Egan reported to be among 19 arrested

Hong Kong Jockey Club officials yesterday refused to comment on the alleged fixing scandal which has hit racing in the territory.

It has been widely reported that two jockeys, Irishman John Egan and South African Robbie Fradd, are among 19 people who were arrested in a raid on an illegal bookmaking operation by the government's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Those arrested also included four HKJC employees, a suspected illegal bookmaker and a gambling consultant.

In a statement, a spokesman for the HKJC said: "We are not in a position to comment on the ICAC operation codenamed 'Green Grass' nor should we disclose any related information to the public.

"As always, the Club is determined to ensure that racing in Hong Kong is of the highest level of integrity and to protect the interest of the Hong Kong people."

An ICAC statement said: "It is alleged that the two jockeys and the four Hong Kong Jockey Club employees had accepted advantages from illegal bookmakers as rewards for supplying racing information and manipulating race results." Racing is a very lucrative industry in Hong Kong, with legal betting turnover passing £7,000 million last season.

Several top British and Irish jockeys ride in the territory during the European winter, and many of the leading horses from Britain compete at a big international meeting at Sha Tin in December.

Egan (33) was a successful lightweight jockey in Britain before moving to Hong Kong. He had his first British Group winner in 1999 when he took the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood on Misty Mist.

Egan, who was champion apprentice in Ireland riding for Mick O'Toole, rode his first full Hong Kong campaign last season and finished fourth in the jockey's championship.

But last week he decided not to appeal against a two-month ban handed out by the HKJC for 'improper practice'. The suspension followed a series of investigations into the running of Egan's mount Jade Ruyi in a race at Happy Valley in January. The five-year-old, trained by Peter Ho, started favourite but finished last of the 12-strong field.

It revealed that Egan's riding was not in question, but he received his suspension for "evidentiary issues" relating to his relationship with a HKJC employee.