New Betfair horse race scandal?

[jetset]

BETFAIR HORSE RACING BUSTS

Owner charged with laying bets against his own pony

Another Betfair horse racing scandal seemed to be brewing this week as The Scotsman reported on charges laid against horse owners by the Horse Racing Regulatory Authority in the UK.

Anthony Ramsden and Robert Owen, two non-registered owners, have been charged by the HRA in issues arising from their ownership of a horse called Mickmacmagoole.

Ramsden and Owen were found to each own a one-third share in the horse despite James Roberts being registered with Horseracing Ireland as the sole owner. They therefore both face a charge of a breach of Rule 112 (iii) - which states that all owners must be registered - in relation to the gelding's entries in four races at various tracks in 2005.

Ramsden is also charged with a breach of Rule 247 in that he laid Mickmacmagoole to lose through his Betfair account prior to the gelding's run at Wolverhampton on 14 December, 2005, a race the horse won under his brother-in-law, Jamie Spencer.

Owen is also accused of breaking the same rule after laying the gelding to lose through his Betfair account when the horse ran at Warwick on 8 October, 2005, where he finished sixth of 15, the Wolverhampton race in November 2005 and Southwell on 12 December that year, a race Mickmacmagoole also won.

The HRA disciplinary panel are scheduled to consider the case on 1 February.

Meanwhile, jockeys Robert Winston, Robbie Fitzpatrick, Fran Ferris and Luke Fletcher were all on hand as their hearing at the HRA began yesterday.

The four are accused of having provided information for reward or passing information that would subsequently be used for corrupt gain that otherwise was not in the public domain. Winston and his weighing room colleagues were present as the inquiry, for which officials have set aside ten days, got underway at the HRA's Shaftesbury Avenue headquarters.

[soflat]

That's interesting. I was wondering if that is allowed in US racing? I always thought the owners and trainers did a lot of betting.

[liquidsoap]

I know a trainer at the horse track, he often bets. He doesnt bet on the race his horse races in though. Its pretty cool, he knows all the jockeys. Not sure if that helps you out at all but he does get a lot of inside info.

[winbig]

That's interesting. I was wondering if that is allowed in US racing? I always thought the owners and trainers did a lot of betting.

If they were to allow owners/trainers/whatever to bet on any horse race, then they need to take the baseball ban off of Pete Rose, and allow him into the hall of fame.

[whiterat1]

In US horse racing owners and trainers can bet.

[winbig]

In US horse racing owners and trainers can bet.

Unreal...What's the difference in that and Pete Rose betting on baseball games that his team wasn't even involved in? In baseball, you'll get banned, that's what.

</derail>

[GrandMaster]

In US horse racing owners and trainers can bet.

I am sure thet cannot bet against their own horses.

[noluckever67]

Is that some inside info is all it takes and you dont even have to bet your horse to win.this is an major flaw of betfair and such companies its always going to be an avenue for crooks who know there horse *isnt quite ready* for that day they can make as much money betting it to lose as they can for it to win.Noone and i mean NOONE will ever convince me horse racing in the UK is clean for a start all you have to do is look at the economics of it all..

1> small trainers with 20 in training horses would struggle to survive without betting......

2> the avergae prize for run of the mill races in the uk is £2,000 an paltry sum.

3>transporting horses allover the country would take up an huge bite of any prize money especially for smaller trainers of which there are plenty.

4>One betting coup to win/lose could net as much as all the prize money the stable could earn in an season.

As i say it all makes economic sense and it MUST go on and that is the downisde of betfair because the only losers in the either win/lose coup are the punters who 99.99% of are not in the know.Im sure there are lots of people who do not think this is so widespread but i think it is rife and i can only speak in for in my opinion UK racing.

There have been an lot of cases recently of jockeys getting banned/suspended warned off etc etc thats the tip of the iceberg all you have to do is look at champion jockey kieron fallon who is charged with recieving £50,000 for just 1 race that puts it into perspective as to howmuch money is involved...sadly where theres money theres always going to be rogues that goes for all forms of gambling onine and off....