As the Melbourne Cup carnival enters its third day, the racing industry is "about to be rocked" by the findings of a doping investigation conducted by Racing Victoria stewards, according to Brendan Cormick of THE AUSTRALIAN. Charges could be laid as early as Friday, with stewards "exposing the alleged use of coded text messages to alert punters when to bet on doped horses." A "far-reaching" investigation involves several stables and senior training figures as well as racing administrators. It is understood that interstate figures are "also being questioned by integrity officers." Several mobile phones have been seized by Racing Victoria stewards for forensic examination in the past month. Trainers from metropolitan, country and interstate stables, their staff and some owners have "had to comply with the investigation as part of their licensing agreement." It is understood one figure in a "position of prominence" will be required to stand aside. Racing Victoria stewards are "tight-lipped" as the matter is "currently an investigation being held in-camera." Racing Victoria Chief Steward Terry Bailey would not confirm whether the current investigation had "spread into other stables" but said that stewards still have a "number of interviews of licensed persons" to conduct before making any further comment (THE AUSTRALIAN, 11/9).
