Jockey Club's new promise

Informed sources have linked O'Sullivan directly to laying Hillside Girl to lose substantial amounts on the exchanges, though Berry has stood by his friend and continued to use him to shoe horses at his yard near Lancaster.

Meanwhile, the Jockey Club has also announced that Miles Rodgers, the driving force behind the controversial Platinum Racing Club, will also face charges which could see him banned from any involvement from racing for a lengthy period.

Rodgers, who recently resigned because of what he called "a witch hunt," is accused of breaching Rule 247 in that he laid two horses running in Platinum's colours to lose during October and November of this year.

The first charge relates to Uhoomagoo, who never threatened after drifting badly for a handicap at Redcar. The second relates to Million Per Cent, who was equally easy to back when well beaten at Wolverhampton last month.

Officials at Portman Square have been forced to look on in frustration for much of 2003 as the rapid growth of organisations like Betfair has resulted in a series of market drifters running well below expectations after being heavily laid to lose.

However, the signing of a Memo of Understanding with Betfair and Sporting Options just 24 hours after the Hillside Girl affair has finally provided a key to identifying any owners, trainers, or stable staff who have used privileged information in order to lay horses which they know are unfancied.

Rupert Arnold, who acts as chief executive to the National Trainers' Federation, wrote a letter to the Racing Post recently in which he urged reporters not to "tarnish racing with their groundless claims" over exchange drifters.

It seems the Jockey Club doesn't share his view.

And reports continue to suggest that further cases surrounding exchange activity are certain to follow as 2004 progresses.