Harry Bentley Handed Two-Month Ban by HKJC

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has suspended Harry Bentley for two months for improper conduct. The jockey has been fined HK$300,000 after pleading guilty.

In a two-day stewards' inquiry conducted last week, Bentley admitted to breaching rule 155 under the rules of racing in Hong Kong, which relates to misconduct, improper conduct or inappropriate behaviour.

The HKJC found that the 31-year-old did engage in improper conduct due to “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”.

The governing body also ruled that Bentley agreed to accept a payment from a person who was not the nominator of a horse in relation to a race he had ridden in, as well as providing false or misleading statements at an interview conducted on October 31.

In determining the penalty, the stewards took into consideration Bentley's guilty plea and the nature and circumstances of the breach, including that the evidence established that he did not receive any payment.

The stewards also recognised Bentley's personal and professional circumstances at the time of the offence and his unblemished record in relation to similar offences. He is suspended between November 3 and January 3.