The British Horseracing Authority’s long-running inquiry into possible breaches of the anti-corruption rules by the jump jockey Richie McGrath concluded on Tuesday with the rider found guilty only of a minor offence which carries an “entry point” penalty of a 14-day ban.
McGrath, who won the Scottish Grand National on Ryalux in 2003, faced charges along with Mark Aspey, an in-running back on the Betfair betting exchange, that the pair had conspired to use inside information to “commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice” between 1 October 2009 and 18 July 2012. Following a five-day hearing in March, however, the BHA’s disciplinary panel decided that the main charges were not proven, and found only that McGrath had given Rumble Of Thunder a “schooling run” in a race at Fakenham on 1 January 2011.
The BHA’s original charges in the case listed a total of 57 horses ridden by McGrath that the regulator claimed had formed part of the alleged conspiracy. The fact that its disciplinary panel has found a minor breach in one instance and dismissed the other 56 will be seen as highly embarrassing for the BHA and its security department.
Charges against the former trainer Kate Walton and four unlicensed individuals which resulted from the same investigation were dropped in early March, just a week before the disciplinary panel was due to hear the case.
The BHA said on Tuesday that it could not comment on the panel’s findings until the penalty, if any, for McGrath has been determined, and it has received the full written reasons for the decision.
Paul Struthers, the chief executive of the Professional Jockeys’ Association, said on Tuesday that the PJA had “concerns” about the Authority’s handling of the case.
“We are delighted that Richie McGrath has been found not guilty of all the charges he faced, with a minor exception for which there should hopefully be no penalty,” Struthers said.
“Even though Richie has maintained his innocence throughout and was always hopeful of this outcome, it has still been an incredibly stressful and difficult time for Richie and his family and he can now start to rebuild his career, injury permitting.
“The PJA has concerns about the BHA’s handling of the case but today is about Richie being exonerated, and we will therefore raise those concerns directly and privately with the BHA. Finally, as Richie has been exonerated, the PJA Board [of which McGrath was a member before the charges were issued] will consider his immediate reinstatement at its next meeting in June.”
