Top jumps jockey Martin Kelly cops 20-month ban for betting

Jumps jockey Martin Kelly admits he didn’t make any money out of betting on races and has vowed to come back “hungrier than ever” after serving a 20-month suspension.

Leading jumps jockey Martin Kelly has vowed to come back “hungrier than ever” after copping a 20-month ban for betting from the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary board.

The 29-year-old Irishman, who won the 2018 Tommy Corrigan medal as the state’s leading jumps rider, said “boredom” was the main reason for being involved in bets totalling more than $3300.

That included four bets of between $20 and $25 on horses he rode in races at Hamilton and Warrnambool in May and June of 2016. In one of those races, he bet on his own horse, and the winner.

“Most of the bets were done out of pure boredom,” Kelly told the Herald Sun.

“There’d be so many times sitting on the couch down in Bass, where I am living, and I’ve got nothing better to do.

Martin Kelly admitted his bets were placed out of “pure boredom”. Picture: Colleen Petch

“In the race I rode, I backed two horses, mine and the one I ran second to, my horse was paying a bigger price than the horse that won. That takes out the equation that I wasn’t riding to win.

“I knew what I was doing. I’m big enough and old enough to know better. The biggest bet I had was $25. I wasn’t good at it. I didn’t make any money at it. But I’m not a criminal.”

Kelly, who rode predominantly for trainer Eric Musgrove, said he didn’t know what he would do during the 20 months.

He can’t step foot on the premises of any registered persons.

Martin Kelly has been banned from racing for 20 months. Picture: Atkins Photography

And while he accepted his penalty, Kelly said the impact beyond not riding was the hardest to take.

“We get so well looked after when we are out injured but when something like this happens, you get shunned from the industry. It’s a bit weird,” he said.

“I’m not allowed to socialise with people in the industry. I don’t have any friends outside of racing. My partner is in it, she rides trackwork for Robbie Laing, and they said that’s OK, but I can’t pick her up.

“If I’m out with people in the industry, it’s not a good look for them to be hanging out with me. It’s not just a work ban, it’s a life ban.

“I left school at 14. I’ve given racing my life, it’s all I know, I don’t know anything else.

“I’ll have to find something to do, but I’ll be OK.

“I’ll be back more hungry than ever. I was champion jockey last year, it was a dream of mine and I achieved it. It’s a minor setback.”