The Jockey Club is making its first investigation under new betting rules introduced last year to protect the integrity of racing.
Miles Rodgers, a director of Platinum Racing Club Ltd, is to be charged under the rule that prohibits owners, trainers and stable staff from betting — with a betting association — on their own horses to lose.
The Jockey Club introduced the rule in September 2003 in the light of the popularity of betting exchanges, which opened up a new way of betting on horseracing.
As well as allowing punters to “back” a horse (betting that it will win), betting exchanges also allow punters to “lay” a horse (betting on it to lose). Lay bets on exchanges are placed between individuals, with each person acting as their own bookmaker; the system essentially runs on opposing opinions.
The investigation of Miles Rodgers centres on the runs of Uhoomagoo at Redcar on 28 October and Million Percent at Wolverhampton on 14 November. Both horses ran under the ownership of Platinum Racing Club Ltd.
The matter will come before the disciplinary panel early this year, and could result in Miles Rodgers receiving a ban from horseracing.
