BRITAIN:Six-times champion jockey Kieren Fallon will swap his saddle for a seat in the Old Bailey dock tomorrow as he goes on trial with five others, including two fellow jockeys, for allegedly fixing race results between December 2002 and September 2004.
The frequently controversial flat racing champion, hailed as one of the greatest riders of his generation, denies the charges, as do his co-defendants.
Earlier this year Mr Fallon made an unsuccessful application to the High Court in London to have the indictments against him thrown out for lack of evidence.
The judge, Sir Justice Thayne John Forbes, presided over the trial of Britain's most prolific serial killer, Harold Shipman.
Waiting for the trial has brought with it a considerable financial penalty for both Mr Fallon and his Irish backers in lost potential winnings as he has been barred by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority (HRA) from competing for lucrative purses in the UK. Mr Fallon has been competing in races in France and Ireland and has committed himself to competing in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamps on October 7th, which marks the end of the flat racing season. Unless the judge varies his bail, he should be free to take part and ride one of the favourites as planned.
Mr Fallon (42), from Co Clare and with a UK address at Cowlinge, Newmarket, Suffolk, is accused of conspiring with his co-defendants to defraud the online bookmakers Betfair and its customers by interfering with the running of horses to ensure they lost. His co-accused are fellow jockeys Fergal Lynch (29), Boroughbridge, north Yorkshire and Darren Williams (29), Leyburn, north Yorkshire; former racing syndicate director Miles Rodgers (38), Silkstone, south Yorkshire; barman Philip Sherkle (42), Tamworth, Staffordshire; and Shaun Lynch (37), Belfast, brother of Fergal.
All are accused that between December 1st, 2002, and September 2nd, 2004, they "conspired together, and with persons unknown, to defraud account holders of Betfair, or those persons who placed bets with bookmakers or on the Tote, by dishonestly (a) agreeing not to permit diverse horses ridden by Lynch, Fallon or Williams to run on their merits in that riding practices would, if necessary, be used which would interfere with the running of those horses and thereby affect the results of the races, and then (b) laying those horses to lose on the exchange provided by Betfair". This means they are accused of stopping or slowing horses to order. Mr Rodgers is also accused of laundering the proceeds.
The trial, which is expected to last at least four months, follows the high-profile arrest of Mr Fallon and others in July last year.