Up to 300 police carried out raids in Germany and other European countries plus Britain.

Fifteen people have been arrested so far and those in the know are saying that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Many more matches are under scrutiny and betting trends examined.

It’s believed that players, coaches and referees are involved.

Many millions of dollars changed hands and if rumours are only half correct, it’s the greatest sting in history.

Racing people were stunned when Racing Victoria announced late last week that jumping races would be banned at the end of next jump season.

The president of the jumps racing association said legal action would be taken against the Racing Victoria decision. The people pushing for the banning of jumping races probably don’t realise that hundreds of people will be without a job. And almost all the horses that would have become jumpers will now become pet food.

Police investigating Tiger Wood’s accident. Officer 1, “His wife broke the back window of the car with a golf club.”

Officer 2, “Really. How many strokes?”

Another dog sting. This time on a New Zealand race on Unitab. The dog named Albies Lad was an odds on favourite. In NSW it paid $1-80 a win and $1-10 a place.

On UNITAB it paid $1-40 a win but a massive $6-90 a place.

Reports say punters had around $3000 a place on the four roughies that did not run a place thus increasing the place div on the hotpot.

A UNITAB spokesman did not seem to have much sympathy for any corporate bookmakers who bet best tote odds and got caught.

“If a punter wishes to have a bet and his account is in order we accept the bet,” he was quoted as saying.

Liked this story. When Bart Cummings at the New Zealand Sales ignored the pigeon toes of the Alcimedes –Galston colt (Barts comment was, “It didn’t worry Charlie Chaplin“), all the experts ignored the colt and it was knocked down to Bart for 3500 guineas.