Aussie high stakes punter disqualified from betting

[dave nz]

THE ability of Steve Fletcher, regarded as one of Australia's biggest punters, to turn over $500,000 on thoroughbreds of a Saturday is set to end. So is ploughing six-figure sums into thoroughbred racing through the week.

Racing Queensland stewards yesterday disqualified the professional punter for 12 months, meaning he is unable to set foot on a racecourse, a licensed premise, or place bets on thoroughbred racing.

Stewards found Fletcher, who several years back pulled off the Gold Coast greyhound sting worth a reported $1 million with Eddie Hayson, was found guilty of being a party to jockey Bobby El-Issa failing to give Bold Glance every chance of winning at Eagle Farm on February 26.

Fletcher was found to have laid Bold Glance to lose on Betfair while he backed the winner Essington. It emerged at the inquiry that Fletcher's top 10 bets to lose on Queensland racing all featured El-Issa and each wager netted the punter a return on his investment.

Stewards found that El-Issa and Fletcher were in regular contact by text message.

At a separate inquiry El-Issa was disqualified for two years for not allowing Bold Glance - which finished second - to win, with the sentence now under appeal.

Fletcher is rarely seen on track, preferring to bet from off-course.

RQ chief steward Wade Birch confirmed the Australian Rules of Racing prevent wagering operators from accepting bets from a disqualified person.

''We will be sending letters to all state and territory racing authorities informing them of the disqualification,'' he said yesterday.

''We will also be in contact with all TABs, on-course Bookmakers, corporate bookies and betting exchanges notifying them of our findings.''

Fletcher has 14 days to lodge an appeal with Queensland's Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

■Warwick Farm trainer Guy Walter has removed the blinkers from Sandberg, which will join stablemate Hollywell in today's Provincial Stayers Final at Hawkesbury.

Sandberg carried 60.5 kilograms to win over 2000 metres at Canberra three starts and goes into today's 2250 metres having finished eighth behind Once Were Wild in the Chairman's Handicap at Randwick three weeks ago.

''He has been running reasonable races in much stronger company,'' Walter said of Sandberg.

Hollywell is owned by Walter's long-time client Ann Raymond of Sledmere Stud in the Hunter Valley.

''She raced without luck at Kembla Grange last start and should have won,'' Walter said.