RACING
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Champion jockey Damien Oliver has vowed to return to the saddle after serving a 10-month ban for making a "spur-of-the-moment", $10,000 bet on a rival horse in a race in which he rode two years ago.
He also asked for public forgiveness, declaring he had always given his mounts every chance.
Stewards disqualified Oliver for eight months and added another two-month suspension on the betting charge.
They also suspended him for one month for using a mobile phone from inside the Moonee Valley jockeys' room to place the bet, with that penalty to be served concurrently.
Oliver revealed during yesterday's hearing his life was in turmoil and his marriage on the rocks when he made the bet.
He said he had developed a drinking problem and was battling a variety of psychological issues at the time.
"It was a spur-of-the-moment decision that I will regret for the rest of my life and beyond," Oliver said in a statement, released after the hearing.
"I want people to know that, while I have admitted to this serious breach and can offer no excuses, I have never in my 24 years of racing, not tried to my hardest to win when I am on the back of a horse."
Oliver earlier made an emotional plea to stewards saying the bet was made during "the worst period of my life".
The eight-time premier rider said his wife had left him and taken their three children, causing him deep grief and distress.
"I felt despondent and lost my self belief in my ability."
Oliver had to pause and wipe away tears as he told the stewards he feared he had lost his wife and children.
He said his decision to place the bet was totally unplanned and he hadn't discussed it with any other jockey or trainer. The $10,000 bet on the horse Miss Octopussy at Moonee Valley was placed on credit through form analyst Mark Hunter, who passed it on to retired Queensland bookmaker Laurie Bricknell. The profit on the bet was $11,000 and was handed by Hunter to trainer Robert Smerdon, who passed the cash on to Oliver.
Oliver's lawyer, Robert Richter, QC, described the jockey as "an exemplary man in the industry" who had committed a completely isolated act. He said Oliver's deep remorse had been demonstrated by his admissions, without which the stewards would have had insufficient evidence to charge him.
Steward Rob Montgomery, heading the hearing panel, said mitigating circumstances had been taken into account.
They also agreed Oliver had ridden his horse in the race in question to the best of his ability.
But he stressed racing's integrity had to be maintained. AAP