Reilly and Williams to appeal racing corruption verdict

Jockeys Brian Reilly and Dean Williams, both warned off for 18 months after a long-running inquiry into alleged corruption reached its conclusion on Monday, are to appeal against the verdict – according to the Racing Post.

It is understood the pair have been promised written reasons for the panel’s decision before Christmas and will have the opportunity to launch their appeals up to seven days after receipt.

Speaking yesterday, Williams said: “I am pretty disappointed with the way things have gone, but hopefully my appeal will go well and I will get some time knocked off.

“I know that when you are warned off you are excluded from racing, but I’m hoping the HRA will allow me special dispensation for to continue working in a yard and ride out, because I have no other means of making a living.

“I have a wife and young child to support, and I’m not qualified to do anything else,” he told the Racing Post.

“I certainly feel I was taken advantage of. I am quite a positive person, and I am pretty open with people who are friendly to me, and through being gullible I have got myself into trouble through no real fault of my own.

“I didn’t go out looking for people to talk to, and I will be a lot more suspicious and wary in future.”

Reilly was in race-riding action at Southwell yesterday, where he partnered Amanda’s Lad – one of the horses involved in the inquiry – in the Go Pontins Banded Stakes.

Following his ride, Reilly said he would be meeting his barrister today.

“We’ll see where we go from there,” he remarked.

“I need to keep riding for financial reasons – I’ve got a mortgage to pay - for as long as I can until my appeal is heard. It’s a question of keeping my head up and carrying on as best I can.”