Vic: Jockey applies to be let back into pubs, court

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2000
Vic: Jockey applies to be let back into pubs, court

By Catherine Chisholm

MELBOURNE, April 28 AAP - A leading jumps jockey today applied to be let back into
pubs so that he could watch horse races on television, a Melbourne court heard.

Frankie Stockdale, 27, Traralgon, was banned from drinking and entering licensed premises
as part of bail conditions for a charge of culpable driving in which a woman was killed
last year.

Stockdale pleaded not guilty to culpable driving and charges of conduct endangering
life and causing serious injury in Melbourne Magistrates Court today and was ordered to
appear at a directions hearing at the Melbourne County Court on August 29.

Brendan Wilkinson, defending, said Stockdale was a "well-known and prominent jockey"

who needed to enter licensed premises for his career.

Stockdale has won three of Australia's biggest jumps races - the Grand National Hurdle,
the Australian Steeple and the Grand National Steeple.

Mr Wilkinson said Stockdale needed to watch the races to look for horses which had
the potential to contest jump races, which could only be done at the TAB and those were
located in hotels at Traralgon in Victoria's south-east.

He also needed to attend functions such as president's lunches at race courses, he said.

His father William Stockdale, a horse trainer, said because of his son's talent as
a flat and jumps jockey, he was asked to watch other horses racing on the television and
if he could find one for a client, he might then ride it and get a cut of the winnings.

His son was "the best in the area and in demand" and he had not seen him act violently
when drinking.

Stockdale had last raced at Sandown three weeks ago when his mount fell in a jumps
race throwing him over its head and injuring his foot.

Informant Acting Senior Sergeant Paul Tysoe said the bail conditions should be enforced
because Stockdale was aggressive and caused fights when he drank at local hotels.

He said the local police and liquor industry had organised an accord under the Liquor
Control Act that banned Stockdale from entering their hotels because of his past behaviour
and because he had assaulted police.

That ban had been in place for 18 months and was up for review next month, the court heard.

Snr Sgt Tysoe said he feared Stockdale drinking at home because he thought he had a
problem with alcohol and might drive again despite having lost his licence.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Dan Mueling lifted the bail condition that Stockdale abstain
from alcohol and did not impose another order restricting him from going into licensed
premises.

However, Stockdale still has to adhere to the existing order until it is reviewed next month.

He was released on bail with conditions including weekly reporting to police.

AAP TURF cmc/sp/jlw/jtb/de i

KEYWORD: STOCKDALE

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