RV Stewards' Report - Ben Melham and Karlie Dales

Stewards' Report - Ben Melham

Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards have issued seven charges against licensed jockey Ben Melham following an investigation into betting activity between March 2019 and September 2019 that the Stewards allege was in breach of Mr Melham’s obligations under the Rules of Racing.   Mr Melham has also been charged with providing false and/or misleading evidence during an interview in September 2019.

Mr Melham has been charged with breaching Australian Rules of Racing 115(1)(c), 115(1)(e) and 232(i).

AR 115(1)(c) states:

AR 115 (1) A jockey or apprentice jockey must not:

(c) bet, or have any interest in a bet, or facilitate a bet, on any race;

AR 115(1)(e) states:

AR 115 (1) A jockey or apprentice jockey must not:                                         

(e) bet, or have an interest in a bet, on any race or contingency relating to thoroughbred racing involving a race in which he or she is riding;

AR 232(i) states:

AR 232 A person must not:

(i) give any evidence at an interview, investigation, inquiry, hearing and/or appeal which is false or misleading.

Please find below a summary of the charges issued against Mr Melham:

Charge One:

In contravention of AR 115(1)(c), on 27 March 2019, through his partner Karlie Dales’ betting account, Mr Melham placed a $500 win bet on the thoroughbred horse Venezuela racing in race 7 at Sandown that day. Venezuela ran unplaced and Mr Melham was not riding at the time. 

Charge Two:

In contravention of AR 115(1)(c), on 30 March 2019, Mr Melham facilitated and/or had an interest in the making of, 20 bets totalling $14,600 on thoroughbred horse races between approximately 1:18pm and 5:36pm on 30 March 2019, as a result of him initially placing $3000 cash into Ms Dales’ betting account at a Hotel at approximately 11:42am that day. Mr Melham was not riding at the time.

Charge Three:

In contravention of AR 115(1)(c), on 19 May 2019, through Ms Dales’ betting account, Mr Melham placed a two-legged multi bet to the value of $2,500, one leg of which included the thoroughbred horse Amazingly, which ran in Race 8 at the Sunshine Coast that day. The other leg of the bet was not a thoroughbred horse race and Mr Melham did not ride at the Sunshine Coast that day.   

Charge Four:

In contravention of AR 115(1)(e), on 23 July 2019, through Ms Dales’ betting account, Mr Melham placed bets to the value of $1,850 on thoroughbred horses Heirborn, Al Dorama and/or Shot of Irish, all of which were running the next day at Sandown in races 2, 6 and 8 respectively, and to be ridden by Mr Melham.

On 24 July 2019, Mr Melham rode Al Dorama and Shot of Irish at Sandown in races 6 and 8 respectively.  Heirborn was scratched that morning.

Charge Five:

In contravention of AR 115(1)(c), on 18 August  2019, Mr Melham made, facilitated and/or had an interest in the making of, 5 bets totalling $2114 on thoroughbred horse racing in Singapore, when he attended a Hotel and supplied cash to someone who placed those bets. Mr Melham did not ride in Singapore at the time.

Charge Six:

In contravention of AR 115(1)(c), on or prior to 1 September 2019, through an associate, Mr Melham facilitated bets for Ms Dales on Orleans Rock which ran in Race 9 at Geelong that day.

Orleans Rock won the race and was ridden by Mr Melham.

Charge Seven:

Contrary to AR 232(i), evidence given by Mr Melham at a 3 September 2019 interview about placing cash into Ms Dales’ betting account was false and/or misleading.

The above charges will be heard by the Victorian Racing Tribunal on a date to be fixed.

ENDS

 
Stewards' Report - Karlie Dales

Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards have issued one charge against registered owner Karlie Dales in relation to evidence she provided during an investigation into betting activity on her betting account that the Stewards allege was in contravention of licensed jockey Ben Melham’s obligations under the Rules of Racing.

Ms Dales has been charged with breaching Australian Rule of Racing 232(i) which states:

AR 232 A person must not:

(i) give any evidence at an interview, investigation, inquiry, hearing and/or appeal which is false or misleading.

The charge relates to an interview on 3 September 2019, when Ms Dales told Racing Victoria Stewards that only she deposited money into her betting account.

The Stewards allege that that evidence was false and/or misleading.

The above charge will be heard by the Victorian Racing Tribunal on a date to be fixed.