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Rocky jockey cops hefty racing ban for drug use

The penalty handed down this time was lengthy and could end his career.

Trouble-plagued jockey Luke Dillon, who was once Rockhampton’s premier rider.
Trouble-plagued jockey Luke Dillon, who was once Rockhampton’s premier rider.

ROCKHAMPTON jockey Luke Dillon has been disqualified from racing for two-and-a-half years after his fourth drug-related breach of the rules.

The penalty imposed by Queensland Racing Integrity Commission stewards this month threatens to end the trouble-plagued hoop’s career.

Dillon, 31, was charged under the rules of racing after a urine sample he provided at Cairns Turf Club on March 2 this year, contained the prohibited substances amphetamine and methamphetamine.

He subsequently pleaded guilty to the charge.

In determining penalty, QRIC stewards were mindful of Dillon’s early guilty plea as well as “forthright evidence, his personal circumstances and penalty precedents”.

Stewards also considered Dillon’s disciplinary history which included three previous drug-related breaches of the rules.

“A penalty for this breach must serve as a specific deterrent to Mr Dillon and also a general deterrent to the wider industry to illustrate that using illicit drugs will not be tolerated,” stewards said in their report.

Dillon’s disqualification will expire at midnight on March 4, 2023.

Before riding again, Dillon must return a sample free of any banned substances.

He has a right to an internal review of the penalty.

At the start of this year, Dillon moved from Longreach back to Rockhampton, where he was formerly a multi-premiership winning jockey.

Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/queensland/rockhampton/rocky-jockey-cops-hefty-racing-ban-for-drug-use/news-story/7d59c6905b537c40294b92109bb19e2f