Jockey Kieren Fallon has spoken of his shock at being charged with conspiracy to defraud. The three-times Epsom Derby winner was one of 11 people, including fellow jockeys Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams and trainer Alan Berry, to be charged yesterday after a long-running City of London police probe into alleged race-fixing.
In a call to The Sportsman newspaper on Monday, the 41-year-old Irishman said: "I was totally shocked when they charged me this morning. I really didn't expect that."
The six-times champion jockey added: "I am glad of the support of so many people and I will now prove my innocence in court."
The comments were published in today's edition of the paper.
Clare native Fallon (41), Lynch and Williams are currently unable to ride in Britain pending a hearing on Friday with the Horseracing Regulatory Authority.
Trainer Berry has a similar hearing later today. The 11 who were charged are all due to appear in court on July 17th.
The three jockeys and Berry are all charged with conspiracy to defraud customers of the betting exchange Betfair.
The former owner and racing-syndicate director Miles Rodgers was also charged with conspiracy to defraud and with an offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Seventeen of the 28 arrested in connection with the long-running police inquiry were released without charge, included Karl Burke, a trainer, and the leading jockey Robert Winston.
Two more jockeys, Dale Jewett and Paul Bradley - whose licence has lapsed since his arrest - were also released without charge yesterday.
In a highly successful career, Fallon has been champion jockey three times in a row between 1997 and 1999 and a further three times between 2001 and 2003.
He remains Ireland's number one jockey and will continue to ride for trainer Aidan O'Brien.
Yesterday Denis Egan, chief executive of the Irish Turf Club, said: "The licensing committee will note what has happened but, as far as we are concerned, Kieren Fallon is innocent until proven guilty."