Egan given go-ahead to keep riding

Jockey John Egan was today given the green light to continue riding in Britain by the Jockey Club.

The Irish- bor n rider attended a meeting of the licensing committee at Portman Square in London this morning, where an arrest warrant issued against Egan in Hong Kong was considered.

But the committee allowed Egan to continue riding, pending further investigations.

Egan declined to comment as he left after the two-hour hearing and headed straight to Lingfield Park for his one booked ride.

But his solicitor, Christopher Stewart-Moore, said: "John has had a fair hearing. Having heard all the evidence, the committee has decided not to suspend his licence. John is obviously pleased."

The arrest warrant was issued after he failed to return to Hong Kong under the alleged conditions of his bail of over £22,000. It is alleged that Egan, while riding in Hong Kong, accepted a sum of money from an owner as an inducement to, or reward for, passing him tips in relation to a race there in January.

Egan returned to ride in Britain in April where our Jockey Club issued him a licence to ride, although he was still banned in the former colony.

The Hong Kong authorities state that Egan had been allowed to leave on condition that he, and South African rider Robbie Fradd, also concerned in the investigation, returned by 30 June. Fradd has complied, but Egan failed to do so by Sunday's deadline.