Chris Munce will return to the races next week after being granted a licence to ride in NSW despite being disqualified by Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) stewards over the tips-for-bets scandal."I'll ride in the trials on Friday and it will be next week sometime, whether it's Wednesday (at Rosehill), or Friday at Randwick twilight, but next week some time I'll be back at the races," Munce told Macquarie Radio.The Racing NSW licensing committee gave Munce the all clear on Wednesday after he successf

Chris Munce will return to the races next week after being granted a licence to ride in NSW despite being disqualified by Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) stewards over the tips-for-bets scandal.

"I'll ride in the trials on Friday and it will be next week sometime, whether it's Wednesday (at Rosehill), or Friday at Randwick twilight, but next week some time I'll be back at the races," Munce told Macquarie Radio.

The Racing NSW licensing committee gave Munce the all clear on Wednesday after he successfully argued the HKJC disqualification was a case of double jeopardy.

Munce served 20 months in jail in Hong Kong and Australia and was released from Sydney's Silverwater prison in late October.

On Monday, he appeared via video link at the HKJC's reconvened inquiry from Racing NSW headquarters in Sydney, when the hoop confirmed a plea of guilty to all 36 breaches of HKJC rules of racing.

The HKJC disqualified him until September next year.

"It was simply a case of double jeopardy where I'd already been penalised and already served a penalty for criminal convictions," Munce said.

"At the end of the day commonsense has prevailed.

"The whole period has been very stressful not only on me but my whole family."

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said the licensing board upheld two of the penalties imposed by HKJC stewards earlier this week and considered it time served.

V'landys said the 30-month penalty which would have ended next September was tied to a breach of the criminal code in Hong Kong and not the rules of racing.

"This issue has a unique significance as it has involved both the future of one of Australian racing's most popular figures, who has already paid a heavy price for mistakes made, as well as the imperative need for disciplinary action for breaches of the Rules of Racing to be upheld internationally," V'landys said.

"Racing NSW has dealt with the matter with both of these considerations clearly in mind.

"I wanted to make sure that it is clearly understood that Racing NSW fully respects the professionalism of the racing stewards of the Hong Kong Jockey Club in their handling of this matter. This is reflected in the decision we have taken to reciprocate these penalties.

"The decision that Racing NSW has taken in this present matter is the same as would be the case for any request it received from an overseas racing authority to reciprocate a penalty in respect of a person currently licensed in the state of New South Wales.

"I have written to my counterpart at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, to advise him of our decision."

Munce was arrested by Hong Kong anti-corruption officials in July 2006 with $HK250,000 (about $A40,000) in his jeans pocket along with a piece of paper with notations allegedly relating to bets on races in which he had tipped.