winston had amassed 16 days in whip bans since July 19 last year he was automatically referred under the totting-up procedure.
The committee suspended him from riding from January 22nd to February 8th on days on which Flat racing is to take place, with a further four days deferred until July 19th.
Winston's agent Terry Norman said: "It was not unexpected and it gets it out of the way before the Flat season starts.
"Otherwise if he hadn't got a ban to take him over the limit it would have been hanging over him until July and if he got one from March it would mean he would miss two weeks on turf which would be a lot worse than on the dirt."
Winston also attended the British Racing School on Tuesday to receive help regarding his use of the whip.
The date had been arranged prior to his referral to Portman Square.
