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Dean John Mernagh was born in Ireland on December 28, 1978. He is the cousin of Grand National-winning rider Graham Lee. He graduated from the Racing Academy & Centre of Education (RACE) in 1995 and then crossed the Irish Sea in search of better opportunities. He joined Yorkshire trainer Mel Brittain and rode his first winner for him on Grey Kingdom at Nottingham on April 21, 1997. He went on to win six more races on Grey Kingdom including the Michael Sobell Silver Tankard at York and the 1999 Ayr Silver Cup.
Dean John Mernagh was born in Ireland on December 28, 1978. He is the cousin of Grand National-winning rider Graham Lee. He graduated from the Racing Academy & Centre of Education (RACE) in 1995 and then crossed the Irish Sea in search of better opportunities. He joined Yorkshire trainer Mel Brittain and rode his first winner for him on Grey Kingdom at Nottingham on April 21, 1997. He went on to win six more races on Grey Kingdom including the Michael Sobell Silver Tankard at York and the 1999 Ayr Silver Cup.
Among the other good horses Dean rode was High Spirits, who gave him a big race victory in the 1998 Thirsk Hunt Cup. He also won three races on Inchalong including the Billy Nevett Memorial Handicap at Ripon on August 31, 1998, and four races on Honesty Fair including the Falmouth Handicap at York on August 23, 2000. He was by then a fully-fledged jockey, recording his highest winning tallies of 42 in 2000 and 36 in 2003.
Among the other good horses Dean rode was High Spirits, who gave him a big race victory in the 1998 Thirsk Hunt Cup. He also won three races on Inchalong including the Billy Nevett Memorial Handicap at Ripon on August 31, 1998, and four races on Honesty Fair including the Falmouth Handicap at York on August 23, 2000. He was by then a fully-fledged jockey, recording his highest winning tallies of 42 in 2000 and 36 in 2003.
However, his score fell to just three in 2006. On December 29 of that year, along with fellow jockey Tony Culhane and two non-licensed individuals, he was informed by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority that he would face various corruption charges of passing on information in relation to a number of races between July 2003 and April 2004.
However, his score fell to just three in 2006. On December 29 of that year, along with fellow jockey Tony Culhane and two non-licensed individuals, he was informed by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority that he would face various corruption charges of passing on information in relation to a number of races between July 2003 and April 2004.
Within a month of that, on January 22, 2007, Dean was in further hot water, being banned for 28 days under the non-triers rules by the Wolverhampton stewards for failing to ensure the best possible placing on Black Oval, his mount in a seven-furlong handicap. The stewards found that Black Oval had been “intentionally been restrained and not let down” and he thus became the first jockey facing corruption charges to be subsequently found guilty of non-trying. That raised questions as to whether his licence should have been suspended once the allegations of corruption had been made.
Within a month of that, on January 22, 2007, Dean was in further hot water, being banned for 28 days under the non-triers rules by the Wolverhampton stewards for failing to ensure the best possible placing on Black Oval, his mount in a seven-furlong handicap. The stewards found that Black Oval had been “intentionally been restrained and not let down” and he thus became the first jockey facing corruption charges to be subsequently found guilty of non-trying. That raised questions as to whether his licence should have been suspended once the allegations of corruption had been made.
Dean continued to ply his trade for the first half of that year. He rode mainly for Yorkshire trainer Mel Brittain and had three winners during the 2007 Flat turf season, the last of them being Guadeloop in a class 6 handicap at Musselburgh on June 25. He had what were to be his last rides in Britain at Hamilton on July 14, 2007, finishing fifth on Celeb Style for David Nicholls and sixth on Storm Session for John Mackie. The following week he was given a nine-month ban for passing on information.
Dean continued to ply his trade for the first half of that year. He rode mainly for Yorkshire trainer Mel Brittain and had three winners during the 2007 Flat turf season, the last of them being Guadeloop in a class 6 handicap at Musselburgh on June 25. He had what were to be his last rides in Britain at Hamilton on July 14, 2007, finishing fifth on Celeb Style for David Nicholls and sixth on Storm Session for John Mackie. The following week he was given a nine-month ban for passing on information.
When his suspension was over, Dean moved to America to continue his career, based at Lexington, Kentucky. He rode his last winner there on Pointman Talkin at Churchill Downs on November 10, 2010, and had his final ride on the Kenny McPeek-trained Ordination, who finished third at Turfway Park on December 18, 2010.
When his suspension was over, Dean moved to America to continue his career, based at Lexington, Kentucky. He rode his last winner there on Pointman Talkin at Churchill Downs on November 10, 2010, and had his final ride on the Kenny McPeek-trained Ordination, who finished third at Turfway Park on December 18, 2010.
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