Former Platinum Racing Club director Miles Rodgers was disqualified from British racing for two years by the Jockey Club today.
In the first case of its kind, he was found guilty by the disciplinary panel of laying his own horse to lose with a betting organisation.
The hearing followed a Jockey Club investigation into the runs of Uhoomagoo at Redcar on October 28th, 2003 and Million Percent at Wolverhampton on November 14th.
Both horses ran under the ownership of Platinum Racing Club Ltd. Both horses were well beaten, the 9-1 shot Uhoomagoo finishing 12th of 16 in the Marske Handicap and 6-1 Million Percent running eighth of nine in the Bet Direct No Q Handicap.
The investigation was the first under Rule 247, which came into force in September and prohibits owners, trainers and stable staff from laying their own horses to lose.
The panel considered evidence from Rodgers, who was legally represented, and David O'Reilly, legal counsel for betting exchange company Betfair. They also considered other evidence, including recordings of telephone conversations between Betfair and Rodgers.
The panel found Rodgers to be in breach of Rule 247 (iii) in that, as an owner, he either had laid Uhoomagoo and Million Percent to lose their respective races or had instructed others to do so on his behalf.
Rodgers was declared a disqualified person from April 2nd 2004 until April 1st 2006.
The investigation was conducted with the assistance of Betfair through their Memorandum of Understanding with the Jockey Club, which has been in place since last June.
After the hearing Jockey Club public relations director John Maxse said: "This was an important case for the Jockey Club and sets a benchmark for the future.
"It demonstrates that our security department is equipped to investigate such breaches of the rules and produce evidence that merits a severe penalty.
Rodgers, 35, said the outcome was a "travesty" and that he would be considering an appeal. He said: "I've not done anything wrong with my horses. It was a preconceived result today. It's been a witch hunt and there had to be a scapegoat.
"A lot of people think the only way you can be successful in racing is through cheating and skulduggery. I've done neither of those.
"We've rejected every point that the Jockey Club put forward. We've proved that I didn't lay my own horses, but still I've been found guilty."
He said he had resigned as a director of Platinum Racing Club three weeks ago and would not be owning any more horses after his disqualification ends.
"But he added he would continue to operate his "network of tipping organisations".