SEAN LEVEY has been cleared to ride – just days after missing out on a whopping £20,000 bonus.
Levey, 34, was stood down and missed last Thursday’s Racing League finale after failing a saliva test at Sandown last Wednesday.
"You can't just ban people then say 'you're fine' a few days later."
With the news that Sean Levey has been cleared to return to riding after a 'failed saliva test' last week, @MCYeeehaaa has his say on the matter… pic.twitter.com/8l2puUF3nG
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 20, 2022
Levey missed out on a £20,000 bonus after being unable to ride and subsequently leapfrogged in the Racing League jockey standings
But a B sample has showed no signs of a prohibited substance, meaning he is free to race again.
His agent Sash Righton told the Racing Post: “I was informed today that Sean has been cleared to ride, so he has been booked to do so on Friday.”
Levey was the leading jockey in the £2million Racing League series heading into the final night at Newcastle.
But, banned from riding, he was leapfrogged by Saffie Osborne after her miraculous 6,539-1 treble on the night.
Sun Racing columnist Matt Chapman called for change in light of the Levey debacle.
He said: “I spoke to Sean at the time, he said, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’
“I guess people have said that in the past and they have done something wrong, so it’s a tricky one.
“But the authorities need to take another look at this. You can’t have people being banned for no reason when there’s big cash up for grabs.
“It’s not just the £20,000 – I’m absolutely gutted about that – he did have two rides and had a non-runner on the night, I can’t see why he couldn’t have switched to another.
“Effectively, there is still every chance that ban the BHA put on Sean cost him £20,000.
“But it’s not just that, what happens if he had missed a Group 1 winner – that would have cost him much more than £20,000.
“There are some tests where clearly the people know they have done something wrong and should be stood down immediately.
“But in this instance you’d have to question whether Levey should have been stood down straight away – and subsequently it shows he shouldn’t have been stood down straight away.
“It’s clearly wrong. You can’t just ban people then say ‘you’re fine’ a few days later.”
