Prominent Australian jockey Tommy Berry has been handed a suspension through Jan. 28, 2024, on charges that his mother accepted payments from horse racing gambler Zach Miller after the jockey tipped him three successful bets.
Racing New South Wales Stewards issued the lengthy penalty on Tuesday via a total of six charges, including Berry's possession and use of his cell phone in the jockey's room and “conduct prejudicial to the image, interests, or integrity of racing.”
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Miller transferred just shy of $15,000 into the bank account of Berry's mother Julie after he backed three winners tipped to him by the jockey – Waterford, Character, and Promise Of Success. Miller won over $70,000 by placing winning bets on the tipped horses, according to the stewards' report.
Berry pleaded not guilty to four charges regarding receiving a consideration and actions prejudicial to the image of racing, but was found guilty on the basis that he was aware of the money being sent to his mother's account. On those charges, including message interactions between himself and Miller that were deemed prejudicial to the image of racing after being made public on a racing gossip website, Racing NSW stewards suspended the jockey for 11 months and two weeks.
On the cell phone charges, of which there were more than 70 instances and Berry pleaded guilty, Racing NSW stewards suspended the jockey an additional four weeks.
Though the bettor said he was unaware of the rule preventing jockeys from accepting money for tips, Miller was also banned from having anything to do with the sport for 15 months.
Read more at The Sydney Morning Herald.
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