Betting ring masterminded by two trainers affected 10 races in 2009

LONDON - Four jockeys, who were amongst 11 people found guilty of corruption in a British Horseracing Authority probe, were banned from the sport on Wednesday.

Jockeys Jimmy Quinn, Kirsty Milczarek, Greg Fairley and Paul Doe were all found in breach of the rules while former jockey Paul Fitzsimons, now a trainer, was found not guilty.

The riders, along with eight other individuals, faced charges relating to 10 races between January 17 and August 15, 2009.

Doe and Fairley, who were the only two riders found guilty of deliberately ensuring horses did not run on their merits, were handed bans of 12 years by the BHA disciplinary panel.

Milczarek was banned for two years, with Quinn given a six-month ban after being found guilty of corruption. Milczarek said she intended to appeal against the findings, while veteran jockey Quinn does not.

The jockeys were judged to have been involved in a betting ring masterminded by two registered owners, Maurice Sines and James Crickmore.

Sines and Crickmore were each disqualified for 14 years and there were punishments for five other accomplices.

"While it is the names of the jockeys that the racing public will recognize, people should be under no illusions that it is the lesser-known names who were the instigators of these serious breaches of the rules," said BHA director Paul Scotney.

"The investigation uncovered a network through which Sines and Crickmore engaged in betting activity, in particular with two riders, Paul Doe and Greg Fairley, that impacted on seven of the 10 races in question.

"In the BHA's history, the scale and complexity of this case is unprecedented."

Doe was found in breach of former Rule 201 (v) and Rule 243, and two counts of former Rule 157 'Where, in the opinion of the Stewards or the BHA, a Rider has intentionally failed to ensure that his horse is run on its merits the Rider shall be deemed in breach of this Rule and guilty of an offence'.

Fairley was found in breach of the old Rule 201 (v) and Rule 243, and one count of former Rule 157.

Quinn and Milczarek were found in breach of the old Rule 201 (v) 'Guilty of or conspires with any other person for the commission of, or connives at any other person being guilty of, any corrupt or fraudulent practice in relation to racing in this or any other country'.

Milczarek was also found in breach of former Rule 243 'Passing information for reward'.

But her solicitor, Christopher Stewart-Moore, said: "We think the Panel's reasoning is flawed and we're going to be appealing to the BHA appeal board as Kirsty was not involved in any conspiracy of any kind."

Quinn's solicitor Rory MacNeice said: "The disciplinary panel found that Jimmy had ridden both horses on their merits and in their written reasons they went as far as saying that had he been asked not to ride them on their merits, he would have refused to have done so.

"That recognition by the Panel is very important because it underlines Jimmy's commitment to riding each horse he rides on its merits and in order to achieve that horse's best possible placing.

"The Panel in their decision made specific reference to his ride on Quince, a horse on which he won, given what the panel called 'an astute ride'. By winning that race, the gamblers who were the subject of this inquiry lost 80,000.

"By imposing a six-month ban on Jimmy, the Panel imposed the absolute minimum ban they were able to.

"Mr Quinn hopes to resume riding after his six-month ban and is grateful for the great deal of support he has received from within racing."

Agence France-Presse