Jockey who served 12-year corruption ban rides first winner of comeback

Greg Fairley was a rising star of horse racing and champion apprentice on the Flat in 2007 but was cast out of the sport in disgrace in 2011

A jockey who was banned from racing for 12 years for corruption offences has ridden his first winner since he was allowed to return.

Greg Fairley, the 2007 champion apprentice, was once one of the rising stars of Flat racing, riding 381 winners in Britain and enjoying success at the top level when Lady Jane Digby, trained by his former boss Mark Johnston, landed a Group 1 contest in Germany in 2010. But the Scot was cast out of the sport in disgrace in December 2011 after a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel found him guilty of not riding The Staffy on his merits at Wolverhampton in March 2009.

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The panel, which in addition banned jockey Paul Doe for 12 years – Kirsty Milczarek was suspended for two years and Jimmy Quinn for six months – also found Fairley guilty of passing on privileged information for reward.

Fairley, now 38, has worked as a tree surgeon during his period of exclusion but began riding work for trainer Sandy Thomson in 2021. The path was cleared for a race-riding comeback after he successfully applied for the return of his jockey’s licence in May last year.

“We are satisfied that Mr Fairley is now a person who can be trusted,” concluded the licensing committee, which admitted finding the case “very difficult to determine”.

“We tend to the view that, given his experience over the last 12-13 years, he is unlikely ever to engage in dishonest or corrupt behaviour again and unlikely to breach any integrity Rules,” it added.

Fairley took 38 mounts last year, finishing six times, and rode his first winner from 15 rides in 2026 on the Ewan Whillans-trained Ramon Di Loria at Wolverhampton on Monday.

“It’s been a long, frustrating road but I’ve finally done it,” Fairley told Sky Sports Racing. “There were a few seconds and places, but I’m glad to be able to get one.”

“Ewan has been a fantastic supporter to me and I can’t thank him enough, along with the others who have given me opportunities — Katie Scott and Iain Jardine too.

“Hopefully this is something to build on. It’s been 14 years away from the game, so fingers crossed this gives me a jump-start. It’s hard being based up north with a lot of travelling and the riding-out days are limited, but I’m cutting down trees to keep me busy. I went through JETS and got all my certificates and would recommend it to all jockeys.”