Court Rejects Bradley Appeal

Graham Bradley yesterday failed in his appeal against a five-year ban from all racing activities for providing inside information to a gambling syndicate.

The now-retired Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle-winning rider, 45, had already lost a High Court challenge to the April 2003 disqualification order following proceedings before the Jockey Club´s disciplinary committee and appeal board.

Now the Court Of Appeal has thrown out his claim that the length of the ban was 'excessive interference' in his right to work.

Ian Glen QC, representing Bradley, told the Master Of The Rolls, Lord Phillips, and Lords Justices Buxton and Scott Baker: 'The effect of the ban on his proposed career as a bloodstock agent will be even longer than five years because the prospect of starting up again is uncertain to say the least.'

He added: 'We accept that the appeal board was entitled to view Mr Bradley´s misconduct as serious, and as meriting in principle a period of disqualification. However, it is important to make a fair assessment of his misconduct.'

He said the information Bradley gave never had any impact on the result of the races and he believed the passing of information was common practice among jockeys.

But Lord Phillips described the appeal as 'hopeless'.

Although the jockey, who is barred from having anything to do with racing until October 2009, now faced financial ruin, Lord Phillips said the impact on his livelihood had been balanced against the need to uphold the 'integrity of racing'.

The former jockey was ordered to pay the Jockey Club´s #26,000 legal costs of the appeal, which will be added to the costs of the High Court hearing, making a total estimated at more than #100,000.

Bradley, who described the decision as 'very, very disappointing' is considering whether to take the case to European Court Of Human Rights.

(C) PA Sport