THE family of former Bathurst trainer/driver Amanda Turnbull defended her integrity on Monday afternoon, saying the allegations she is involved in race fixing that surfaced earlier this week are nothing but rumours.
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Amanda, the daughter of Inter Dominion-winning trainer and harness racing legend Steve Turnbull and one of the leading female harness drivers in NSW at the moment, was one of four people arrested by Victorian police for questioning on Sunday night.
Following Melton’s Breeders Crown, one of the biggest harness meets in Australia, on Sunday night, detectives from the Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit (SIIU) arrested Amanda, along with her boyfriend Nathan Jack and two other people, for questioning.
No charges were laid and all four were later released pending further investigation.
In a statement released by Harness Racing Victoria, the organisation said in June 2015 Harness Racing Victoria’s (HRV) Integrity Department initiated an investigation into matters relating to the conduct of a race at Cobram on 22 June, 2015 particularly with respect to the training arrangements and associated betting activity surrounding the relevant race.
The extensive investigation conducted by the HRV Integrity Department resulted in it referring the matter to the Victoria Police Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit in November, 2015, for further investigation.
The inquiry has been examining whether the small number of harness racing industry identities have engaged in 'cheating in sport' offences.
They include manipulating a race to affect a betting outcome.
Anyone that is found to have breached the laws can face serious penalties, including jail terms and large fines.
Amanda’s father, Steve, said his daughter is an ‘innocent victim’ and said she didn’t attend the meeting in question.
“We are all devastated,” he said on Monday.
“She is an innocent victim in the whole show.
“She is so upset, she didn’t even go to the meeting [where the alleged race fixing occurred] and wasn’t down as the trainer.
“She is really stressed to think these allegations have come against her name, all they are at the moment are rumours.
“She was questioned on Sunday night and released without charge, anything else [being said] is just rumour.
“It’s a bad time for all of us, she is very shaken over the whole incident.”
It is the second time in as many years Victoria Police has uncovered alleged race fixing in the harness racing industry.