JOCKEYS Leigh Roche and Eoin Staples have each been handed a 21-day suspension and fined €1,000 apiece for providing positive alcohol samples before their intended rides at this year’s Galway Festival.

The sanctions were decided at an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) referral hearing on Tuesday morning, overseen by the referrals committee panel of Laurence McFerran (chair), Michael Sheahan and Nick Wachman.

Roche was found to have provided a reading of 79 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath, taken at 3.15pm on day of racing. The official limit, set in accordance with the national drink driving threshold, is 22 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Staples, who was tested at 2.23pm on raceday, delivered a reading of 59 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Both jockeys represented themselves at IHRB headquarters on Tuesday and did not contest their positive alcohol readings. The pair expressed extreme remorse for their actions and it was noted that both were praised by the referrals committee for their upfront approach to handling the hearings.

In their evidence, the IHRB pointed out that it had been “a very long time, more than 17 years, since the last case like this, so precedent is very difficult to determine from those cases” regarding penalties. The previous similar instance in Ireland was Paul Carberry’s second alcohol positive in 2009, when the former champion jockey was given a 30-day ban and a €5,000 fine.

The IHRB’s head of racing, regulation and integrity Christine Traynor said there was a need to “establish a clear and proportionate modern first offence benchmark” and insisted on the requirement for a “general deterrent”.

Tuesday's 21-day suspensions dealt with the excess alcohol samples, while the €1,000 fines covered the issue of conduct prejudicial to the good reputation of racing.

‘Breaking new ground’

Chair McFerran added: “In many ways, we are breaking new ground here so we want to be fair to everyone, but we must recognise the seriousness of the breach.”

In evidence provided by both jockeys and the IHRB’s senior medical officer Dr Jennifer Pugh, it was clear there was considerable embarrassment felt by both men over the Galway positives, which occurred on the final day of the track’s Summer Festival this year (August 2nd).

“I just really need to apologise. I’ve been licensed for 19 years and I should have more cop on,” said Roche.

“It was a stupid mistake... It’s very embarrassing for me and my family. I apologise to everyone.”

It was flagged up that jockeys in Ireland are tested on approximately 30 racedays every year and every rider in the weighing room is subject to sampling on those days.

Pugh commended Roche for his subsequent approach to the incident and said the media attention around the case had a clear impact on the Co Galway native, describing it as “extremely difficult for him” and “causing him to take a lot of time to reflect on how this has happened at this point of his career”.

Pugh said that the rider, 34, had been breathalysed without any positives on Irish racecourses since 2007 (the year he was licenced) and that he had tested clean on eight occasions in the last two years under the IHRB’s anti-doping programme. Both Roche and Staples were tested for illegal substances the morning after their Galway breach and each returned negative samples.

Out of character

It was noted as “a huge shock personally” on Pugh’s behalf that Staples, 23, had presented with an over-the-limit alcohol test at Galway.

“I have known Eoin from his days as a point-to-point rider and he has always been polite and well mannered,” she said.

“We’ve had multiple engagements, he had a recent injury and I have always found him extremely professional - even back to his amateur days to now. I had no concerns and he was never on my radar in terms of intelligence that we might see from jockeys… He was extremely remorseful and embarrassed when he came to me the following morning, that was very evident.”

Gavin Cromwell, who has supplied last season’s champion conditional with more winners under rules than any other trainer, provided a character reference for the Co Wexford jockey.

Staples told the panel before a verdict was reached: “As the news broke, it was incredibly embarrassing for myself and my family to go through this... I wish I could change my actions. Unfortunately I can’t do that and I hope that in future I’ll learn from them."

In relation to Staples’ offence, McFerran thanked this year’s Thyestes Chase-winning rider for the way he had handled himself and for not “making the hearing controversial." However, he acknowledged it was “an extremely serious matter that has to be dealt with like that.”

Personal impact

While Roche accepted he was in the wrong, he added that he would like to make a comment on the manner in which news emerged about his alcohol positive.

“I made a mistake at Galway, which was embarrassing for me and racing, but the fact I didn’t even get a chance to speak to my wife and my family, and [the notice] was released to the public I'd say within a half an hour or an hour after I’d failed it… It brought more embarrassment that they found out that way, rather than from me.”

Traynor said that the IHRB does not have any controls over media coverage and "unfortunately it was one of the highest profile festivals [which] gives rise to these things hitting the press as much as this particular case has.”

Sharing similar sentiments that he did towards Staples, the chair added on Roche: “We really do appreciate the way that he has approached this and is dealing with it. We wish him well and fully understand the personal and family consequences of what has happened. We appreciate the straightforward and forthright way he has met this breach.

“I would ask everyone to be aware of the importance of being professional in your riding; you are a licence holder and have obligations.”