Key Highlights :
1. Harry Bentley has been fined more than £30,000 and banned for two months after he pleaded guilty to "improper conduct".
2. Bentley, 31, has been blocked from all racing since 3rd November.
3. He has now been fined for passing on information about horses he was riding in return for potential financial reward, although he never saw the money.
4. Stewards said that Bentley, who rides in Hong Kong, spoke to an individual - who was not the owner or associated with the horses in any way - on the phone about his horse.
5. The pair agreed Bentley would be paid for his information, but he never received any cash.
6. Sky Sports is bringing you 500 live football games to watch, as well access to C £22 a month HKJC chief steward Marc van Gestel said in a statement: "In determining penalty, the stewards took into consideration his guilty plea. "The nature and circumstances of the breach, including that the evidence established that Mr Bentley did not receive the payment as detailed, Mr Bentley’s personal and professional circumstances at the time of the offence and his unblemished record in relation to similar offences. "In the circumstances, Mr Bentley’s jockey licence to ride in races was suspended for a period of two months to commence on November 3 2023, the day he was stood down by the stewards under Rule 12 (15), and to expire on January 3 2024. "In addition, Mr Bentley was fined a sum of HK$300,000 (£31,379)."
7. Bentley released his own statement on Tuesday morning. It read: "I would like to thank the Hong Kong Jockey Club for their close consideration throughout the steward's inquiry regarding an isolated incident which occurred when I was new to Hong Kong and the racing scene. "I want to be extremely clear that this charge is in no way related to giving tips, betting, wagering, race fixing or accepting payment ahead of race riding. I ask that the public trust in the Hong Kong Jockey Club's decision and have confidence that if this was the case I would not have received the penalty I have. "I have always tried to get the best position for my horse – that has never been in question. I accept that I should have done more research on the Rules in Hong Kong and I will endeavour to do better in the future."
British jockey Harry Bentley, 31, has been handed a hefty fine of more than £30,000 and banned from racing for two months after pleading guilty to improper conduct. The ban, which began on 3rd November, was imposed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) chief steward Marc van Gestel after Bentley had attempted to pass on information about his horses to someone who wasn't the owner or associated with the animal.
The stewards found that Bentley had spoken to an individual on the phone about his horse, with the pair agreeing that Bentley would be paid for his information. However, Bentley never received any money. In his statement, van Gestel said that the stewards had taken into consideration Bentley's guilty plea, the nature of the breach, the fact that he did not receive any payment, his personal and professional circumstances at the time of the offence and his unblemished record in relation to similar offences.
In addition to the two-month ban, Bentley was fined HK$300,000 (£31,379). In response to the ruling, Bentley released his own statement, thanking the Hong Kong Jockey Club for their close consideration and reiterating that the charge was in no way related to giving tips, betting, wagering, race fixing or accepting payment ahead of race riding. He also accepted that he should have done more research on the Rules in Hong Kong and promised to do better in the future.
Once the two-month ban expires on 3rd January 2024, Bentley will be able to return to racing. Until then, he is prohibited from taking part in any horse racing activities. This hefty fine serves as a reminder to all jockeys to be aware of the rules and regulations of the sport and to act responsibly when it comes to passing on information about their horses.
