Winston will not appeal ban

Robert Winston has confirmed he will not appeal against the 12-month ban imposed the by Horseracing Regulatory Authority.

The rider was found guilty of passing information for reward at an inquiry after a long-running HRA investigation.

Winston told The Guardian: “I’ll take it on the chin and get on with my life. This is a bad result for me, but it has been hanging over me for years and it’s actually a big weight off my shoulders.”

Although Winston will not be able to ride from February 27, he will be able to work in racing and has been advised that an appeal would not be in his best interests.

“Even if I had three or four months knocked off, it would not even cover the legal expenses,” he explained. It could be months before it’s heard and I’d be looking at the middle of next season to get back.

“I’ve had loads of support from trainers, so I’m just going to focus on getting this year out of the way. I’ve taken knocks before and come back.”

Fellow jockeys Robbie Fitzpatrick and Luke Fletcher were both hit with a three-year disqualification at the same inquiry, while Fran Ferris was disqualified for two years.