Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards have issued the following statement regarding betting records relating to Yucatan after he was withdrawn, on Monday 15 October, from the Caulfield Cup:
On Monday, 15 October, shortly after 7pm, Lloyd Williams, part owner of Yucatan, informed media outlets and Racing Victoria that the horse would be withdrawn from the Caulfield Cup. Following this, media outlets first tweeted the news at approximately 7.32pm on the same day.
Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards have since reviewed the betting records relating to Yucatan’s withdrawal from the Caulfield Cup on Monday, 15 October.
Analysis of Betfair betting data showed that there were no abnormal price movements before the media outlets tweeted at 7:32pm. The first time the price moved on Betfair was at approximately 7:33:50pm when a lay offer was struck forcing the price from $6.60 to $9.20. The amounts matched at this price were minimal.
Therefore, Stewards are comfortably satisfied, on the evidence available to them, that nothing untoward occurred on Betfair before the announcement at 7:32pm and no individuals knew and took advantage of news that Yucatan would not be taking its place in the Caulfield Cup prior to this information being made publicly available.