From Racing Post: Ahern among six facing BHA corruption charges By Graham Green 12:19PM 19 DEC 2012 EDDIE AHERN can expect to be warned off if found guilty after being charged following the BHA's latest corruption investigation. Former professional footballer Neil Clement, James Clutterbuck, the son of Newmarket trainer, Ken Clutterbuck, and former jockeys' agent and in-running punter, Martin Raymond are among five other people also facing charges. Ahern, who has ridden 1,020 winners in the UK since 1998, was forced to abandon plans to ride in India this winter after the Bangalore Turf Club contacted the BHA as a prelude to processing his licence application, and was alerted he was likely to be charged with a serious offence. Clement made 300 appearances for West Bromwich Albion, including four seasons in the Premiership, but was forced to retire in January 2010 due to a knee injury. Ahern is accused of conspiring with Clement and/or other persons to commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice over the laying of five horses he rode between September 2010 and February 2011. In one of the races, Ahern is also charged with intentionally failing to ensure Judgethemoment was ridden on its merits at Lingfield on January 21, 2011. The sixth race in the case concerned the laying of the Adam Kirby-ridden Stoneacre Gareth at Lingfield on March 9, 2011, although in this instance there is no suggestion the jockey or trainer, Ken Clutterbuck, were involved in any wrongdoing. The disciplinary inquiry is set for April 29 to May 3 next year, although this could be subject to change.
Interesting stuff PN. I've often wondered about how straight racing really is, I think in Oz, it most likely stinks, but that's a personal judgement. My problem with those who believe that the sport, for the main part, is clean, is that it seems to go against what's happening in the world outside racing. Theft in US retail is said to exceed ten billion dollars per year, which forces retailers to tack on about 1.7% to the prices of goods, just to stay even. We've all seen someone knowingly accept more change than they deserve, rip off a bit of unprotected kit or keep something of value that they've found. There just seems to too many people in the world who'll readily jump at the chance of an easy dollar. For mine, it defies logic to believe that these people mentioned in the article make up the sum total of crimes committed in racing. Sure, racing abounds with honest people, but scattered among them are are a multitude of grubs. Rant over.
This comes as no surprise to me having seen some of the 'trouble in running' this guy finds on a regular basis.
