Australian jockey Munce freed from jail

Top Australian jockey Chris Munce walked free from a Sydney prison yesterday after completing two-thirds of a two-and-a-half year jail term for his part in a Hong Kong betting scandal.

Munce was originally sentenced to 30 months imprisonment by a Hong Kong court in March 2007 for supplying tips on race horses he was riding in the former British colony.

Munce was found guilty under Hong Kong's strict anti-corruption laws of supplying tips to a Chinese businessman who helped him place bets on races in return.

In Australia, jockeys are also banned from supplying tips but offences are dealt with by racing authorities.

Munce, who won the Melbourne Cup, aboard Jezabeel in 1998, was transferred to a Sydney jail in September last year then given an early release for good behaviour.

The 39-year-old told reporters after his release yesterday that he was hoping to re-apply for a jockey's licence and resume his racing career in Australia.