No claim of Fallon receiving money

THERE was no evidence that Kieren Fallon ever received money or benefit from businessman Miles Rodgers or anyone else connected with a betting conspiracy that has seen the Irish jockey charged with throwing races.

But it was the prosecution case that he held himself accountable for losses that cost the conspirators about half a million pounds, Jonathan Caplan QC, prosecuting, said.

“He would have to earn that money back for the conspirators by stopping horses before he would receive any benefit himself. The inference to be drawn is that he was clearly involved for reward,” said Mr Caplan.

Rodgers was betting up to £100,000 (€145,000) knowing that the jockey “was prepared to cheat by using tactics on course to stop the horse if it was likely to win”, said Mr Caplan.

“The plan was not foolproof because you could not always stop the horse if... it would look too obvious.

“A horse race is a dynamic event and anything can happen. But the plan worked most of the time.”

Mr Caplan said the case was based partly on bugged conversations from Rodgers’s Mercedes car and the car park of his Italian restaurant, with Fergal Lynch, Philip Sherkle and others.

At one point, Rodgers is recorded saying: “He has left us all in the s**t. We are all f****d.”

There were also text messages on mobile phones and a pattern of phone calls and betting via the online betting exchange, Betfair.

The court also heard that at the end of his three-month winning spell, Rodgers agreed to alter his way of working with Fallon — identifying horses he could stop in handicap races.

Rodgers also replaced Fallon’s intermediary from his friend Shaun Lynch to barman Sherkle, it was claimed.

Fergal Lynch was said to have ridden in six of the races, winning only once and making a profit of £5,000 for the syndicate.

Another jockey, Darren Williams, rode in four, losing each time and making the group £55,000, the court was told.

Whereas Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams contacted Rodgers directly, Fallon had used others, said Mr Caplan.

“The prosecution say that the jockeys were confirming in these pre-race calls that the horse would be stopped,” according to Mr Caplan.

Fallon, who rode Dylan Thomas to victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France at the weekend, stood in the dock with the other accused to hear the charges read to the jury.

It alleged they were involved in a conspiracy with others between December 2002 and September 2004 to defraud Betfair customers and other punters.

Fallon, 42, formerly of Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, but now of Tipperary; Fergal Lynch, 29, of Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, and Darren Williams, 29, of Leyburn, North Yorkshire, deny the charges.

Shaun Lynch, 37, of Belfast, former racing syndicate director Miles Rodgers, 38, of Silkstone, South Yorkshire, and Philip Sherkle, 42, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, also plead not guilty.

Rodgers also denies concealing the proceeds of crime. All the defendants are on bail.

Mr Caplan said of Fallon: “He has been champion jockey in this country on six occasions. There can be no question that he is regarded as being one of the leading jockeys in the world.”

The trial was adjourned to today.