Winston to face HRA charges
It is also understood that three other riders – Luke Fletcher, Robbie Fitzpatrick and Fran Ferris – together with five unlicensed individuals, one a former bookmaker, have also been informed of charges.
But it is believed the investigation does not relate to the City Of London police probe which has seen charges brought against 11 people, including six-times champion Kieren Fallon and weighing room colleagues Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams.
Dubliner Winston rode his 100th winner of the year at Pontefract on Wednesday, and is currently third in the jockeys’ title race behind Ryan Moore and Jamie Spencer.
The Irishman was leading the 2005 jockeys’ championship when he was sidelined for approximately four months with a broken jaw after his mount Pearl’s A Singer slipped up on the bend at Ayr.
His chances of gaining a first crown this year were dealt a serious blow in June when he was suspended for 28 days after the Carlisle stewards found him guilty of dropping his hands aboard the Alan Swinbank-trained Confide, who finished second in the Border Construction Handicap.
Winston gave up his rides at Haydock yesterday after hurting his leg in a three-horse pile-up at the Pontefract meeting.
However, Winston plans to make a return to action at Newmarket’s evening meeting today for three rides before taking part in the Shergar Cup at Ascot tomorrow.
“He’ll be back tomorrow night, I should think,” said his agent Richard Hale.
