Ipswich jockey Michael Schrapel busted drink driving after Quilpie Cup Day fiasco

An Ipswich jockey has claimed a “silly mistake” led him to get behind the wheel while over five times the limit after he suffered an unexpected blow at a major racing event earlier this year.

Jockey Michael Schrapel at the Ipswich Turf Club in Ipswich, November 21, 2018. Picture: Trackside Photography

An Ipswich jockey and father of three was busted driving with an “extraordinary” alcohol reading after his major racing event was washed out earlier this year.

The Silkstone dad Michael James Schrapel, 38, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court on July 11, 2023, to one count of driving under the influence of liquor.

The court heard Schrapel had been busted drink driving in Charleville in April this year.

Schrapel, who represented himself in court, explained that he had been staying in Charleville for the Quilpie Cup.

He said the event had to be cancelled due to wet weather, however, so he went out drinking with some friends.

Ipswich jockey Michael James Schrapel. Picture: Facebook/Michael James Schrapel

Senior Constable Nanette Green said police intercepted Schrapel driving around 2.10am on April 30.

Police had observed a strong smell of liquor coming from the car, along with an open Bundaberg rum can in Schrapel’s cup holder.

Ms Green said Schrapel had struggled to remove his licence from his wallet and his speech was slurred.

Schrapel explained he had been drinking beers and rum that evening.

He returned a breath alcohol concentration of 0.254 per cent, and his licence was immediately suspended.

At his sentencing, Schrapel told the court it was “just a silly mistake”.

“I was planning to walk back to the Rocks Motel, and it was very cold and I was in shorts and thongs and a T-shirt, and stupidly said to myself ‘I’ll be right’ – which obviously I wasn’t,” he said.

Magistrate Robert Walker replied: “Not by a long shot”.

Silkstone dad Michael James Schrapel, 38, leaving Ipswich Court on July 11, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

“That reading is extraordinary; you were more than five times the limit,” Mr Walker continued.

“It’s extraordinary for a number of reasons, including how you were able to consume enough alcohol to register that reading, how you were physically capable of even moving yourself into a motor vehicle …

“It’s simply not acceptable for a person to drive in those circumstances, and I would have thought – from a social point of view – it’s really not acceptable to be drinking that much.”

The court heard Schrapel had one previous drink driving conviction from Victoria in 2007, but no relevant history in Queensland.

The father of three explained that he worked as a fencing contractor during the day in addition to his work as a jockey.

Schrapel was fined $1500, and a conviction was recorded.

Taking into account the fact Schrapel had already been suspended from driving for around two and a half months at the time of sentence, Mr Walker disqualified Schrapel from driving for a further 12 months.