Shamed jockey Damien Oliver returns to work after 10-month ban for placing a bet Jockey Damien Oliver is returning to racing after a 10-month ban for placing a bet on a horse in the same race as his mount. CHAMPION jockey Damien Oliver has returned to work after a 10-month ban for betting on a horse running in the same race as his mount. Oliver rode trackwork at a private training property of Leon Corstens at Romsey in front of a large media contingent. "It's great to be back on the horse and great to be back on a nice horse like Commanding Jewel," Oliver said after dismounting from the filly he rode to victory in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield last spring. Oliver, who can resume race riding on September 13, faced a barrage of questions from the assembled media. Asked if the infamous Miss Octopussy bet was the only bet he had ever placed, Oliver said "l'm comfortable with that." But he added, "We all make mistakes in our past and the idea is try to learn from them and that's what l am trying to do." Of his disqualification and the damage he has caused to racing's reputation, Oliver said he had learnt a lot from it. Hopefully l can become a better person for it. Damien Oliver rides trackwork for the first time since being disqualified last spring..