Racing: Bradley's ban cut to five years

Graham Bradley's appeal against an eight-year ban from racing and a £2,900 fine has been reduced to five years after a two-day hearing by an appeal board at the Jockey Club.

However, Bradley, a former top jump jockey and now leading bloodstock agent, has had his original fines increased to a total of £3,275. He was found to be in breach of a series of the Rules of Racing, including the passing of privileged information in return for monetary consideration.

The appeal against the punishment handed out last November started on 14 January, but the second day of the hearing, a week later, was postponed when one of three members of the appeal board, Fiona Whitaker, fell ill. A 10-week delay enabled Bradley to continue with his bloodstock agency work.

The three-strong Appeal Board that decided Bradley's fate came under the independent chairmanship of former High Court judge Sir Edward Cazalet.