PAUL CARBERRY was last night considering an appeal against the severity of a 30-day suspension imposed on him yesterday by the Turf Club for a positive alcohol test which will prevent him riding in Ireland for two months.
The former champion jockey was handed the ban after a 90-minute hearing at Turf Club headquarters into how he failed a breathalyser test before racing at Naas 12 days ago.
It was the second time that the 35-year-old rider, who is currently receiving counselling for alcohol problems, has failed a test.
Carberry tested positively at the Galway Festival in 2007 and the second offence played against him in a big way yesterday.
The Turf Club’s decision to ban Carberry for 30 racedays means he will be suspended from riding in this country from November 25th and won’t return until January 28th.
He will, however, be free to ride in Britain on days there is no racing in Ireland. Carberry was also fined €5,000 yesterday.
The jockey, acclaimed by many as one of the finest riding talents ever produced in this country, was left reeling by the penalties.
“I knew going there they were going to come down tough but 30 days is a long time,” he said.
“We will have to see about an appeal. We will have to look at it. This has put me in a situation alright.”
The Turf Club could have withdrawn Carberry’s licence, and imposed a maximum fine of €20,000, but in making their decision yesterday, they took into consideration assurances from the jockey’s solicitor into “certain matters”.
They are believed to be in relation to treatment that Carberry is receiving for his use of alcohol.
The jockey said yesterday: “I have been getting counselling and I will continue with that.”
Carberry is first jockey to the former champion National Hunt trainer Noel Meade who was furious with his rider following the Naas test and was quoted as saying that he has a problem to address.
However, yesterday, Meade said: “It seems pretty harsh, especially as it is during the time of the best Irish racing in January. We will just have to work our way around it.”
In making their decision the Turf Club Committee took into consideration a number of factors, including that it was Carberry’s second such offence.
“They also felt that racing is dangerous enough without having somebody involved who could be a danger to others as well as themselves. And they also felt that Paul Carberry is a role-model for many people, someone looked up to, and a responsibility comes with that,” the Turf Club chief executive Denis Egan said.
He added: “However, they also noted how Paul Carberry admitted the offence from the start and submissions were made as to certain measures he is taking to sort out his problems.”
Carberry indicated yesterday that he doesn’t feel this latest brush with authority will signal the end of a career that has touched remarkable highs such as a memorable Aintree Grand National success in 1999 aboard Bobbyjo, a horse trained by his father Tommy.
However, this is the latest in a series of high-profile incidents that have dogged the jockey.
In 2005 he was sentenced to two months in jail after setting fire to a newspaper on an Aer Lingus flight between Malaga and Dublin. He was charged with “threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour” under the Air Navigation and Transport Acts.
Ultimately Carberry did not have to go to jail and instead undertook a period of community service.
However, he remains among the leading riders of his generation. Champion National Hunt jockey in Ireland in both 2001 and 2002, Carberry is also renowned as a big race pilot with a series of major victories including 11 at the famous Cheltenham Festival. They include last March’s success on Go Native for Meade in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Yesterday’s penalties are among the biggest imposed on a jockey in Ireland since Warren O’Connor was fined €10,000 for a positive cocaine test in 2006. O’Connor was retired due to ill-health at that time but was still advised not to reapply for a licence for a minimum of 11 months.
Carberry is scheduled for two mounts at Clonmel today. He has rides on Conna Castle in the featured Grade Two chase and on Blackhall Claw in the Day Handicap Hurdle.
Paul Carberry Factfile
Born: February 9th, 1974.
Pedigree: Father is Tommy Carberry, former champion jockey and Grand National/Gold Cup winner.
Siblings include champion amateur jockey, Nina, and Philip, rider of the 2007 Champion Hurdle winner, Sublimity.
First Winner: Petronelli, Leopardstown, August, 1990.
First major success: Rhythm Section, 1993 Cheltenham Champion Bumper.
Biggest winner: Bobbyjo, 1999 Aintree Grand National.
Apprentice champion: Was apprentice champion on the Flat in 1993
Champion Jockey: 2001 and 2002.
Cheltenham Festival winners: Rhythm Section – 1993 Champion Bumper; Unguided Missile – 1998 William Hill Chase; Looks Like Trouble – 1999 Sun Alliance Chase; Sausalito Bay – 2000 Supreme Novices Hurdle;
Frenchmans Creek – 2002 William Hill Chase; Oulart – 2005 Pertemps Final; Fota Island – 2005 Grand Annual; Nicanor – 2006 Sun Alliance Hurdle; Hairy Molly – 2006 Champion Bumper; Crack Away Jack – Fred Winter Hurdle; Go Native – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Other Major wins: Stroll Home – 1997 Galway Plate; Bobbyjo – 1998 Irish Grand National; Dorans Pride – 1999 Lexus Chase; Florida Pearl – 2000 Hennessy Gold Cup; Ansar – 2001 Galway Hurdle; Harchibald – 2004 and 2007 Fighting Fifth Hurdle;
Beef Or Salmon – 2004 Lexus Chase;
Aran Concerto – 2009 Powers Gold Cup.
