North-West star and Tenterden-raised jockey Jessica Gray cops lengthy ban after returning positive drug test

Leading North West jockey and Tenterden-raised Jessica Gray has copped a heavy riding suspension after returning a positive urine sample on Broome Cup day in August. On Tuesday, Racing WA stewards revealed the findings of an inquiry after Gray was found with banned substances in her system on August 24 and banned the senior rider for six months. Gray hails from Tenterden and completed schooling in Albany before taking up a jockey apprenticeship in the area in 2017. She quickly became one of the State’s leading country riders, winning multiple awards as an apprentice and recently claiming a host of North West feature races. Gray won this year’s Carnarvon Cup, Derby Sprint, Roebourne Cup, Marble Bar Cup and Junction Cup and has 49 winners to her name this season. The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge under the rules of racing for providing a urine sample at Broome Turf Club on August 24 that, upon analysis was found to contain banned substances under the provisions of AR136 (1). Gray has had her jockey licence suspended for six months, the penalty backdated to October 1 when she was initially stood down from riding. Stewards said that upon meeting certain criteria they determine, including providing clear urine samples and attending ongoing counselling, Gray will be permitted to work within a racing stable as a stable employee from November 1. They added that after such time, and at graduated intervals, consideration will be given to permitting Gray to ride track work. After a further period is served, she may then be permitted to ride in trials before resuming race riding before her full suspension period is completed providing all the penalty conditions as imposed are met to the satisfaction of stewards. In determining the penalty stewards considered the serious of the offence, the nature of the substances detected, Gray’s early guilty plea along with her prior unblemished record under the rule and degree of remorse, and her personal circumstances.