Walker set to face new charges
The jockey betting scandal deepened yesterday with revelations that David Walker will face a second charge of betting on a rival horse and pulling up his own mount.
Racing Integrity Unit investigators revealed last week they werescrutinising video replays of recent races Walker has ridden in after he was charged with betting against his mount Watch Your Man at Awapuni on August 16 in a head-to-head bet and deliberately not riding his own horse out.
That charge alleges Walker wagered more than $ 500 on race rival St Ransom and that he collected when his mount ran second last, 2.7 lengths behind St Ransom.
His activities were captured on CCTV camera footage.
But in a discovery that will further shock the industry, Walker has now admitted taking an earlier head-tohead bet at Waverley on July 31.
Walker rode the Stacey Dougantrained Lil Mer in the Winter Cup and beat two horses home, collecting from backing rival Sam I Am, who finished seventh, four lengths ahead of him.
RIU operations manager Mike Godber told Fairfax Media that Walker had formally admitted both charges of betting on a horse other than the one he was riding but he will defend the charge of pulling up both horses.
Walker told stipendiary stewards on the day at Awapuni that he had been unable to ride out Watch Your Man because he got cramp in his right hand. Stewards opened an inquiry into the race, concerned at the lack of vigour he showedup the home straight.
It is not known what reason Walker has offered for theride on Lil Mer. If found guilty under rule 801, which involves committing a dishonest and fraudulent act, Walker could be disqualified for any period up to life.
The RIU is continuing to investigate Walker for further breaches in advance of his hearing which has been set down for September 18. Heavy bans have been handed down to the three men involved in New Zealand racing’s first case of EPO, the judicial committee sending a clear message that the blood doping substance has no place in the industry.
Dunedin owner Calvin Fisher, the person the Judicial Control Authority committee blamed as being primarily responsible for the vial of EPO reaching the stable of Ashburton trainer Len Faber, was disqualified for 20 months for an act detrimental to the interests of racing. He was also ordered to pay a total of $ 9000 in costs to the Racing Integrity Unit and JCA.
Faber, who has not renewed his trainer’s licence and is now working outside the racing industry, was disqualified for 12 months with costs of $ 9000.