Just what the game doesn't need...The ABC reports that police are investigating a string of top Australian horse racing figures, including jockey Danny Nikolic, for alleged race fixing, in what is shaping up as the biggest corruption scandal to hit the sport in decades. It says: 'In a joint investigation with The Age, the ABC's Four Corners program can reveal Nikolic, at least one other leading jockey, a former trainer and several other well-known racing identities across Australia are under inv

Just what the game doesn't need...The ABC reports that police are investigating a string of top Australian horse racing figures, including jockey Danny Nikolic, for alleged race fixing, in what is shaping up as the biggest corruption scandal to hit the sport in decades. It says: 'In a joint investigation with The Age, the ABC's Four Corners program can reveal Nikolic, at least one other leading jockey, a former trainer and several other well-known racing identities across Australia are under investigation by Victorian organised crime detectives for allegedly conspiring to fix the outcome of a race last year. Detective Superintendent Gerard Ryan confirmed that police are investigating race fixing in Victoria involving a horse called Smoking Aces in 2011. The suspected race fix was uncovered during the murder probe into former trainer Les Samba's murder, and is understood to have yielded participants a total of up to $200,000 in betting returns.

The Age reports: 'Racing figures suspected of involvement in the Smoking Aces affair are believed to have arranged for two jockeys to ride in a fashion that would reduce the race favorite's chances of winning and boost Smoking Aces' chances of success. So serious is the alleged racing corruption that Victoria Police have moved the Samba probe to the Purana organised crime taskforce.'

The Grp 1 German Preis der Diana was won overnight by Lomitas filly Salomina, a recent purchase for high profile Aussie thoroughbred investors Luke Murrell and Jamie Lovett of Australian Bloodstock. Bred by Gestut Bona and prepared by Peter Schiergan, who also puts the polish on last year's superstar Lomitas filly Danedream (winner of the Arc), Salomina raced in the colours of her breeder for the last time and won the mile and three furlong classic by three and a half lengths from her stablemate Nymphea, a daughter of Dylan Thomas. (www.breednet.com.au)