View Full Version : FRADD FIXED RACE???
Thursday, August 8, 2002 ICAC charges jockey Fradd with race-fixing
SUSAN SCHWARTZ
Former champion jockey Robbie Fradd was yesterday charged with race-fixing after he allegedly pulled up his horse to prevent it winning to help an illegal betting operation.
Fradd is due to appear at Eastern Court today to face one count of cheating at gambling after an investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The charges relate to a race at Happy Valley Racecourse on January 16 this year in which Fradd is alleged to have won money for himself or other people by betting on the outcome of the race.
He is accused of preventing his horse, Winning Dragon, from running to the best of its ability, and dishonestly influencing the outcome of the race. Fradd, 37, was arrested in February during the ICAC's operation "Green Grass" in relation to allegations of suspected race-fixing and illegal bookmaking.
The ICAC also arrested jockey John Egan and 19 other suspects, including four jockey club employees - two work riders, a racing registry assistant and a clerk. One of the jockey club employees was arrested inside an alleged illegal bookmaking centre.
Fradd and Egan had their passports confiscated but were later allowed to leave Hong Kong so long as they returned by June 30. Egan has jumped bail.
Fradd came back to Hong Kong after a judge ruled he could visit his native South Africa to ride in the country's biggest race, the Durban July.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club suspended the pair until June 30 to maintain public confidence and protect the integrity of racing and betting in Hong Kong.
The club's director of racing, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, had said it would not rule out an internal inquiry into the race-fixing allegations.
this is a surprise given the attention has been with egan mostly.
[ August 08, 2002, 07:27 PM: Message edited by: Scarper ]
All the talk was Fradd was sweet and Egan was in trouble. Whether both of them are guilty or not it has taken a long time for something to surface from ICAC.
one count of cheating at gambling.
interesting charge -- i wonder if anyone has ever been convicted of same in the past.
fucking idiot journalist -- obviously has no clue what she is writing about ( perhaps that is a requirement for SCMP journalists these days as none of them have any clue ). the editor who maybe invented the headline must be a cretin as well and the newspaper a piece of junk not worth the paper it is printed on.
that said if fradd did not allow the horse to run on its merits i hope he suffers his just desserts. ( even if he escaped with a fine i imagine that would be the end of him in HK -- and the HKJC would have to give him a lengthy suspension worldwide ).
if the charge fails to stick the journalist should be charged with libel or worse.
i dunno but i dont think winning dragon had a chance to win that particular race. i think icac is just throwing anything to make their crackdown operation look decent. maybe that's why egan is so confident of getting away with it...
1 5 VICTORY MARBLE (V275) W. C. Marwing P. F. Yiu 77 131 2.7 4.8 1 1:11.8 3-1-1-1
2 6 VICTORY WARRIOR (A338) S. K. Sit Ng Bik-kuen 75 126 14 7.5 10 1 1:12.0 11-10-10-2
3 11 WINNING DRAGON (B018) R. Fradd John Size 66 120 2.6 2 4 3 1:12.3 2-3-5-3
4 12 HAPPY CHAMP (S226) J. Egan K. W. Lui 62 116 58 37 2 3 1:12.4 6-9-8-4
5 7 COMME D'HABITUDE (A107) D. Whyte D. Oughton 71 125 11 16 9 4 1:12.4 9-7-6-5
5 1 MERRY MERRY (V298) G. Mosse Kan Ping-chee 78 132 15 16 3 4 1:12.4 1-2-3-5
7 2 RARE (S153) O. Doleuze G. Lane 78 132 14 10 5 4 1:12.4 5-4-4-7
8 3 STRONGHEART (T113) Y. T. Cheng J. Moore 78 132 45 56 7 5 1:12.6 10-11-11-8
9 10 VICTORY MASTER (A223) D. Dunn D. Hayes 68 122 31 21 8 6 1:12.8 4-5-2-9
10 4 SUPER CENTURY (V029) F. Coetzee A. S. Cruz 77 131 12 17 6 8 1:13.1 8-8-9-10
11 9 DELIGHTFUL SPECIAL (P147) K. C. Tsang Wong Tang-ping 68 119 31 99 11 11 1:13.5 7-6-7-11
-- 8 PRISTINE (V254) M. W. Leung I. W. Allan 71 118 999 0 21 Withdrawn
Robbie Fradd charged with cheating
The Independent Commission Against Crime (ICAC) has charged jockey Robert Fradd for allegedly cheating at a horse race by preventing his horse to run to its best ability.
Fradd will appear in court today.
The charge alleges that Fradd had won money for himself or for any other person unascertained, in connection with the placing of bets with the Hong Kong Jockey Club on the outcome of a horse race on January 16, 2002, by a false practice.
He had allegedly prevented his horse, Winning Dragon, from running to the best of its natural ability, thus dishonestly influencing the outcome of Race 309 held at the Happy Valley Racecourse.
Fradd was one of the two jockeys arrested this February in an ICAC operation codenamed "Green Grass" in connection with an allegation of suspected horse race rigging and illegal bookmaking activities facilitated by corruption.
He has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance tomorrow.
A Hong Kong Jockey spokesman for the Hong Kong Jockey Club said that it is legally restrained to comment on this matter while a court case is pending.
By: Jo Adams - Thursday, 8 August 2002
i dunno but i dont think winning dragon had a chance to win that particular race. i think icac is just throwing anything to make their crackdown operation look decent.
he won the race prior to that race 309 and also his next 2 races. he was a legitimate $2.00 favourite.
JC comments on running ( 1200hv from barrier 4 ) >
"3-wide on leader's hindquarters, soon taken back to be 3Ls off pace on rail. Remained same in straight without quickening".
it sounds a bit suspect to me and the ICAC are not going to be charging him without any evidence. i would assume he is guilty as charged but that doesn't mean he will be convicted.
Lowans position in running 2, 3, 6, 3 --- over 1200m at HV that 6th is not going to help him win the race.
why did the Stewards not query the ride ???
[ August 10, 2002, 12:01 PM: Message edited by: hobbes ]
Without watching the tape i would imagine this is a tough call >> on the lead and 3 wide or 3 lengths back and on the fence.
looking at the previous races on that day it would be easy to claim you thought the rail was the best place to be. However in the HV sprints most should know that leading is a big advantage.
With the 3rd place finish i would say they have got a tough case to fight and there a many runs that would be worse than this in not giving a horse the best chance.
[ August 10, 2002, 02:43 PM: Message edited by: Scarper ]
cheesebeast
10-08-2002, 23:56
Here's the race from the JC site
Winning Dragon race (http://www.hongkongjockeyclub.com/english/replay/eng_20020116_race07_500.asx)
Hope the link works, Winning Dragon starts from barrier 4, #11.
http://www.hongkongjockeyclub.com/english/racing/Results.asp?RaceDate=16/01/2002&Race No=7 (http://www.hongkongjockeyclub.com/english/racing/Results.asp?RaceDate=16/01/2002&RaceNo=7)
[ August 10, 2002, 07:41 PM: Message edited by: cheesebeast ]
nothing wrong with that ride if you ask me. the fast early pace justified him waiting and coming into the home straight i thought he had every chance but didnt run on.
race 588 was probably worse!
[ August 10, 2002, 06:33 PM: Message edited by: Scarper ]
Ah ICAC face.
They are kidding with the charge - it is a nonsense - but perhaps their idea is that they save face if their having charged him is enough for the HKJC to fail to relicense him in future. Problem gone and 'moral' victory to ICAC.
As for Egan...suggest his game is a long way from played yet. If he continues to refuse to front for court, and thus is breaking a legit law, HKJC has option to make him a disqualified person. Wonder how
accomodating the Jockey Club in UK might be then.
Steppin Short
11-08-2002, 11:15
this is an absolute joke...... Winning Dragon at best on weights and measures should not have finished in the first 5. The ride of Fradd was excellent, never wasted a yard, and took the shortest way home, he did everything to ensure the horse finished in the best position that it was capable of.
CONSIDER.... there was no stewards enquiry into his ride.... the horse was favorite, but coming off 2 wins and up in grade.... it was no good thing..... The race looked ordinary on paper, BUT, the horse that ran second looks an up and comer, the winner had a reasonably soft run, and the rest, well they ran to expectations......
It is a shame that the ICAC are not able to be sued, as Fradd would, in my view, be in a fortunate position to do so.
Racing, under the guidance of the current stewards in HK, and under the handicapper I might add, is probably the most competitive racing centre that I have witnessed.
It seems that it really doesn't matter what I, or the rest of the HK public think of the ICAC enquiry! THEY need to keep FACE in this embarassment, so, the fact is, bring charges against jockeys, embarass them, ruin their future, as long as THEY AT THE ICAC retain FACE.
UTTER BULLSHIT!!!!!!!
Winning Dragon at best on weights and measures should not have finished in the first 5
i think this is a bit off the ball. his next two runs would of had him winning that race. i thought a legitimate 40% chance. i dont think he was out classed in this race more that he just didnt perform to his best on the day despite being given a decent chance.
SS i agree with some of scarper's comments below -- i think he was 50% to win the race.
CONSIDER.... there was no stewards enquiry into his ride.... the horse was favorite, but coming off 2 wins and up in grade.... it was no good thing..... The race looked ordinary on paper.
he was coming off 1 win and up 2 classes. his speed ratings i estimate as follows >>
47, 66, 53²², 85, 95, 55 for his 6 races last season. the 53 does not follow the normal size progression.
i don't have much faith in the capabilities of the ICAC but do you really think they would charge him without some evidence at least.
[ August 11, 2002, 10:34 AM: Message edited by: hobbes ]
It seems that it really doesn't matter what I, or the rest of the HK public think of the ICAC enquiry! THEY need to keep FACE in this embarassment, so, the fact is, bring charges against jockeys, embarass them, ruin their future, as long as THEY AT THE ICAC retain FACE.
Which would cause the ICAC to lose more face: by not charging Fradd or by charging him with scant evidence and thus lose the case?
I take Masun's point that losing the case - if indeed the case is lost (I hold a particularly Machiavellian view of ICAC-type machinations, esp in Asian cultures) - may not gain them much face, but consider another possible scenario:
Fradd charged, deal is done to drop the case if Fradd does not reapply in HK.
Agree with Hobbes that it cannot be as simple as charging him with something and nothing further to it - on face value impossible to convict. However, seems odd to me that, having been charged with something which could lead to jail if found guilty, Fradd has been allowed to go on very light bail and permitted to travel freely.
I guess it gets a bit far-fetched to say it, but could even let Fradd leave HK then privately agree he does not return and they don't pursue him...case finishes in limbo, ICAC powerless, Fradd never found guilty...You're right - I have been reading or sniffing glue too much...
Worth noting that ICAC attempted to enravel J Size into this Winning Dragon crap. Turned the stables upside down and interviewed everyone in the yard to see what went on with WD in lead-up to his defeat. ICAC morons targetted the only beaten odds-on chance they could find.
Fradd charged, deal is done to drop the case if Fradd does not reapply in HK.
once charged i doubt they would do any deal to drop case unless Fradd could turn in some bigger fish. no matter what, i think Fradd's future in HK is bleak so he would probably be wasting his efforts in applying again and no need to do a deal re same. i don't imagine the JC has any problems with rejecting applications.
once charged i doubt they would do any deal to drop case unless Fradd could turn in some bigger fish
The curious thing is Fradd, unlike Egan, did in fact return to HK to face the charges. So we have to surmise that, in Fradd's opinion, whatever crime he had ever committed would be relatively minor and not involve any prison term. Morever, if there were any bigger fish, I'd think they would have used whatever means necessary to persuade him not to return.
Be fascinated to see Hong Kong's legal system at work. Impossible to convict Fradd on the ride and they will need to prove intent, given the nature of the charge.
Like anyone else, I can't see why ICAC would charge him and, by losing the case, look even sillier than they already do.
Impossible to convict Fradd on the ride and they will need to prove intent, given the nature of the charge.
tis inconceivable they would lay the charge based on the ride --- i doubt that would even be relevent in court especially as JC did not query ride. they must have evidence he received a financial gain.
And yet - declined to name any other party. If the ICAC is serious - and it appears to be! - then it should be seeking both ends of the equation and yet the charge virtually concedes the other end of it is unknown.
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