A New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing handicapper has been suspended and charged for breaches of betting rules. Dennis Quirke was relieved of his duties when the betting activity was identified by the Racing Integrity Unit last Thursday.
The RIU charges involve 14 bets, totalling $NZ627, placed by Quirke on five New Zealand thoroughbred races, over three separate days, between August 8 and October 26 this year.
The largest individual bet was a $NZ55 fixed-odds win bet on the favourite in a set weight maiden race.
NZTR Chairman, Dr Alan Jackson told NZ Racing Desk the authority had a zero tolerance approach to such matters.
“The integrity of thoroughbred racing is of the utmost importance to NZTR and we must have a zero tolerance to matters of this nature,” Jackson said.
“While deeply disappointed with Mr Quirke’s actions, we are confident that the integrity of the handicapping process remains intact,”
NZTR has conducted an independent review of all horses in the five races on which Quirke placed a bet by Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter.
Carpenter confirmed all pre-race and post-race ratings were in accordance with the parameters of the NZTR handicapping guidelines.
racent.com.au
