Naughty Jockeys

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!
PNkt

PNkt

Well-Known Member
Jul 25, 2011
8,106
2,033
113
Newmarket
Two jockeys are in the news for all the wrong reasons today:

Jack Mitchell has been suspended for 6 months after testing positive for cocaine at Newmarket in May.
He admitted the offence and called his actions "unacceptable as well as foolish".

Full story here: http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/jack-mitchell-mitchell-gets-six-month-ban-for-positive-cocaine-test/923981/top/


Franny Norton has been suspended for 40 days on which racing is due to take place, 7 October - 23 November, after giving a positive breath test at Chester in May. The harsh penalty is due to the fact that his positive test was within the upper level at 36micrograms/100ml.

To put this in perspective, it is marginally over the UK drink drive limit of 35micrograms per 100ml.

Full story here: http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/franny-norton-bha-norton-suspended-for-40-days-after-failing-breath-test/923969/top/
 
Princess: It defies belief that any jockey is willing to not only drink and drive BUT also drink and then try to ride!!

Franny is a great jockey but has let himself and all his owners down big time again! I'm sure he was pulled up for this a few years ago.
 
The drink limits for jockeys are very low, so it is quite common for a jockey to be caught out after having a glass of wine with dinner the night before. These infractions are still punished, but on a lighter level.

However, to be over the drink drive limit, Franny must have either been drinking that morning or have been on a massive bender the night before.

The issue is not only are they putting themselves at risk, but also other jockeys and the horses themselves. I doubt any other sport has such regular testing, tough limits and punishments, and rightly so.
 
You'd hope so Ron, but it has always surprised me how "cloak and dagger" many other sports behave over this issue.
I was listening to a phone in on a radio show some weeks ago where someone was advocating that any positive drug tests for footballers should not be amde public as it could damage their future careers!

Now I'm not a football fan at the bst of times (bunch of overpaid prima donnas) but to hear someone say that such positive results should be kept out of the public domain is ridiculous!
I am very grateful that the BHA are so open about letting the public know exactly why a jockey has been given a ban and for handing down suitably harsh punishments.
 
I make Franny unlucky.
I know plenty of people who get caught drinking the day after a night out, alcohol takes a certain time to get out of your body so 4 glasses of win at midnight for example may still put you over the limit at 10am the next day.
Of course alcohol is also found in a number of foods/drugs - maybe he overdosed on sherry trifle or something but I think it would be extremely unlikely that he's sneaked into the pub on the way to the races for a couple of liveners....
 
Of course saying that I can't open the attachment so if Franny is quoted as saying 'I had a few beers the night before and felt like finishing the job at breakfast and thought it would be fun to race on 3 bottles of red', then of course I'll retract my comment above...
 
That is a great shame about Jack Mitchell (although only himself to blame) as i really rate him as an up and coming jockey. He has started to be used by Roger Varian and peter chappel hyam amongst others and thought that over the next couple of years he could be a break through jockey. The only consolation is that if his six months begins now he will be available for the start of next season.

No real excuse for Franny as he is an old pro and will know all about the game enough to know whats pushing his luck and not.
 
I'm not suggesting that Franny DID drink that morning, but to still have such a high level of alcohol in his system does pose a few questions.

You'd be surprised by the drinking culture in racing yards: plenty of the pubs in Newmarket are busy from late morning onwards with stable lads.
 
'You'd be surprised by the drinking culture in racing yards: plenty of the pubs in Newmarket are busy from late morning onwards with stable lads.'

PN you've often said this.
No real surprise given the time zones they work in, having your day done by midday can create this I guess....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back