Jamie Osborne and two other jockeys were barred from riding at least until February 6th following their arrest by police investigating allegations of doping and race-fixing in Britain.

The top jockey plus Dean Gallagher and Leighton Aspell had their licenses temporarily suspended by the Jockey Club's Licensing Committee. The decision was taken "in order to maintain public confidence in racing" at a special meeting of the committee.

It was arranged following their arrest on Tuesday by officers from the Metropolitan Police.

But the Committee have given the riders the opportunity to make further representations at its next meeting on February 4th. All three jockeys attended the meeting held at the offices of the Jockey Club's solicitors but none of them spoke to reporters as they left the hearing with their solicitors.

A Jockey Club statement said: "The Jockey Club's Licensing Committee met this afternoon and decided in order to maintain public confidence in racing to suspend the licences of the three jockeys up to and including February 5th.

"The committee will meet on February 4th when the jockeys will have the opportunity to make any further representations as to why that suspension should not be continued for a longer period."

Osborne, Gallagher and Aspell were released, with another unnamed man, on police bail on Tuesday evening. They have not been charged but must report back to police on April 29th.

The police investigation is focused on the dopings of the Aspell-ridden Lively Knight and Osborne-partnered Avanti Express at Plumpton and Exeter last March and other incidents of race-fixing.

Osborne is currently sidelined with a broken left wrist but hopes to begin his comeback next month. But Gallagher gave up his solitary ride yesterday at Lingfield and was due to be in action at Cheltenham on Saturday. Aspell would also expect to get rides from the Josh Gifford stable.

However, Jockey Club chief executive Christopher Foster explained: "If any of them were riding this week and were beaten on a hot favourite, the reaction of people would be such that it wouldn't help confidence in racing.

"We think this is an untenable situation, while a cloud of suspicion hangs over, for them to race ride. But they are being given the opportunity to make further representations.

"This is not a disciplinary measure. The decision to suspend was not taken lightly. The police have not charged them and nor have we. But we have done this to maintain confidence. We are very much not pre-judging the situation, just waiting for the air to clear."

Jockeys Association secretary Michael Caulfield went to the four and a quarter hour hearing with the riders stating, "We shall not be letting them down." But both he and Osborne's solicitor Andrew Chalk expressed disappointment at the decision of the panel of Gurney Sheppard, chairman, former jump jockey Philip Blacker and David Gibson, a prominent racehorse breeder.

Caulfield said afterwards: "The jockeys are very disappointed with the outcome and the conduct of today's hearing. The Licensing Committee made it quite clear that the short suspension is not a reflection on the character of the jockeys involved.

"The decision was taken because the Committee believed that the public would be reassured by the suspensions. We stress that the jockeys have not been charged by the police nor have they been charged with any breaches of the rules of racing.

"Despite numerous requests no evidence was provided in support of any such allegations. The jockeys will continue to co-operate fully with the Metropolitan Police and the Jockey Club and they categorically deny any wrong doing."