Probe starts into all-weather races

Investigations have begun into several races held on all-weather tracks where suspicious betting patterns were reported, the BBC has learned.

"It is believed they are low-grade, small-field races," said the BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght.

"A number of licenced individuals are to be questioned and phone records have been requested."

The British Horseracing Authority probe is not thought to be linked to reports of a separate race-fixing inquiry.

On Saturday, the Sun newspaper reported that the BHA is about to launch an inquiry which centres on five jockeys. Their identities have been not revealed.

The separate development concerns Flat races run during the winter.

"Sources at the BHA have told me they have become increasingly concerned about the propriety of some races staged on Flat racing's winter circuit on the artificial surfaces," said Lysaght.

The BHA has declined to comment publicly on reports of new inquiries into allegations of race-fixing.

Director of comminications Paul Struthers said: "We do have a number of investigations into suspicious betting patterns from races that took place during the winter all weather season just gone.

"However, we have to bear in mind that there are over 9,000 races a year and over 90,000 runners, so it is always likely that at any one time we will have a number of investigations ongoing into suspicious betting patterns."