Get ready to be called into the stewards' room...Believe it or not, racing authorities are now claiming they have the powers to coerce ordinary punters into revealing details of their betting activities and phone calls. It's true. The argument is that once you bet you come under racing's rules and the stewards hold power over you. Absolute tosh, you might say, but, as the Sunday Age says: 'Thoroughbred racing punters could be subject to the disciplinary powers that govern racing after a ruling y

Get ready to be called into the stewards' room...Believe it or not, racing authorities are now claiming they have the powers to coerce ordinary punters into revealing details of their betting activities and phone calls. It's true. The argument is that once you bet you come under racing's rules and the stewards hold power over you. Absolute tosh, you might say, but, as the Sunday Age says: 'Thoroughbred racing punters could be subject to the disciplinary powers that govern racing after a ruling yesterday by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board. The RAD Board found that although he was not a licenced person such as a jockey or a trainer, professional punter Neville Clements was still bound to comply with a direction of the Racing Victoria Ltd stewards to produce telephone records for inspection.'