O’Connell to appeal four-year ban handed down by Turf Club
In addition O’Connell was ordered to pay €10,000 towards the Turf Club costs following an investigation into betting irregularities regarding the horse Yachvili which he rode at Downpatrick in September, 2011. The rider was found to be in breach of two different rules and the penalty was imposed by the Referrals Committee of the Turf Club.
The Turf Club yesterday issued a statement which was necessary because they had to inform other parties involved in the investigation, who were not present at Monday’s hearing.
The Referrals Committee consisted of Judge Tony Hunt (in the chair), Peter Allen and Philip Caffrey and met at the Turf Club on three separate occasions to consider whether O’Connell, Yachvili’s trainer James Lambe, the horse’s owner Robert Martin and Brian Keown and Lucy Stanton were in breach of any rules in the Kerry Foods European Breeders Fund Beginners Chase at Downpatrick in relation to a lay bet placed on Yachvili in the same race.
The matter had been referred to the Referrals Committee by Denis Egan, Chief Executive of the Turf Club, following an investigation carried out by Christopher Gordon, Turf Club Head of Security, and Hugh Hynes, Betting Analyst.
Evidence was heard from Jon Dunne, investigator with the British Horseracing Authority, Hugh Hynes, Russell Wallace, integrity team leader Betfair, Christopher Gordon, James Lambe and Eddie O’Connell.
They also considered a written statement from Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course at Downpatrick, as well as transcripts of the interviews which took place with James Lambe, Eddie O’Connell, Robert Martin, Brian Keown and Lucy Stanton, audio recordings and transcripts of calls made by Stanton to Betfair, both before and after the lay bet was placed, details of Keown and Stanton’s previous betting transactions with Betfair and a written report from Gordon on the conduct of the investigation. They further considered film of Downpatrick race, as well as film of some of the horse’s previous runs.
Having considered the evidence the Committee found as follows: O’Connell was in breach of the following rules: 273(vi) by agreeing with Mr Martin on the day of the race to ensure by his riding that Yachvili would not run on its merits, or obtain the best possible place in the race, in order to ensure that a lay bet placed against it by an acquaintance of Mr Martin would be successful, thereby conspiring to prevent Yachvili from running to its maximum ability, 273(viii), by thereby engaging in a corrupt or fraudulent practice in relation to racing in Ireland, 212(a)(1) by actually failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race in question to ensure that Yachvili was given a full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible place. Robert Martin, Brian Keown and Lucy Stanton did not attend the inquires.
Martin was disqualified for ten years and ordered to pay €10,000 towards the Turf Club costs. Keown was disqualified for eight years and Stanton for four years. Lambe was found not to be in breach of any rules.
For 25-year-old O’Connell it is a disastrous outcome and he is the first Irish-based jockey to be banned in these circumstances.
The only previous cases involving exchange betting in this country, that necessitated penalties, concerned an employee of trainer, Charles Byrnes, who was disqualified for four months in 2010 and the following year two Japanese employees of Ballydoyle were fined €2,000.
