Not a Good Day for Jockey Oliver

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Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Damien Oliver has been banned for 10 months after placing a £6,500 bet (10,000 Australian dollars) on a rival horse.

The Australian has won the country's big race twice - including with theIrish-trained Media Puzzle in 2002 just days after the rider's brother died.

Oliver, 40, placed the winning bet, via a third party, in another race in which his own mount finished sixth.

The jockey, who won $23,000 (£15,000), blamed domestic stress for his actions.

"I apologised for a spur of the moment decision that I will regret for the rest of my of career and beyond," he told reporters after a disciplinary hearing.

"There were a lot of difficult personal issues going on in my life at the time, however there are no excuses for the fact that I breached the trust of many people in the industry and I broke a fundamental rule of racing."

Oliver said he was in emotional turmoil and had developed a drinking problem after his wife had left with their three children.

"It was probably the worst period in my life. I was now living alone and unsure if I would be able to save my marriage," he said.

He admitted placing the bet on Miss Octopussy, the winner of a race at Moonee Valley in October 2010, leading to the eight-month disqualification.

The rider, who was sixth on second favourite Europa Point, was also charged with having in his possession, and using, a mobile phone in the jockeys' room before the race, for which the stewards handed him a two-month suspension.

Racing Victoria chairman Michael Duffy said: "The result of today's stewards' inquiry has sent a powerful message to the jockey profession that there is a zero tolerance of any breaches of the prohibition on betting."

Oliver's 2002 Melbourne Cup win on Media Puzzle, trained by Dermot Weld, came days after his older brother Jason was killed after falling from a horse at Perth's Belmont racecourse. Damien attended his funeral 24 hours after winning the famous race.

Their father Ray died after a fall during a race in 1975, when Damien was aged three.

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Over the Green Moon in Melbourne

Green Moon, trained by Robert Hickmott and ridden by Brett Prebble, won the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington as the European party largely disappointed with Mount Athos only fifth.

The Marco Botti-trained Jakkalberry fared best of foreign raiders in third, but was some distance away from the accomplished winner.

Green Moon, formerly trained in Berkshire by Harry Dunlop, flashed past the long-time leader Glencadam Gold a furlong and a half from home under an assured Prebble.

Fiorente finished second.

Prebble said: "He was never going to get beat."

The Luca Cumani-trained Mount Athos flew from the rear to finish fifth under Ryan Moore.

Glencadam Gold enjoyed an uncontested lead from the outset, but initiated an admittedly humdrum gallop off which the major European players like last year's respective first and second, Dunaden and Red Cadeaux, had no answers.

Gai Waterhouse's trailblazer fleetingly looked the winner, until the smooth-travelling Green Moon swooped to conquer in the hands of Prebble."It's the pinnacle of racing in Australia," said the winning jockey.

"I've had some great highs here, but you don't get any higher than reaching the pinnacle.

"If he sustained the journey, nothing was going to go with him.

"It's very emotional and it's going to last for a long time."

Nick Williams, son of victorious owner Lloyd Williams, said: "It's terrific. "I'm so proud for all of our team at the farm.

"It's another Melbourne Cup win for 'Team Williams'.

"We've put a lot of money in and a hell of a lot of effort so to get this result is terrific.

"I'm so excited and so happy for all our people."

Botti was proud of Jakkalberry, but was left to rue a lack of pace in the race.

He said: "He ran a very good race, but he probably could have done with the pace being a bit quicker.

"He stayed on very well. It's been a fantastic adventure and I knew I'd left a bit of improvement in the horse.

"I had him at his best today.

"He's got an invitation for the Japan Cup and we can also think about Hong Kong, but we'll see how he comes out of this first.

"There's also Dubai and we'll think about coming back next year."

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De Souza Makes Melbourne Dash

Champion jockey contender Silvestre de Sousa will make a dash to Australia to compete in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.

The Brazilian, who is suspended on Monday, is four winners behind Paul Hanagan in the Flat jockeys' standings but will fly to Australia to ride Fox Hunt for trainer Mark Johnston.

De Sousa then intends to return overnight in order to ride at both Nottingham and Kempton on Wednesday.

Reigning champion Hanagan could extend his lead in De Sousa's absence.

But Johnston believes the potential financial rewards of the Melbourne Cup are big enough to make it worth De Sousa missing one day of action in his title quest.

"He didn't really want to come and ride the horse as he's only four winners behind now, but I pointed out to him that all his winners in Europe would not even add up to the value of this one race," said Johnston.

"I wanted him to ride the horse, as he's perfect for him."

Hanagan won twice on Saturday to De Sousa's once and the Englishman now has 159 victories this season to the Brazilian's 155.

Both jockeys have five-day bans to serve under the new whip rules, but the dates of the suspensions fall after the Flat season concludes at Doncaster next weekend.

Whatever happens in the battle with Hanagan, De Sousa has made a big impression on Johnston.

"Silvestre was champion apprentice in Brazil and is a relatively new kid on the block," he said.

"I noticed him last season when he rode 100 winners for mainly small trainers, often on horses at long odds.

"Joe Fanning was injured, and he started riding a few more for me. He's a very, very confident jockey and you wouldn't be afraid to take him anywhere."