FORMER top jump jockey Graham Bradley has been banned from racing for eight years and fined £2,500 by the Jockey Club Disciplinary Committee.

Bradley, who lives at Sparsholt near Wantage, was found guilty of charges relating to his self-confessed passing of privileged information, and alleged relationship with suspected drugs smuggler Brian Wright.

He was cleared of the original breach of the rules which related to trying to bring about the unwarranted abandonment of the snow-swept 1987 Cheltenham Gold Cup in the interests of certain bets.

But the disciplinary committee decided that he had not told the truth in his autobiography regarding this incident which brought racing into disrepute, and he was fined £2,500. Bradley, 42, now a successful bloodstock agent, immediately announced his intention to appeal against the ban which is due to start next Saturday.

In a short statement, he said: "I am obviously very, very, very disappointed. I will definitely appeal. That's it basically."

He was also fined a further £800 for two breaches of entering the weighing room without permission.