23 Nov 2015

Darren Egan and Philip Langford

1. On 23 November 2015, the Disciplinary Panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) began and concluded an enquiry into allegations that (i) the jockey Darren Egan and a gambler named Philip Langford were engaged in a conspiracy between 17 June and 16 July 2013 concerning Egan’s rides in that period for the purposes of Langford’s lay betting against those rides; and that (ii) Egan deliberately rode to lose in two of those races (on IMPERIAL SPIRIT on 12 July and TREGERETH (IRE) on 16 July 2013).  There were additional allegations of breach of Rule (A)36 against Egan and breach of Rule (A)37 against Mr Langford.

2. At the hearing, neither Egan nor Mr Langford appeared.  The BHA, represented by Louis Weston, presented its case.  Having considered the material put forward by the BHA (nearly all in written form, which the Panel had studied before the hearing began), plus the documents put in by Mr Langford on 18 November and by Egan on the morning of 23 November, the Panel came to the view that all the allegations of breach of the Rules of Racing were clearly established.

3. The detailed reasons for those decisions will be published later.

4. Pending publication of those reasons and any further representations which may be made about appropriate penalties, the Panel decided to impose an immediate disqualification upon Egan and an immediate exclusion upon Mr Langford.  It seemed inevitable to the Panel that penalties of this kind would have to be imposed for the breaches found.  But the length of disqualification of Egan on the one hand and the exclusion of Mr Langford on the other hand remains to be decided after the detailed reasons for the Panel’s decision have been issued.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Panel for the hearing was: Tim Charlton QC, Diana Powles and Roger Bellamy

2. A hearing to determine the length of the penalties will be held in due course, after the Panel’s written reasons have been published.

3. Full details of the charges which were brought against the pair can be found here.

4. Details of the Rules in question and possible penalties are as follows:

(A)41 Involvement in corrupt or fraudulent practices in relation to racing
http://rules.britishhorseracing.com/Orders-and-rules&staticID=126207&depth=3
Entry point: Disqualify/Exclude 3 years
Range: 6 months – 10 years

(A)36 Communication of Inside Information
http://rules.britishhorseracing.com//Orders-and-rules&staticID=126201&depth=3
Entry point: Disqualify/Exclude 3 years
Range: 18 months – 5 years

(B)58 General requirement for a horse to be run on its merits and obtain best possible placing
http://rules.britishhorseracing.com//Orders-and-rules&staticID=126359&depth=3
Subdivision:
Deliberately not riding a horse to obtain the best possible placing for personal reward or knowing that it had been layed to lose
Entry point: Disqualify 8 years
Range: 5 – 25 years

(A)37 Assisting, encouraging or causing Rule contraventions
http://rules.britishhorseracing.com/Orders-and-rules&staticID=126202&depth=3
For Penalty see Rule that was breached