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Controversial Race

Jockey Club look into suspicious betting patterns following dubious race at Lingfield

Friday 5th March 2004



Online punters are at the centre of an investigation by the UK Jockey Club following Tuesday’s meeting at Lingfield in which jockey Kieren Fallon appeared to throw the race. Suspicion was aroused when Betfair reported suspect betting patterns shortly before the off. When Fallon, whose horse, Ballinger Ridge, was 10 lengths clear coming into the home turn, appeared to ease down significantly before being pipped at the post, an immediate enquiry was launched.

'We have some ongoing enquiries into races with some suspicious betting patterns and in the process of investigating those races certain accounts have come under scrutiny,' John Maxse, the Club's director of public relations, said yesterday.

A spokesman for Betfair said that there could be an innocent explanation for the strange betting patterns, and that Fallon’s behaviour could be little more than an embarrassing lack of judgement. 'This was basically a two-horse race and an ideal one for our punters to take a view on,' he said. 'It was the sort of race where you really get the traders going in and out, backing with two grand at 1.8 and then laying it back at 1.74. There was also a 10-minute delay to the race, which boosted turnover because it allowed more trading and there was betting on the photo finish, too. When the market reopens on a photo finish you get big money being traded at small prices as people try to cover their positions, which inflates the figures.'




Source: OnlineCasinoNews