Richard Dunwoody has today called for a change in the rules of racing so jockeys can bet on themselves.
The recently retired former champion jump jockey told Radio 5 Live that he felt the Jockey Club rules covering betting were "aged" and in need of review.
He said: "Jockeys now are able to give tips on television, they write columns in the newspapers, they give tips on the internet and certainly I think the gambling rules as far as jockeys are concerned should be reviewed.
"They need reviewing. They are quite aged."
When asked whether he thought jockeys should be allowed to bet on themselves, Dunwoody said: "Yes, I think so. And make that public."
Dunwoody stressed that he was never tempted to break the betting rules during his time in the saddle and said he has not taken up gambling on racing since his retirement.
"As far as I was concerned, I never like losing and am probably one of the worst tipsters you could get, so I haven't had a bet since I retired. It's not something I really advocate to do."
Dunwoody's call comes at a time when the Home Office Gambling Review is poised for its first meeting.
The review body is to conduct a wide-ranging examination of Britain's gambling legislation and is expected to report in the summer of 2001.
The Jockey Club's spokesman, John Maxse, declined to comment on the question of jockeys betting on themselves.
He said that the Jockey Club had taken a "common sense" approach with regard to jockeys giving tips.
"The number of outlets through which jockeys can give information has increased and what we have tried to do is to adopt a common sense position on this," he said.
"We realise that this a valuable way for them to spread their name and in some cases they will get paid for their services. We wouldn't want to get in the way of that."
