The racing corruption controversy that has already seen jockey Eddie O'Connell banned for four years has escalated dramatically with news that the Turf Club has disqualified three individuals from racing, with Northern Ireland based businessman and owner Robert Martin 'warned off' for ten years.
Martin, from Portrush in Co. Antrim, owned Yachvili, the horse at the centre of the betting scandal at Downpatrick in September 2011, and has been described today as “the architect of the scheme” and “more culpable” than O’Connell, a jockey he used to sponsor.
Along with English based businessman Brian Keown, and Lucy Stanton from Staffordshire, Martin has been found by the Turf Club to be in breach of a number of racing rules club with the sport's regulatory body today confirming the trio engaged in "corrupt or fraudulent practice in relation to racing in Ireland."
Keown has been disqualified for eight years and Stanton for four years. Disqualification means they cannot go racing anywhere in the world if the Turf Club asks for the bans to be reciprocated which they have indicated they will. It also means none of three can own horses while they are banned.
Yachvili was pulled up by O’Connell in a steeplechase at Downpatrick, after which the Betfair online exchange reported concerns to the Turf Club about unusual betting patterns on the horse.
After a lengthy investigation, the Turf Club has released its findings today and has concluded that after phone calls between O’Connell and Martin, Yachvili’s owner contacted Keown, and in turn Stanton used information supplied by Martin to Keown to the effect that Yachvili would not be placed in the Downpatrick race.
She placed a ‘lay’ bet with Betfair of £10,559 sterling to win £2,910 on her Betfair account. The bet was successful.
However due to the unusual size of the bet in comparison to Stanton’s normal activity on her account, the betting firm informed the Turf Club.
At subsequent hearings, recordings of telephone calls with Stanton were replayed. On one occasion Stanton said she bet the disproportionately large sum on the horse because she “knew somebody who lived in Yachvili.” This was noted and dismissed by the Turf Club with evidence that the gelding was named after a French rugby player.
The penalties announced today are the most severe handed out by Irish racing’s regulatory body in modern times. The penalties are open to appeal.
