Jockey Damien Oliver has been banned for 10 months after pleading guilty to two charges laid over a bet made on a rival horse. The charges stemmed from a $10,000 bet, made via a third party, on Miss Octopussy at Moonee Valley on October 1, 2010. Oliver had also been charged with using a mobile telephone in the jockeys' room prior to the race won by Miss Octopussy. Oliver rode Europa Point to sixth place in that race. Racing Victoria stewards disqualified Oliver for eight months for making the be

Jockey Damien Oliver has been banned for 10 months after pleading guilty to two charges laid over a bet made on a rival horse. The charges stemmed from a $10,000 bet, made via a third party, on Miss Octopussy at Moonee Valley on October 1, 2010. Oliver had also been charged with using a mobile telephone in the jockeys' room prior to the race won by Miss Octopussy. Oliver rode Europa Point to sixth place in that race. Racing Victoria stewards disqualified Oliver for eight months for making the bet, with a two month suspension, meaning he will only be allowed to return to racing on September 13, 2013. He will serve a concurrent one-month ban for using a mobile phone alongside the eight-month ban. In a tearful statement made at Racing Victoria's headquarters at Flemington, Oliver said placing the bet was a one-off, spur-of-the-moment decision which came during a stressful time. The jockey said 2010 was a stressful time due to a temporary split with his wife, meaning he was facing large legal costs to save his marriage, as well as problems with alcohol. "I felt despondent and had lost my belief in my ability as a jockey," Oliver said. "It was a highly stressful time. I feared I would lose my marriage. "It was the only time I had ever placed a bet on a rival horse. I didn't consult any other jockey or trainer."

The Spring Racing Carnival is set to end with a bang after impressive nominations were received for Sunday's Ballarat Cup Day program. Exceptionally and Sertorius are among the 22 horses that were nominated for the day's feature, the $200,000 Sportsbet Ballarat Cup (2200m).