Bet Exchange News - March 2004

Quotes of the month

As I made clear at the time, on Attheraces from Lingfield, Ballinger Ridge had been given the most spectacularly inept ride imaginable. I called for Fallon to be banned for six months for deliberately easing down a horse and losing a race he should have won. Because of the severity of that penalty, jockeys in future simply wouldn't dare do it, whatever the motive.

If ever widespread corruption in racing is proved, whoever is involved, lifetime bans are the only effective deterrent to reassure the public, whose belief in the integrity of racing can never have been lower.

Racing Plaudit John McCririck gives his view on the Fallon incident

WHAT!!!!?? Is THAT what all the fuss is about? That wasn't a fix. It wasn't even a clear_cut dropped hands. Maybe Kieren is a naughty boy in other respects, but this is an absolute fuss about nothing. Anyone who says otherwise is either a fool or a fraud.

Paul Haig from the Racing Post stands presents the alternative view of the Fallon incident.

I don't believe that Fallon pulled Ballinger Ridge. I think he rode a particularly good race, then cocked it up. Unfortunately for racing's reputation, in some respects already not very good, and for Fallon's, ditto, the overwhelming majority of the public don't think anything of the sort. They are convinced that the race, like racing, was bent.

David Ashforth speaking in the Racing Post.

..in most other countries, a jockey who lost a race like that would probably be in fear of his life! Easing down on a horse that was 8l clear and getting caught would be unthinkable in just about any other country. Aussie punters would be calling for a life ban, while in places like India and Kenya there would be a severe risk of the stands being burned down!

Dave Nevison writing in Racing & Football Outlook talks about Keiren Fallon making top billing on Australian Sports Channel.

It looks appalling, the worst case I have ever seen.

The reaction of commentator Sean Boyce as Fox parts company with Ice saint.

Betfair is a fact of racing life, but it should be an aid to punters, a regulatory check for the authorities, not a fever that ends all rational racing talk. Bookmakers sneering at the exchanges should look in the mirror and ask themselves how often they used to open up the books in the past.

Brough Scott, Editorial Director of the Racing Post adds his contribution to the debate.

There is a lot of uninformed opinion about the role of exchanges and a lot of cynical comment from people like the BHB who have a vested interest. It is very clear at the moment that the BHB is in bed with the big bookmakers and wants to drive the exchanges out of business.

Comment from Ian Davies of backandlay.com

If the sport needed further indication of the cancer it has embraced since the advent of betting exchanges, it came yesterday when a trainer was accused of getting his horse beaten for a bet.

Strong words from Alan Lee, Racing Correspondent in the Times referring to the Hillside Girl case. No mention was given to the Memorandum of Understanding which made repeats of this incident far less likely.

The Guardian headline just yesterday suggested that the furore could spell the end of betting exchanges - seemed strange, I'd have thought the outcome would be that exchanges will cause the end of cheating jockeys!!!

A quote from a man on the street. My friend Richard Exworthy has only a passing interest in betting exchanges, but I thought this incisive view summed up the situation very well