4 British jockeys convicted of race-fixing

LONDON (AP) - Four jockeys and two owners were given bans of up to 14 years Wednesday after being convicted of race-fixing in the British Horseracing Authority's biggest corruption inquiry.

Jimmy Quinn, Kirsty Milczarek, Greg Fairley and Paul Doe were found to be in breach of various rules following an investigation into 10 races in 2009 in which large bets were placed on horses to lose.

``It is the biggest case we have had to deal with and we won't shirk our responsibilities to convict people who have tried to cheat,'' BHA director Paul Scotney told The Associated Press.

Doe and Fairley, who quit riding this year, received 12-year bans after being convicted of the most serious breaches - deliberately ensuring horses did not run on their merits.

They were found to have conspired with registered owners Maurice Sines and James Crickmore, who were each banned for 14 years for masterminding the scam between Jan. 17 and Aug. 15, 2009.

``What lies at the heart of this investigation are the actions of two individuals, Maurice Sines and James Crickmore, who, together with their associates, were prepared to corrupt jockeys and to cheat at betting by the misuse of 'inside information','' Scotney said in a statement.

``The investigation uncovered a network through which Sines and Crickmore engaged in betting activity, in particular with two riders, Paul Doe and Greg Fairley, that impacted on seven of the 10 races in question.''

Quinn and Milczarek were found guilty of conspiring ``with any other person for the commission of, or connives at any other person being guilty of, any corrupt or fraudulent practice.''

Quinn has been banned from the sport for six months and Milczarek for two years. Milczarek intends to appeal against the findings but Quinn accepted his punishment.

``While it is the names of the jockeys that the racing public will recognize, people should be under no illusion that it is the lesser known names who were the instigators of these serious breaches of the rules,'' Scotney said.

``In the BHA's history, the scale and complexity of this case is unprecedented.''

Former jockey Paul Fitzsimons, now a trainer, was found not guilty.

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Rob Harris can be reached at http://twitter.com/RobHarrisUK