Ex-champion jockey Morgan claims he was made a 'scapegoat' after 18-month ban

Former champion jump jockey Tom Morgan has dismissed the significance of an 18-month disqualification against him for laying horses to lose while employed as stable staff – claiming instead he was being made a "scapegoat" as part of a greater BHA investigation.

However, the sport’s governing body insisted the ban showed the importance of strong penalties around lay betting by registered individuals due to the "damage such practices do to the integrity of British racing and the confidence of the racing and betting public".

Morgan, 56, admitted at a disciplinary panel hearing on Thursday to placing 137 lay bets on horses trained by David Wintle and Richard Phillips, during a ten-year period when employed by the pair from September 2006 to October 2016, for a total profit of £1,720.

The one-time leading rider, who was top jockey at the 1989 Cheltenham Festival, was found to have broken the rules on two occasions, firstly between November 1, 2005 and December 19, 2008 and then between September 16, 2013 and October 28, 2016.

His betting activity, which was described as being loss-making overall, took place on Betfair under his own name and was heavily skewed towards lay bets with them accounting for 8,847 of his 11,063 wagers during the investigated period.

The illegitimate lay bets came to light when BHA investigators were trawling betting data provided by the exchange under the memorandum of understanding between the firm and racing’s regulator as part of what was described as a "deep and complex" investigation into another inquiry. Morgan is not part of that inquiry.

Morgan, whose big-race wins included the 1988 Queen Mother Champion Chase on Pearlyman, said: "[The inquiry] had to take its course and that’s it but how I ended up here is beyond belief. I was 40 when it happened and I’m 56 now – I can’t even describe the frustration.

"They wanted somebody and they’ve got me. I’m a scapegoat in the course of another investigation. They’re the regulators and they have to regulate but it’s ridiculous. There’s a lot of anger [I’m feeling] too. It’s petty from them."

The BHA would not comment further on the investigation which was raised in Thursday’s hearing and involved "huge amounts of betting data", according to Andrew Howell, the BHA’s head of regulation.

He added: "It was in November 2016 when Mr Morgan’s betting activity came to the attention of the BHA. That was part of a different investigation that was ongoing at that point of time.

"It was part of a supporting investigation into a deep and complex separate investigation. Mr Morgan was charged in February 2019 and it is our acceptance that the delay was not in his control."

Morgan, who is not currently in work due to a hip injury, was registered as an employed head lad for the late David Wintle and as a part-time employee for Phillips, which involved driving horses to the races and for which he received no remuneration.

The former jockey has yet to decide whether to appeal his ban, which was imposed with immediate effect and runs until April 2, 2021, and said: "The rule says you need to be employed and I feel I wasn’t employed. It’s a technicality they’ve got me on – that’s it. For me the word ‘employed’ means to be paid and their view of that is different because they say it’s when you’re working for somebody; I was never working for anybody, I was just helping out.

"It’s my life we’re talking about here, but they want to regulate like this. All I’d say to anyone is that if they ask you to sign the stable register then don’t. That’s the only advice I can give to anyone.”

The BHA reiterated the obligations of registered stable staff in abiding by the rules of racing regardless of whether they are paid or not for their work.

A spokesman said: "Mr Morgan was subject to a fair hearing in front of an independent disciplinary panel. Those who enter on to the Stable Employee Register have to actively agree to be bound by the rules of racing, irrespective of the financial arrangements of their employment, and it is their ongoing responsibility to ensure they are familiar with the rules.

"Penalties in relation to lay betting by registered personnel are considerable due to the damage such practices do to the integrity of British racing and the confidence of the racing and betting public, who these rules are in place to protect."

Morgan, who shared the Irish jump jockeys’ title with Frank Berry in 1985-1986, stated he felt embarrassed by the judgement, and added: "What do you do now? I’ll do the same as I always do in that I’ll watch the racing, have a bet or a back to lay and that’s what I’ve always been doing."

Tom Morgan riding Yahoo (yellow) in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold CupCredit: Mark Cranham

Who is Tom Morgan?

Tom Morgan, 56, was one of the leading riders of the 1980s, a period in which he was champion jump jockey in Ireland and top jockey at the Cheltenham Festival.

He shared the jockeys’ title with Frank Berry at the end of the 1985-86 season before moving to Britain in 1987 where he linked up successfully with trainer John Edwards, including when capturing the 1988 Queen Mother Champion Chase on Pearlyman.

Morgan, who also claimed big-race wins in the 1982 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Miller Hill, 1988 Eider Chase on Star Of Screen and 1989 Cathcart Chase on Observer Corps, was the leading rider at the 1989 Cheltenham Festival, the same year he partnered Yahoo to finish second behind the great Desert Orchid in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Weight issues forced Morgan into premature retirement in 1991 aged just 28, after which he ran a London pub before taking roles with Graham McCourt, David Wintle and Richard Phillips. He also appeared as an expert witness for former trainer Jim Best at his 2016 disciplinary panel hearing.

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