Race-fixing case not cold, says Bowron

Either racing is in for a battering in the courts or the police are going to be left with egg on their faces.

Those are the twin options for 2005 after the City of London police broke its silence over a five-month probe into alleged race-fixing, and the man leading a 25-strong team has admitted that April is the time to put up or shut up as regards whether Kieren Fallon and several other jockeys will face criminal charges.

Assistant commissioner Mike Bowron, speaking in today's Times, argued that an investigation which has already yielded 25 arrests is taking so long because of "sheer weight of evidence."

He added: "This case has not gone cold. We're taking it very seriously and we want to get it right. Don't be surprised if there are more arrests."

Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams remain on bail with Fallon along with trainers Karl Burke and Alan Berry. Bowron added: "We're using computer backup more usually found in murder cases and have logged 4,000 exhibits It is an enormous investigation."

Fallon's solicitor Christopher Stewart-Moore responded to the police bulletin by reiterating that his client wants to resolve the matter as soon as possible.