Jockey Michael Poy banned for more than 13 years over bets placed on losing horses

Summary

Jockey Michael Poy received a 13-year ban from horse racing for his involvement in a betting scheme. He collaborated with pro punter, Brash, and another jockey, German, to ensure specific horses lost races, allowing Brash to profit from bets placed on those horses losing.

Key Players and Actions

• Michael Poy: The key player, coordinating bets with Brash via encrypted messages. He directed Brash to place bets on horses losing races.
• Lewis German: Ensured his horse lost races as part of the scheme.
• Pro punter Brash: Placed the bets with inflated odds on the betting exchange Betfair, profiting from the fixed races.

The scheme involved 135 bets on 37 horses ridden by German and 46 bets on horses ridden by Poy. Only two bets lost. The scheme was uncovered due to Brash's carelessness in taking screenshots of their encrypted communications.

Consequences and Aftermath

Poy's actions were deemed a deliberate, elaborate scheme designed to avoid detection. The tribunal chair emphasized that this behavior strikes at the heart of the racing industry's integrity. Poy has lost his livelihood and faces a long road to potential reinstatement. He expressed shame and remorse, while the tribunal noted his psychological vulnerabilities and susceptibility to influence.