The Hong Kong Jockey Club have missed a statement on the Harry Bentley case where he was stood down for serious breaches. The following was issued by the club... 

The Stewards today finalised the hearing of a charge issued against licensed jockey Mr Bentley, following the conduct of a Stewards’ inquiry on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 November 2023.

At today’s hearing, Mr Bentley pleaded guilty to a charge of improper conduct under Rule of Racing 155(5).

Rule 155. No person shall:-

(5) Be guilty of any misconduct, improper conduct or inappropriate behaviour.

The details of the charge being that whilst being licensed as a Jockey by The Hong Kong Jockey Club, he did engage in improper conduct by:

1. inappropriate communications in respect to information about horses he had ridden in trackwork, barrier trials or races with persons who were not the registered owners or nominators of such horses, using a private mobile telephone provided by such persons.

2. agreeing to accept a payment from a person who was not the nominator of a horse in relation to a race he had ridden in.

3. providing false or misleading statements at an interview conducted on 31 October 2023.

In determining penalty, the Stewards took into consideration his guilty plea, the nature and circumstances of the breach, including that the evidence established that Mr Bentley did not receive the payment as detailed in point 2, Mr Bentley’s personal and professional circumstances at the time of the offence and his unblemished record in relation to similar offences.

In the circumstances, Mr Bentley’s jockey licence to ride in races was suspended for a period of two (2) months to commence on Friday 3 November 2023, the day he was stood down by the Stewards under Rule 12(15), and to expire on Wednesday 3 January 2024. In addition, Mr Bentley was fined a sum of $300,000.

Marc Van Gestel