Two long-serving Australian Turf Club officials have been disqualified for betting offences and damaging the image of racing.
Racing clerk Shaun Lyall and betting services manager Murray Conallin both pleaded guilty to the charges and were outed for two years and 18 months respectively.
The charges arose following a request by Racing NSW stewards to wagering operators for information on NSW thoroughbred racing through betting accounts pertaining to NSW jockeys, apprentice jockeys and racing officials.
Lyall and Conallin, who have both worked at the club for eight years, were found to have placed bets on races when they were working on race days in an official capacity.
Over a 12 month period, Lyall was found to have placed 291 bets on races on which he officiated during the course of his duties as a judge, assistant to the judge or as an assistant to the clerk of scales.
In Conallin’s case, he was found to have made or shared in 71 bets over 20 months when he was officiating as a judge or assistant to the judge.
Stewards re-visited all photo finishes of ATC races on which the pair officiated and in which they had a monetary interest, and were satisfied as to the accuracy of the judges’ decisions.
In arriving at the penalties, stewards also took into account the remorse shown by both men.
Lyall’s indication he would seek professional counselling was also considered when stewards assessed his penalty.
They also took into account Conallin’s action in contacting them two days after Lyall had been stood down and that his betting activity had been on a lesser scale.
The pair’s separate bans for the betting and conduct offences will be served concurrently.
They have 48 hours to appeal the decisions.
