E-Paper
Melbourne Cup winning jockey under bets probe
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Blake Shinn is one of two Australian riders being investigated for allegedly placing illegal bets on horse races, reports said today.
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Blake Shinn is one of two Australian riders being investigated for allegedly placing illegal bets on horse races, reports said on Friday.
Shinn, who helped trainer Bart Cummings to his 12th Melbourne Cup on Viewed two years ago, and the Sydney jockey Peter Robl are at the centre of the investigation, The Sydney Morning Herald said.
The Herald said stewards have handed lawyers representing the jockeys evidence relating to the alleged bets and a hearing on the matter is set to take place on November 8, six days after this year's Melbourne Cup.
Despite the betting inquiry Shinn may ride Cummings's highly-fancied Precedence in Tuesday's contest at Flemington, the biggest race of the year in Australia.
"A date has been set and there may be some correspondence before that meeting," chief steward of Racing NSW Ray Murrihy told the newspaper. "I can confirm that the matter involves the bets placed from a single TAB (betting agency) account. The matter could be dealt with at our first meeting or it may require further discussions," he added.
Strict rules ban jockeys from placing bets on racing in Australia, even if they are not participating in the race and stewards have the power to fine jockeys up to USD 73,000 and ban them from racing for life.
The Herald also stated that Murrihy first spoke to the pair in relation to the inquiry at Sydney's Canterbury race course on September 29 in a closed meeting.
