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Inquiry into the result of a breath test provided by licensed jockey Jake Pracey-Holmes at Dubbo Racecourse on Saturday, 20 May 2023.

Racing NSW Offices – Via Videoconference, 22 May 2023

Racing NSW Stewards today inquired into the results of a sample of breath provided by licenced jockey Jake Pracey-Holmes at Dubbo Racecourse on Saturday, 20 May 2023.

At that meeting Jockey Pracey-Holmes was stood down by Stewards prior to fulfilling any riding engagements after conducting an interview with him in respect of his alcohol consumption on the previous night on Friday, 19 May 2023.

A subsequent breath analysis conducted by Stewards revealed a reading in excess of the concentration of alcohol permitted under the Rules of Racing.

Charge: AR139(1)(a) – Offences where riders use banned substances

The details of the charge being that licensed jockey Mr Jake Pracey-Holmes, breached AR 139(1)(a) by reason of the following particulars:

1. He did accept riding engagements at the Dubbo Race Meeting on Saturday, 20 May 2023.
2. On Saturday, 20 May 2023 he attended Dubbo Racecourse for the purpose of fulfilling his riding engagements. He was subsequently interviewed by Racing NSW officials and he advised them that he had consumed an amount of alcohol on the night of 19 May 2023.
3. Racing NSW officials took a sample of his breath with a breath analysing instrument, in accordance with their powers under AR22(h).
4. The sample he provided was found, upon analysis, to have a concentration of alcohol that was in excess of the level permitted under the Rules of Racing.

Plea: Guilty

Penalty

Racing NSW Stewards considered the following matters when determining an appropriate penalty.

• Guilty plea and cooperation with Stewards both at the Dubbo race meeting on Saturday, 20 May 2023 and at today’s hearing.
• Professional and personal circumstances.
• Genuine remorse displayed for this breach of the rules and his undertaking to seek professional assistance.
• Principles of specific and general deterrence and what message is sent to the industry in respect to such conduct.
• Purpose of issuing penalties as a protective measure for the image and interests of the Thoroughbred racing industry.

Penalty: 3 months suspension of his jockey’s licence, in full, reduced to 2 months suspension for his guilty plea and other relevant considerations as set out above. Accordingly, he was suspended for a period to commence on Saturday, 20 May 2023, the day upon which he was stood down by Stewards, and to expire on 20 July, 2023 on which day he may resume riding.

Jake Pracey-Holmes was advised that, upon the production of satisfactory evidence of him having committed to professional counselling, consideration would be given by Stewards to varying the full suspension of his jockey’s licence to a suspension of his entitlement to ride in races only, which would allow him to return to riding trackwork.

He was further advised that prior to resuming riding in races on 20 July 2023 he would also have to satisfy other conditions required by Stewards.

Relevant Rules

AR139(1)(a) Offences where riders use banned substances

(1) A rider breaches these Australian Rules if:

(a) a banned substance under AR 136(1) is detected in a sample taken from the rider

AR136(1) Banned substances in relation to riders

(1) Unless otherwise stated in these Australian Rules, the following substances and/or their metabolites, artefacts and isomers are specified as banned substances in riders when detected in a urine sample at a concentration above the respective threshold level:

(f) alcohol (at a blood alcohol concentration in excess of 0.02% (that is, 20 milligrams of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood) on a breath analysing instrument)