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Welcome to the News desk.
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Tapes put two jockeys in frame in corruption probe |
27/01/2007 |
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Greg
Wood
The Horseracing Regulatory
Authority yesterday took charge of a bundle of evidence, including a 15-minute
tape recording in which a jockey is believed to discuss laying short-priced
horses to lose, following allegations of possible corruption in a Sunday
newspaper six days ago.
The HRA is now expected to launch its own
investigation into the claims, which revolve around two Flat jockeys and their
driver, who is alleged to have asked a full-time tipster to open an account on
the Betfair betting exchange on his behalf. This account would then have been
used by the jockeys to lay their horses to lose.
If the tape recording
proves to be genuine, it would offer unusually strong and direct evidence to
the HRA's investigators, who are more used to relying on a painstaking trawl
through betting accounts and telephone records in order to build a case against
individuals suspected of corrupting racing.
While the latest
evidence of possible wrongdoing was making its way to HRA headquarters in
London yesterday, another more positive package of documents was travelling
towards the headquarters of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport less
than a mile down the road. Racing's bid to buy the Tote arrived just in time to
meet the deadline set by the government for a final offer for the pool and
off-course betting operation, and is thought to match the £400m valuation
placed on the business by the accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers.
It is
now certain that racing will take control of the Tote in due course, and the
only question that remains is when. Though DCMS officials insisted last week
that no further input is required by the European commission, which blocked an
earlier attempt to sell the Tote to racing at a knock-down price, some
observers still believe that a referral to Brussels to rubber-stamp the deal
may be a diplomatic course of action even if it is not essential. If
so, the handover of the Tote would inevitably be delayed, much to the
frustration of racing officials who would like to launch the sport's historic
entry into the betting market at the Cheltenham Festival, where the Tote will
sponsor the Gold Cup.
Brave Inca, who will face seven rivals in defence
of his AIG Europe Champion Hurdle crown at Leopardstown tomorrow, is reportedly
in good form ahead of his repeat bid and trainer Colm Murphy is brimming with
confidence.
"He feels good and he seems in great order," said Murphy.
"He's come out of his last race in grand shape and the ground drying up a bit
has to be in his favour."
Noel Meade is pleased with the condition of
Iktitaf and Jazz Messenger and has secured Timmy Murphy's services for Iktitaf
as regular partner Paul Carberry will miss the ride through injury.
Ireland's champion trainer concedes that whatever finishes in front of
Brave Inca is the most likely winner.
"If it stays dry from now until
Sunday it should be OK," he said. "Iktitaf is in great shape. It's a good race
though and it truly is the Irish Champion Hurdle." |
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