Melbourne Cup-winning Aussie jockey banned for failing raceday breath test

Three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Damien Oliver will sit out almost a month of racing after he failed an on-course breath test at a south-east Victorian race meeting on Thursday, according to local media reports.

The champion rider, who has 106 Group 1 race wins to his name, has been stood down from racing for the next 29 days.

On the last day of the Warrnambool racing carnival, Oliver arrived on-track and blew 0.038 in an initial breath test and 0.035 in a secondary test 15 minutes later.

Under Racing Victoria (RV) guidelines, jockeys must be under 0.02 to be declared fit to race. Every jockey is tested when they arrive on-course.

The 43-year-old was brought before racing stewards soon after his failed test and suspended until June 4, meaning he'll miss many key rides of the Australian autumn carnival.

Oliver, considered a legend of the sport, pleaded guilty to the charge telling RV stewards he was "very embarrassed and sorry" and was "disappointed" with his actions.

Jumps jockey Paul Hamblin found himself in similar trouble after he also recorded an excessive alcohol reading earlier in the morning at the same meeting.

Hamblin was pulled off Shiny Manners - his first ride of the day - after he blew 0.033 just minutes before the start of the race.

His mount was a late scratching as no other riders were available to replace the over-the-limit jockey on such short notice.

Similar to Oliver, Hamblin was also handed a one-month ban.

It comes a fortnight after St George Illawarra senior coach Paul McGregor failed a roadside breath test analysis in Sydney, while on his way to his team's National Rugby League clash against the Sydney Roosters.

It's not the first time racing officials have been forced to sanction Hamblin for failing an on-track breath test.

In 2010, Hamblin was slapped with a 27-day ban and fined 375 U.S. dollars after blowing over the mandated limit at a South Australian meeting. That ban was later reduced to four days on appeal.

Two years ago, Hamblin also missed the majority the 2014 Australian jumps season after he pleaded guilty to insider betting before the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.

RV is already dealing with mounting public scrutiny of the sport, with animal activists calling for an end to jumps racing after two horses had to be put down over the first two days of the Warrnambool carnival.

Last year, another two horses died during the Australian jumps racing season.

Victoria is one of only two states in Australia that holds jumps racing. Endit