Racing: Australia threatens British ban

Greg Nichols, the British Horseracing Board chief executive has denounced a threat by the Australian Racing Board to ban British-trained horses from next year's Melbourne and Caulfield Cups and Cox Plate unless the British-based betting exchange, Betfair, is banned from the country.

Greg Nichols, the British Horseracing Board chief executive has denounced a threat by the Australian Racing Board to ban British-trained horses from next year's Melbourne and Caulfield Cups and Cox Plate unless the British-based betting exchange, Betfair, is banned from the country.

The Australians claim exchanges are a threat to the integrity of the sport. Exchanges would also, of course, diminish the amount bet through the state-owned betting system.

"The inference that British racing is rife with corruption is a suggestion I utterly repudiate," Nichols said. "Betting exchanges present opportunities and threats to horseracing, but it is outrageous to impugn British racing's integrity to advance a particular agenda."