Former jockey Darren Egan has insisted he did not ride horses to lose after being found guilty of corruption charges by the disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority on Monday.
Former jockey Darren Egan has insisted he did not ride horses to lose after being found guilty of corruption charges by the disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority on Monday.
Egan was alleged to have been engaged in a conspiracy with unlicensed individual Philip Langford and the panel said that it "came to the view that all the allegations of breach of the Rules of Racing were clearly established".
The latter, who was given an immediate exclusion order, was alleged to have laid Egan's rides between June 17 and July 16, 2013, with Egan charged with deliberately riding to lose in two of those races.
They were on Imperial Spirit on July 12 (at Chepstow) and Tregereth on July 16 (at Bath). Egan now faces a substantial ban.
The detailed reasons for the panel's decisions will be published later after which the penalties will be decided.
Neither Egan, who has not ridden in Britain since October 2013, nor Langford attended the hearing.
Speaking to the Sun, Egan, who hopes to resume his career in America, said: "I have never stopped a horse during my riding career.
"The two horses I was accused of stopping had never won a race before.
"I rode exactly to the instructions I was given on both horses and the trainers were 100 per cent happy with the rides."
He went on: "I'm stuck in the US until my papers get finalised. I felt helpless in this whole ordeal. I should have stayed in the UK and got my licence back, but I couldn't get rides and my reputation was ruined. This is a nightmare.
"I've a long road ahead of me. I will try to ride in the USA. I don't know if they are going to let me. They will look at the case again when all the findings."