Jockey banned for 12 years to make dramatic return to horse racing

Greg Fairley, the 2007 champion apprentice warned off for 12 years for stopping a horse and passing on information, is to make a controversial return to the saddle.

Fairley was once one of the rising stars of Flat racing, riding 381 winners in Britain and enjoying success at the top level when Lady Jane Digby, trained by his former boss Mark Johnston, landed a Group 1 contest in Germany in 2010.

But the Scot was cast out of the sport in disgrace in December 2011 after a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel found him guilty of not riding The Staffy on his merits at Wolverhampton in March 2009.

The panel, which in addition banned jockey Paul Doe for 12 years - Kirsty Milczarek was suspended for two years and Jimmy Quinn for six months - also found Fairley guilty of passing on privileged information for reward.

Fairley, now 37, has worked as a tree surgeon during his period of exclusion but began riding work for trainer Sandy Thomson in 2021.

And the path has been cleared for a race-riding comeback after Fairley’s successful application for the return of his jockey’s licence.

“We are satisfied that Mr Fairley is now a person who can be trusted,” concluded the licensing committee, which admitted finding the case “very difficult to determine”.

“We tend to the view that, given his experience over the last 12-13 years, he is unlikely ever to engage in dishonest or corrupt behaviour again and unlikely to breach any integrity Rules,” it added.

Charlie Johnston, who succeeded his father at the helm of the Kingsley Park Stables in Middleham in 2023, backed Fairley to rebuild his career.

“I was at university at the time it happened,” he said, “but he was a big part of the team.

“The year he was champion apprentice, Joe [Fanning] had a bad fall at Glorious Goodwood and missed the rest of the season.

“Greg got thrust into taking a large proportion of the ride, including at Group level, even though he was still a claimer.

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“He was a talented jockey. His misdemeanours were on horses not associated with us and I’m sure he regrets going down that path.

“But he’s served a long and tough sentence and fair play to him for having the courage to try and come back.

“He phoned last night and said, ‘This is going to be hitting the press, and I wanted you and Mark to know before it came out.’

“I’m sure there will be some owners who are still in the yard who had some success with him in years gone by.

“He’s going to have to rebuild those relationships but I’m sure he will work hard at that.”