Betting probe...Danny Nikolic's under stewards' gaze in what The Australian is calling a 'betting probe' into a famous Australian racing family. The Oz says: 'It is believed Betfair integrity officers noted unusual betting patterns in certain accounts and notified stewards in Melbourne and Queensland. Betting investigations in Victoria and Queensland have been ramped up after Victorian racing stewards broadened an inquiry into the performance of a horse ridden by leading jockey Danny Nikolic at

Betting probe...Danny Nikolic's under stewards' gaze in what The Australian is calling a 'betting probe' into a famous Australian racing family. The Oz says: 'It is believed Betfair integrity officers noted unusual betting patterns in certain accounts and notified stewards in Melbourne and Queensland. Betting investigations in Victoria and Queensland have been ramped up after Victorian racing stewards broadened an inquiry into the performance of a horse ridden by leading jockey Danny Nikolic at Mornington last month. Chief steward Terry Bailey would not comment but it is believed Racing Victoria's integrity team was looking at as many as four recent Nikolic rides. "In fairness to everyone involved I cannot comment any further than to say Nikolic has been told the Mornington inquiry has broadened," Bailey said. In Queensland, trainer John Nikolic, Danny's brother, yesterday faced stewards again after Baby Boom, a short-priced favourite ridden by jockey John Keating, finished fourth. The stewards report after the race said a post-race veterinary examination of Baby Boom failed to reveal any significant abnormalities. Queensland chief steward Wade Birch confirmed yesterday that unusual trends on betting exchange Betfair drove the initial inquiry.