Racing's image further tarnished on Black Monday

dod · 09-03-2004 11:35am #1

Given all the coverage that the Fallon/Lingfield race and the Fox/Fontwell race are getting in the media, can there be any doubt that, to be diplomatic about it, it would be naive to suggest that the integrity of racing is above question?

(article quoted from the Racing Post)

Racing's image further tarnished on Black Monday
RACING was left reeling on Monday night after a day of endless controversy that spread beyond the Kieren Fallon scandal to embroil two other events that could further damage the sport's reputation.

Fallon flew into Britain a day after a five-page newspaper expose dubbed him 'The Fixer', and was involved in an unseemly fracas with photographers that was captured in full by Sky News cameras.

In his absence, the champion jockey was handed a 21-day ban by the Jockey Club for a ride at Lingfield last Tuesday when he let slip a ten-length lead and was caught on the line when riding Ballinger Ridge.

In a four-page article described as the "sports scandal of the decade", the News Of The World alleged that Fallon told undercover journalists before the race that Rye would beat his mount, as it did.

As the Fallon storm continued to rage, the Jockey Club dropped another bombshell when announcing a sensational development in the case of Hillside Girl, the horse at the centre of a betting investigation after it was pulled up early in a Flat race at Carlisle’

The Club revealed that Hillside Girl's trainer Alan Berry, son of popular former trainer Jack Berry, is to be charged over the race. Also announced as facing charges were Berry's jockey Paul Bradley and amateur rider Dale Jewett, as well as Steve O'Sullivan, the farrier long at the centre of the case.

Berry could be in danger of losing his trainers' licence, but sounded at ease with the call to Portman Square when telling the RacingPost that he was confident of being cleared.

The quartet face charges that they are guilty of, or conspired with each other for the commission of, a corrupt or fraudulent practice in relation to racing.

This was ensuring that Hillside Girl, afilly which was known or suspected of being lame and therefore had little chance of winning or of being placed, should run in the interests of bets laid on betting exchanges.

The day grew darker for racing when jumps jockey Sean Fox hit out angrily that he had been "tarred with the same brush as Kieren Fallon" after receiving a 21-day ban after a race at Fontwell.

Fox's ride Ice Saint drifted notably before setting out and after Fox, 32, was unseated there were suggestions he ought to have been able to stay in the saddle.

Connections of Ice Saint immediately talked of lodging an appeal and Fox hit back at those who claimed he had bailed out as "barmy".

Fallon, meanwhile, was driven away from Stansted airport at speed with little signs of immediate support from those owners and trainers who provide the bulk of his rides.

His long-standing agent Dave Pollington revealed that Fallon was "a little down, obviously" but could be back in action as soon as Saturday despite suggestions he wouldbe taking a long break.

Bookmakers suspended betting on the jockeys' 2004 Flat championship, and asked whether he would be maintaining his role as Fallon's agent, Pollington said: "I've done it for the last 15 years and I'll do for it the next 15 years if I can."

Fallon's solicitor Christopher Stewart-Moore, reacting to his client's ban, said: "We will be concentrating on the Jockey Club investigation now but because there is an inquiry into the News of the World dossier I have asked to see it before Kieren is interviewed.

"We have asked to have access to the report over some of which we already have doubts. We already understand there are some inaccuracies in the report. He was made several offers by those people all of which he refused.

"As I understand it the investigation is not into betting patterns but into the identity of punters laying the horse. Kieren is adamant he does not know who these punters are."

The Fallon episode drew comment among MPs on Monday with Labour member Jeff Ennis, joint-chairman of the Parliamentary All Party Racing Group, calling for further regulation of betting exchanges.

He was joined by Tom Kelly, chief executive of the Association of British Bookmakers, who argued that betting exchanges were "a recipe for disaster".

"We've been warning the Government for a couple of years now that the ability of certain individuals to act as a bookmaker without any sort of permit would cause problems for the integrity of racing itself," he said.

In contrast, regular Lingfield racegoer Roger Coleman said: "Of course the [Ballinger Ridge] race wasn't fixed. The horse is a total monkey - I have my severe doubts as to whether the horse would have won however he had been ridden."

Hobart · 09-03-2004 12:41pm

In answer to your question:

Yes it would be naive. There is no doubt that the integrity of the sport is very much in question in relation to these incidcents.

I saw the race where Fallon "pulled up". IMO it was the most blatant choking I have ever seen. To loose a race like that, 10 lnts clear 1 furlong to go, is unknown in my experience. Add to that the compounding factor that STG1.5Mil had been placed on Fallon not winning in that race at www.betfair.com and the case seems to be pretty much staked against him.

I also bought the News of the World on sunday, because of the headline. 1 thing that did strike me was the repoorters insistence that Fallon had told him that Rye would win that race. this, despite the assurance of Fallon and the reporter that Rye's jockey had no hand in this deception.
This story has a long long way to run....:(

Healio · 09-03-2004 9:21pm

Although the race appears to be the biggest fix ever, i doubt fallon would be able to just lose by a short-head, on the other side of the coin though what mite have happened if he had still won the race would there still be suspicion or would it of just be considered a minor blunder?
As a regular user of the betfair.com exchange, there is no way to bet on a horse losing, just to lay a horse to win, so it would appear that the two business men layed fallon to lose a million and a half with inside information, but they could of just had an opinion, mind you with the reputation of betfair it is quite probable that the betting patterns were suspicious. This situation for me anyway bears all the hallmarks of a set-up, could it be the news of the world were the people betting the money on betfair, i mean they had fallon on camera and the phone calls recorded. It is very easy to log on with a fake name stake your bets and then move away again leaving a dormant account, betfair should be tracking down these people and rid the sport of this terrible sort of thing. Or is it because Fallon is the one with the reputation, and the news of the world merely exposed the great jockey for the champion fraudster he is?
On another note, the operation of such companies should be reviewed, the impact of betfair on the english racing industry is totally destroying it, the people and therefore the revenue is not coming to the races as people would rather stay at home and bet through the net, the on-course bookies have betfair on the back of their pitches and are having the away bets off-course effectively, which keeps further money from the race-courses. I think the day has come for these exchanges to be shut-down or the screening process for joining toughened. I will admit i have layed horses with inside information, I mean who wouldnt but i just think the way that it is possible to do this sort of thing, calls should be made for something to be done to safe-guard the sport from being run into the ground.

donhughberto · 21-03-2004 1:48am

races are fixed everyday for last 10 years, holding horses back, few get caught and then after three or four races at right end of the hanicap the horse starts winning and takes forever to rise 20 odd ibs back up the handicap. Fallon was a fool and 21 days is a joke. Fox should be banned for 5 years for falling off that horse as i had the F**ker backed lol.

Lessons to be learn't don't back too many horses on the slide in the markets, proves accurate more times than enough. I think a 6 month ban would be fair to all cheats!

Healio · 21-03-2004 2:44am

well fallons ban was under rule 156 (i) failing to ride out a winner/horse to most valuable place possible which carries an automatic ban of 21 days, he hasnt been proven guilty (yet!) but to be able to lose by exactly a short head doesnt add up. as for the fox lad, i would just like to ask you are you a jockey? because if you were you would be able to see that when jumping a fence your momentum is greater than running on the flat, so when fox jumped the fence he got unbalanced and couldnt keep on the horse, every jockey isnt able to do that, he lost balance and wasnt able to get back to normal, jus like if you ever jump over a wall at speed (ive done it many times getting chased) you run at a wall and land with momentum, then you land awkwardly and you fall over that is exactly the same as fox when he jumped the fence. the right side of his body was leaning over the side of his mount and his weight was enough to drag the rest of his body over-board. i'll be the first one to admit that fixing is going on in racing but fox's incident wasnt one to be suspicious about, as for fallon all i'll say it looks dodgy but there is a good margain of doubt and fallon can afford a good legal team.

Healio · 21-03-2004 2:59am

well fallons ban was under rule 156 (i) failing to ride out a winner/horse to most valuable place possible which carries an automatic ban of 21 days, he hasnt been proven guilty (yet!) but to be able to lose by exactly a short head doesnt add up. as for the fox lad, i would just like to ask you are you a jockey? because if you were you would be able to see that when jumping a fence your momentum is greater than running on the flat, so when fox jumped the fence he got unbalanced and couldnt keep on the horse, every jockey isnt able to do that, he lost balance and wasnt able to get back to normal, jus like if you ever jump over a wall at speed (ive done it many times getting chased) you run at a wall and land with momentum, then you land awkwardly and you fall over that is exactly the same as fox when he jumped the fence. the left side of his body was leaning over the left-side of his mount and his weight was enough to drag the rest of his body over-board. i'll be the first one to admit that fixing is going on in racing but fox's incident wasnt one to be suspicious about, as for fallon all i'll say it looks dodgy but there is a good margain of doubt and fallon can afford a good legal team.
as for the cooment on the 6 month ban being fair, that is totally unfair, these people should be banned for life, they make the hard work of the true professional jockeys look bad. if you fix a race that is just as bad if not worse than drugs cheats. look at rio ferdinand 8 months for just missing a test, dwain chambers two year racing ban and life long olympic ban, this is proper order, cheats should be stamped out for the dirt and scum that they are and for the good of a sport. as someone once said "once a cheater always a cheater!" why should these people be allowed back into the sport after a six month ban for cheating if your caught cheating a life ban should be imposed so to protect the viability of the sport/game.

donhughberto · 21-03-2004 1:55pm

Fox was on a horse that drifted form 6-4 to around 3-1 or better,m can't remember and he looked like he jumped off after landing, you have to wonder.

Fallon did his best to lose that race but i agree a SH is very good riding and hard to do and he has a lot more to lose than fox where reputations are considered because Fallon reguarly gets me out of jail with a brill ride!

The sport is full of cheats and everyone knows it, you take a chance backing any horse. The punter who does his line in the morning andcan't see market developments loses out because of these cheats.

I agree a life ban would be good for the sport and cut out this but people can be innocent as well and get hit!

Healio · 21-03-2004 4:52pm

well you would in all honesty have to be mad to jump off a horse.
these betting exchanges for all the good they are, they are ruining the sport, if not many other sports aswell, there should be stricter rules for registering on these websites, i mean anyone can go in make up an account just for a day then close it again, they should be traced and tracked down, if you ask me betfair.com are actually the people involved with most of the suspicious betting, and they give information to the jockey club, but have you heard of any prosecutions yet?? welli haven't probably because betfair get their profit then report suspicion and give only the evidence they wont to the jockey club. lets say they give out the account details of suspicous bets, they could have a fake name and adress, all they need is a credit card to load their winnings on to. these exchanges should be very harshly reviewed as to being granted licenses to operate.

scojones · 23-03-2004 1:10pm

one of the lads said this to me this morning. and it's interesting enough. He believes that fallon was made do it, made loose the race - but not for his own profit. fallon was sick of being ordered to loose and went so far ahead and pulled him back to expose what kind of happenings goes on in horse racing and to get the boss in a load of crud. It's only a speculative opinion, but i think it's a good one.

Healio · 24-03-2004 12:32am

I had a theory like that, when the story first broke, i was thinking more along the lines of a death threat but i thought it was a bit stupid but fallon did flee england immediately.

Racing's image further tarnished on Black Monday

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