Racing: Police follow trail of bets coup

A GROUP of punters behind a gambling coup on a 33-1 winner were last night facing the prospect of either talking to detectives from their local CID - or not being paid out.

The punters became a target for suspicion soon after Jo N Jack romped home at Lingfield nine days ago leaving a number of bookmakers, particularly in the Bradford area, decidedly less affluent. Estimates of the winnings range from pounds 75,000 to double that.

Minutes after the 2.30 race, the Betting Office Licencees' Association (BOLA) advised its members to withhold payment on all winning bets because of 'unusual betting patterns', centred on West Yorkshire. BOLA allegations were then sent to the Jockey Club who, although finding that no rules of racing had been broken, passed certain information on to the police.

West Yorkshire police have asked local radio stations and newspapers to inform the public of two Bradford CID telephone numbers that Jo N Jack backers should ring. The punters are not exactly in hiding, but late yesterday afternoon, Detective Chief Inspector Raymond Falconer of Bradford CID told the Independent: 'We haven't had a call, not one.'

Both BOLA and the Jockey Club refused yesterday to divulge the nature of the information that has led to the police inquiry. However, it is understood that part of the basis for BOLA's concern is that most of the bets involved in the coup were 'on the nose', and not each-way as may have been expected for such an outsider.

Again, most of the individual bets were for relatively small amounts, pounds 100 a time, up to a maximum of pounds 250, with various bookies. They were placed only moments before the 'off', giving no time for bookmakers to use their common practice of laying off money at the course in order to shrink the odds.

There is, of course, nothing illegal in any of this and it appears punters were merely exploiting the system in a legitimate way. Indeed, there has been no suggestion from BOLA that those who backed losers in the Lingfield 2.30 should have their money returned.

There is concern in racing generally, including among the major bookmakers, that the issue has grown out of proportion and that BOLA's hard line, followed by police involvement, is bringing damaging publicity to the betting industry.

The plot thickened with the revelation that Jo N Jack, an ex-Irish chesnut gelding, was bred by one of the three men involved in the notorious Flockton Grey 'ringer' scandal a decade ago. But the Jockey Club established conclusively this week that last week's Lingfield winner was in fact Jo N Jack and not a more talented substitute.

The Club have also exonerated Roger Ingram, who trains the four-year-old at Epsom, from any rule-breaking. Ingram has consistently expressed astonishment at the controversy and insists he had only pounds 20 on his charge, the same bet he has on all his runners.

DCI Falconer said yesterday: 'I would like the punters involved to contact us. We have an obligation to investigate a complaint and our intention is to find out if a crime has been committed. If some people have received a tip for a horse and made maximum use of the information and organised a betting coup, then that is not a criminal offence and the people involved would then be advised to contact their individual bookmakers.

'But if it is established that this was a criminal enterprise then the matter will be vigorously pursued,' Falconer added. He declined to discuss what kind of criminal offence could be involved.

Tom Kelly, director-general of BOLA, refused to divulge what information it has supplied. David Pipe, spokesman for the Jockey Club, also refused to provide any details and said: 'We passed on to the police some of the information given to us by BOLA. It was information not directly connected with the race. It is BOLA's information, not ours.'

Followers of form may want to know that Jo N Jack comes under orders again today, in the 4.00 at Beverley. But he is unlikely to start at 33-1.