Police to investigate 1980 Cup running
NZPA-AAP Melbourne The Victoria police C. 1.8. racing squad is investigating the running of the 1980 Melbourne Cup. A police spokesman said the investigation followed a letter received, from the Victoria Racing Club (V.R.C.) last month in which the club expressed concern over an article in a Sydney Sunday newspaper alleging race-fixing. The spokesman said that no other details about the investigation would be released at this stage. The 1980 Cup was won by Beldale Ball, trained by Colin Hayes and ridden by a South Australian jockey, John Letts. In spite of the police inquiry, the assistant secretary of the V.R.C. and racing manager, Mr Rodney Johnson, said in Melbourne yesterday the V.R.C. knew of no evidence supporting allegations of malpractice in the running of the 1980 Cup. Mr Johnson said the allegations stemmed from what he called “a mischievous article" in the Sydney "SunHerald” of September 9 in
which the former head of the Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence, Mr Fred Silvester, was reportedly quoted. Mr Johnson said the secretary of the V.R.C., Mr Murray Cox and the chairman of stewards of the V.R.C., Mr Pat Lalor, contacted the assistant commissioner of the Victoria police (crime), Mr Paul Delianis, and found out that the 1980 Melbourne Cup was involved in the allegations. “The (V.R.C.) stewards looked at the film of the race and the reports of the day and could not see anything to substantiate any claims of malpractice,” Mr Johnson said. He said the VRC did not seek to have the police racing squad investigate the matter.
Mr Johnson said that he supposed Mr Delianis may have had information which he believed should be investigated by the squad?. But he said the V.R.C. had no evidence to support assertions that the 1980 Cup was not properly run. Mr Johnson said it was unfortunate the allegations had received the publicity
they had as they may be the result of “idle racecourse chat”. Beldale Ball, starting at 11-1, beat the New Zealander, My Blue Denim (16-1), by one and a half lengths, with Love Bandit (33-1) two lengths away third.
Hypemo, trained by Bart Cummings, started 3-1 favourite and finished seventh.
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Press, 24 October 1984, Page 37
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367Police to investigate 1980 Cup running Press, 24 October 1984, Page 37
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