Jockey Club to inquire into punter’s dealings
Coleman, who is alleged to have given jockeys presents in return for information, is one of six men racing’s governing body named during the summer.
They are wanted drug dealer Brian Wright (senior), his son Brian, ex-jockey Barrie Wright (no relation), Ian Kiernan, Paul Shannon and Coleman.
Wright (jnr), Kiernan and Shannon were all convicted of their involvement in drug trafficking following the conclusion of the Woolwich trial.
It is not thought likely that any of the six will attend the hearings.
‘‘These are the individuals who the Jockey Club announced following the lifting of the reporting restrictions in June that we would be initiating disciplinary proceedings against. The matter is likely to be heard in December,’’ explained Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse yesterday.
‘‘We haven’t gone into detail as to what our charges would be as that would prejudice the case and it is likely to be heard in December at a date to be fixed when we will also be dealing with other names mentioned.
‘‘We would have liked to have dealt with them by now but the legal advice was that it would be inappropriate to deal with them prior to the Graham Bradley hearing.’’
Coleman and Bradley both gave evidence in the trial of former jockey Barrie Wright, who was found not guilty on drugs charges at Southampton Crown Court in October last year.
Bradley’s inquiry, expected to last three days, starts on November 27.
Coleman’s case was highlighted in a newspaper report yesterday along with a claim that Lord Rooble, trained by Josh Gifford, had been doped at Plumpton on the same afternoon as his stablemate Lively Knight in March 1997.
But as Maxse explained: ‘‘This allegation came to light during the police investigation of Lively Knight and Avanti Express. Lord Rooble was not tested on the day so there is nothing to corroborate the claim.’’
