Hayden Haitana, the trainer at the centre of the infamous Fine Cotton ring-in, may soon be allowed back on a racecourse. The Queensland Sunday Mail exclusively reported today that the Queensland All Codes Racing Industry Board on Friday will consider a recommendation to lift a lifetime ban on Haitana.

The Sunday Mail reports that Haitana, warned off from racetracks for his role in substituting the better-performed Bold Personality for Fine Cotton at Eagle Farm on August 18, 1984, sent an impassioned letter to Racing Queensland stewards last month.

Fine Cotton landed a nationwide plunge when it narrowly won, but the scam – using white paint, peroxide and brown hair dye – was quickly uncovered by stewards who disqualified the horse about 30 minutes after the race.

Six people, including Haitana,  were warned off racetracks for life. Bill and Robbie Waterhouse were embroiled, but had their life ban overturned in 1998.

Haitana, now 68, pleaded with RQ stewards to lift a ban that has prevented him from entering a racecourse for the past 29 years.

The Sunday Mail said Haitana asked stewards to “give a 68-year-old man the chance to walk freely into a racetrack with his grandkids”.

Haitana told the Sunday Mail that he had “done my time – I actually went to jail for it” and now deserved a chance to walk back on to a racetrack.”

The Sunday Mail report said RQ stewards made a favorable recommendation to the Queensland Thoroughbred Racing Board, which in turn made a recommendation to the Queensland All Codes Racing Industry Board.