Jockey Club Confirms Laying Restrictions

Published: 21 July 2003

JOCKEY CLUB CONFIRM LAYING RESTRICTIONS

It was confirmed today by the Jockey Club that rules banning owners, trainers and stable staff from laying their own horses to lose will take effect from 1st September.

From September it will be an offence for a trainer to lay any horse under his care to lose a race, the same will apply to stable staff employed by the trainer. It will also be a breach of the Rules for an owner to lay any horse they own to lose.

Julian Richmond-Watson, Senior Steward of the Jockey Club, said:

“When the findings of our Integrity Review Committee were published in February it was recommended that rules be introduced to make it an offence for trainers to lay their own horses to lose. In following up this recommendation we also considered the situation regarding stable staff and owners.

“Having considered the matter carefully and consulted with the relevant associations and betting exchange firms, we believe racing’s integrity and the public’s confidence in the sport would be best served by a clearly defined ban on owners, trainers and stable staff laying horses in which they have an interest.”

21st July 2003

Notes for Editors:

1. Rule 241 of the Rules of the Racing enables the Jockey Club to request of any individual subject to the Rules of Racing access to their betting accounts.

2. Since June several betting exchange firms have signed with the Jockey Club a Memorandum of Understanding which gives the Jockey Club access to betting information on races the subject of concern.

3. For the purposes of this rule change, the term ‘Owner’ is likely to include any person who would have any financial interest in any prize money which might be won by the horse in question in the race in question. However, drafting of the precise wording to accompany this rule has not yet been completed.