‘They were literally begging me not to win’ says jockey as father-and-son owners face 25-YEAR ban from racing
A TOP Flat jockey said two owners were ‘literally begging him not to win’ a race – as the father-and-son duo now face an incredible 25-YEAR ban from racing.
Royston Barney and his dad Royston Cooper have been found guilty of instructing Dawson not to win on Enough Already at Yarmouth in May 2002.
Dawson rode the 2-1 chance, who was trained by Henry Spiller, to victory by a head and alleged he was later threatened in the winner’s enclosure.
A second charge against Cooper for a breach of the same rule concerning a race at Brighton nine days earlier over the same horse was dismissed.
Dawson claimed in the hearing that Cooper, who was present at Brighton on behalf of Barney, the registered owner of Enough Already, told him to stop the horse when running at the southern track.
He alleged: “He asked me in the parade ring to stop the horse.
“They were literally begging me. Something about not being able to get their money on.”
Dawson later alleged Spiller rolled his eyes when collecting the saddle at Yarmouth – a sign he believed the owners again did not want the horse to win.
The jockey said: “I interpreted it as the owners wanted the horse to lose as that’s what they wanted at Brighton.
“As a jockey and trainer who wanted to win we both felt very angry about Brighton, so as soon as Henry looked at me that way it was pretty obvious what he was indicating.”
The panel were not satisfied the Brighton incident equated to an instruction to stop the horse and that charge was dismissed.
The owners claimed in their defence that the jockey and trainer had spoken negatively of the horse to the owners so that they wouldn’t get on.
They claimed that was so they could get better odds and back the horse themselves.
Panel chairman James O’Mahony delivered the guilty verdict, which carries a ban of up to 25 years.
He said: “We are satisfied on all the evidence that far from just wanting the horse not to win (at Yarmouth), both respondents, Royston Cooper and Royston Barney, did instruct Henry Spiller and Ray Dawson in clear terms that the horse is not to win.”
The penalty hearing will be held on September 12.