Turf Club to pay up to five-figure sums for usable information

Confidential hotlines set up to receive information on doping and other issues

The Turf Club is prepared to pay reward money “up to five figures” for information supplied on a hotline established to combat activity which affects racing’s integrity.

Freephone numbers – 1800-855846 in the Republic and 0800-0015114 in the North of Ireland – have been set up as the regulatory body stressed its zero tolerance policy in relation to doping, race-fixing, irregular betting and other issues.

Turf Club chief executive Denis Egan said: "Events in the past year have highlighted the importance of providing a facility for anyone who has information they wish to report in a confidential manner."

Prosecutions

He said there would be rewards for information which led to successful prosecutions for serious offences.

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“It will depend on the quality of information obviously but a reward could stretch up to five figures for something serious that results in a conviction,” Egan said.

The Turf Club was criticised last year after the anabolic steroid controversy which resulted in the disqualification of trainer Philip Fenton from holding a licence for three years.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column