Underbelly exposed

FOR the best part of a decade, the identity of the Moth, Big Boss, Goat and Little Mate was largely hidden from view.

The man known as MasterChef was also equally obscure.

Sounding like characters out of Underbelly, these characters and their activities might have been known only to a select few. But all figure prominently in what has led to potentially “the biggest racing inquiry” in Australian history.

Aquanita Inquiry evidence seen by the Bulletin’s sister paper the Herald Sun paints a disturbing picture of alleged long-term doping, much of it allegedly carried out on city tracks at major meetings under the noses of integrity officers.

Eight people, including three Group 1-winning trainers, have been charged with 271 counts of breaching multiple racing rules relating to illegal race day treatment.

“This will potentially be the biggest racing inquiry I can remember, given the number of charges and number of people involved,” Judge Bowman told the first directions hearing into the Aquanita probe in Melbourne.

He is not exaggerating. The charges stretch from 2010-17 – and the investigation is by no means over.

Racing Victoria stewards claim the case against the trainers and former Aquanita Racing staff revolves around text messages, which allegedly reveal information about race day treatment.

RV’s barrister Jeff Gleeson, SC, put the stewards’ belief succinctly.

“The stewards’ case will be there was a circle of trust among participants, they knew and they knew others did not know,” Gleeson said.

Moth, Big Boss, Goat, Little Mate and MasterChef are not charged under those names but, according to text messages they were in the circle of trust

Stewards believe Robert Smerdon, Stuart Webb, Tony Vasil, Liam Birchley, Trent Penutto, Greg and Denise Nelligan and Danny Garland were part of a sophisticated doping cabal.

Evidence based on text messages appears to show Greg Nelligan, often acting on Smerdon’s instructions, routinely gave horses sodium bicarbonate “top-ups” on a variety of tracks – sometimes only minutes before races.

After avoiding detection for years, despite Racing Victoria’s multi-million annual spend on surveillance and integrity enforcement, Nelligan was finally nabbed at Flemington last spring.

Stewards charged the stablehand and float driver with using a modified syringe to administer a performanceenhancing top-up to Smerdon’s mare Lovani in a horse urinal on October 7.

It’s alleged Nelligan timed his move with precision to coincide with the moment champion mare Winx took to the track for the Turnbull Stakes, believing nobody would be watching.

He was wrong. Under upgraded integrity measures, Turnbull Stakes day marked the first meeting horses had to be on course three hours – not two – before racing.

The change in timing was designed to foil the cheats who illegally drenched horses behind closed stable doors and in trucks before taking them to the track.

Timing is vital to the effectiveness of clandestine tubing.

Industry experts believe the top-ups allegedly used by Nelligan after horses were bloodtested pre-race oncourse – and cleared to run – would have pushed them over the limit, arming them with a significant edge. Then TCO2 levels generally plummet after exercise, rendering postrace tests ineffective

Brisbane-based Birchley has said he will plead not guilty when the Racing Appeals Disciplinary Board begins hearing the case on April 30. No one else has entered a plea.