Winston arrested in 'race-fixing' probe
Robert Winston today became the fifth jockey to be arrested as part of the on-going investigation by City Of London Police into alleged race-fixing.
It takes the number of people questioned in connection with the inquiry to 26, including former champion jockey Kieren Fallon.
Winston’s agent Richard Hale confirmed: “It’s Robert. I rang him this morning about something else, and he said the police had been to arrest him.
“Robert stayed somewhere else last night and arrived home to find they had left the arrest warrant. He said he would be back in touch, but I haven’t heard from him yet.”
A City Of London Police spokesman added: “We have arrested an individual in the York area today as part of the on-going investigation into fraud in horseracing.”
Winston, 25, enjoyed his biggest success to date last September when he partnered Magical Romance to win the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.
Sixteen people – including Fallon, fellow jockeys Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams and trainer Karl Burke – were arrested and later bailed last September.
A further six people were arrested and bailed in October – and in December trainer Alan Berry, jockey Paul Bradley and farrier Steve O’Sullivan were added to the list.
Fallon has said he was questioned about his involvement with Miles Rodgers, formerly a director of the Platinum Racing Club syndicate.
Rodgers was warned off for two years by the Jockey Club last March after he was found to have taken money on two of his syndicate’s horses to lose on betting exchange Betfair.
He has since described the Jockey Club ruling as “a travesty” and denies wrongdoing.
During the investigation into alleged race-fixing, more than 130 police officers previously raided 19 addresses across Suffolk, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Hertfordshire.
Police are analysing more than 1,000 exhibits, including 59 phones and several computers.
The inquiry is examining allegations of fixing involving more than 80 races over the last two years.
