Racing: Top jockey escapes charges

LONDON - Former champion jockey Kieren Fallon will not face disrepute charges relating to race-fixing allegations made against him in a Sunday newspaper.

The Irishman and fellow jockey John Egan had been facing a disciplinary inquiry into whether they had brought racing into disrepute through their dealings with undercover reporters, which appeared in the News of the World in March.

The newspaper reported that Fallon had told undercover reporters posing as Middle Eastern high rollers that a horse he was riding at a meeting at minor track Lingfield in March would lose.

Fallon had looked a clear winner aboard Ballinger Ridge but was caught on the line having appeared to ease up. He was banned for 21 days by the Jockey Club for that incident.

Fallon has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

On Tuesday, the Jockey Club said it would not pursue the issue of whether or not he had been party to bringing the sport into disrepute.

Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse said: "There can be no argument that the articles in question and the accompanying media coverage in general damaged the reputation of British racing.

"After reviewing the dossier initially handed over by the News of the World, it was considered that there was evidence to warrant holding an inquiry which would seek to establish whether or not Kieren Fallon and John Egan, through their dealings with the reporters, were culpable for the ensuing negative coverage racing received.

"Since that decision was taken, however, additional material from the News of the World has been received. After examining the material in total and having taken advice from our legal team, we no longer consider that there is sufficient evidence to merit a disciplinary hearing.

"The decision not to proceed was taken in light of the legal advice we have received, having finally been able to examine the dossier in its entirety."

Fallon was among 16 people arrested in September as part of a police probe into suspicions of corruption and race-fixing.

He was released without charge.

- REUTERS