Turner Acknowledges 'Huge Mistake'

Jockey Hayley Turner, who was on Thursday banned for three months for making bets through an online account while holding a jockeys' license, admitted she made a “huge mistake,” while also acknowledging the complications of the situation. Turner had retired from race riding and taken up a career in television at the time she opened the account, although she still technically held her jockeys' license. Licensed riders in Britain are not allowed to bet on racing.

“At the end of the day I made a huge mistake and have to suffer the penalty as I did break the rules,” Turner said. “The problem was I saw myself as a television pundit rather than as a jockey, which explains as to why I started betting while working on ATR and on ITV.

Turner recently returned to race riding in France.

“Three months is a long time and I do think it is quite harsh, especially as I have a mortgage to pay, but I have just got to take it on the chin,” she said.

Jamie Stier, chief regulatory officer of the BHA, said, “Hayley Turner has made a full admission and apology regarding the rules breaches she has committed, and the BHA's position was that it is appropriate that this should be considered mitigation when it comes to determining a penalty. The guideline entry point for an offence of this nature is an 18-month disqualification.”

Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, said, “Hayley opened an account with Paddy Power after retiring from the saddle and placed recreational bets on horse racing. Whilst pursuing her second career as a broadcaster, Hayley made occasional returns to the saddle either for invitational events or in preparation for those occasional events and although she didn't bet whilst riding in those events, the fact she was licensed and betting recreationally on British horse racing placed her in breach of the Rules of Racing. She has therefore been suspended for three months for what amounts to technical breaches of the Rules of Racing. This is on the one hand both disappointing and disproportionate to the offences in question and is going to prove very costly to Hayley. However, she undoubtedly had a fair hearing, fully accepts responsibility for her unintended breaches of the Rules of Racing and accepts the punishment. Hayley understands that whilst her breaches were inadvertent it is an important Rule of Racing that requires a penalty that is a sufficient deterrent, even in innocent circumstances like hers.”