The most controversial jockeys in Australian horse racing
IN the wake of the James McDonald betting scandal that rocked the horse racing industry this week, we look at the top jockey controversies that have soured the industry in recent history.
With the McDonald case still on-going, we’re merely speculating as to what has happened, but there’s no denying that our other entries in this category were caught with their pants down.
Included in our list is a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey who did the unthinkable at Moonee Valley in 2010.
Damien Oliver – betting on the wrong horse
There are punters who believe jockeys should be able to bet on the horse their riding, which is fair in our opinion, but when a jockey bets on another horse – that’s where it turns pear-shaped.
Damien Oliver did exactly that in October of 2010 when he bet $10,000 on a rival horse at Moonee Valley.
Oliver bet on rival runner Miss Octopussy and it was subsequently revealed that Oliver stood to win $11,000 on his bet.
Oliver’s horse, Europa Point, finished sixth, but there was no inquiry into the race until two years later during an investigation of the thoroughbred industry.
Oliver was permitted to ride during the 2012 Melbourne Cup Carnival, which was a shocking decision, and he managed to win both the Victoria Derby and Emirates Stakes.
Immediately following the carnival, Oliver was given a light sentence of eight months and was given another two months for using his cell phone in the jockey’s room.
The suspension didn’t phase Oliver, who continues to ride home winners in Victoria.
Noel Callow – don’t forget your passport
Noel Callow hasn’t had the best of years after receiving a lengthy ban in Mauritius for failing to ride out his horse, and things got worse at the Malaysian airport.
Callow was detained by immigration officials in Malaysia after he attempted to leave the country using someone else’s passport.
Callow tried to leave form Kuala Lumpur to Perth using disqualified trainer Shane Edwards’ passport. To make matters worse for the embattled jockey, Callow was believed to be intoxicated and then tried to escape the security guards which had detained him.
It is understood that Callow had taxation issues, which is why he used Edwards’ passport.
It wasn’t the first time Callow had been in the headlines in his lengthy career. In 2006 he had an altercation with a chef who tackled him for smoking near a kitchen, but our favourite offence came in 2015 when Callow cut off fellow jockey Nick Hall’s ‘top knot’.
The top knot might be a fashion trend, but we can’t blame Callow for that one.
Chris Munce caught red-handed
Chris Munce now makes his living as a horse trainer in Queensland, but the former champion jockey has an interesting past.
The winner of 35 Group one races was riding in Hong Kong where punting figures hit astronomical levels and it proved all too lucrative for Munce.
Anti-corruption police arrested Munce in 2006 with HK$250,000 stuffed into his jeans which accompanied a sheet of paper containing wagers on horse races he had tipped.
The charges against Munce claimed that while he was riding in Hong Kong, he was providing tips to local businessman Andy Lau between December 2005 and May 2006.
Munce was given a harsh penalty of 30 months in prison, which in relation to Oliver’s offence is drastically more serious, and was returned to Australia in September 2007 to serve the remainder of his sentence.
Both Hong Kong and Australian state governments agreed that Munce should be kept in a minimum-security prison in Sydney.
Munce was released after serving two years for his involvement in Hong Kong’s tips-for-bets scandal, which remains one of Australia’s most high-profile jockey controversies.
Luke Tarrant – unable to keep his nose clean
It’s fair that a young apprentice jockey is given a second chance when he makes a mistake.
Unfortunately for Queensland apprentice Luke Tarrant, he may need a third or fourth chance after a series of questionable life decisions.
The success of winning the Magic Millions 2YO aboard Le Chef seemingly went to the head of the young jockey, who was suspended for six months for testing positive for cocaine.
With only one month left on his suspension, Tarrant was charged by Queensland Police with two counts of possessing tainted property, one count of stealing, possession of a dangerous drug and utensil along with possession of items used in an offence.
Tarrant stated that it was doubtful that he would return to race day riding, but the former champion apprentice was back in the winners’ enclosure on August 24 when he won at the Sunshine Coast aboard Airlie Reward.
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