After he admitted to placing a $10,000 bet on a rival horse in an October 2010 race, jockey Damien Oliver faces a steward’s inquiry on Tuesday. After a tumultuous month, this is racing’s opportunity to get on the front foot and make a statement.
Jockeys have been betting illegally on races for decades.
Arguably Australia’s greatest ever rider, the late George Moore, would often retell old stories to the media about bets he placed on rival horses during his career. And his gambling habits didn’t tend to affect his judgement in the saddle.
But today, 41 years after Moore retired, things have changed. Standards are higher and racing is meant to be a cleaner sport. The integrity of racing is of paramount importance for administrators.
Any jockey that bets on a rival horse brings racing into disrepute. The greatest possible conflict of interest available to a rider – without a race actually being fixed – is created.
There is no good reason for well-established, well-paid riders to be betting.
In placing a bet on race favourite and eventual winner Miss Octopussy, Oliver let down all parties. There was no problem with Oliver’s ride on Europa Point in the race in question – he gave the horse its chance. But that is hardly mitigating.
The horse – because we can only presume that Europa Point was trying his best; trainer Lee Freedman – who has supported Oliver throughout his career and gave him the ride on Europa Point; and the owners – who pay for Europa Point’s training fees and enjoy, along with the strapper, the strongest connection with the horse – were all dogged by Oliver’s conflict of interest.
But it doesn’t end there. Punters who bet in the race and on Europa Point would feel cheated just as up-and-coming apprentice riders, who have Oliver as a mentor and role model, were let down by the bet.
And Oliver’s legion of fans, especially those who claimed he was innocent, have every right to feel disappointed.
Such a simple mistake, a human error, is so far-reaching.
But to be fair to Oliver, he’s almost certainly not the only member of the current jockey’s room to have placed bets on rival horses.
Reports indicate that another ten riders face sanctions over bets placed, like Oliver, through third parties.
And only in November 2010, Sydney-based riders Blake Shinn and Peter Robl were suspended for 15 and 12 months respectively, after pleading guilty to a range of betting-related charges.
It’s been difficult time for horse racing. The sport has received plenty of bad publicity during the recent Spring Carnival. The Oliver scandal and its handling by Racing Victoria, trainers treating horses on raceday and race fixing and drug allegations have tainted the sport.
But now is the time to get on the front foot. An example needs to be made.
Jockeys who bet on races make forgivable errors in judgement. But the sport is dragged through the mud.
Damien Oliver will receive a ban for his bet on Miss Octopussy. It needs to be lengthy. It must deter.
It’s up to racing to clean itself up.
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