WHEN racecaller Lucas Sullivan tipped his pacer Harkham to run third in the Gold Coast racebook on September 10, he secretly fancied it much more.
So much more, in fact, he launched a five-figure plunge on it through at least three separate agencies.
It was one of three horses Sullivan owned in the race and Queensland harness racing stewards yesterday found him guilty of manipulating the race to ensure Harkham won.
He was found guilty of seven charges and disqualified from the sport for 13 years after one of the most exhaustive racing inquiries held in Queensland.
Part of the sentence was a 10-year ban for fraudulent conduct and he was also charged with giving false and misleading evidence and, at other times, failing to provide any evidence in what is believed to be the biggest race-related ban handled down by Queensland harness racing stewards in more than two decades.
Sullivan did racebook form and called trials for the Gold Coast and Albion Park clubs, but that work has now ceased.
Stewards also disqualified drivers Jay Bellamy and David Turner for four years for not letting their horses run on their merits. Bellamy drove the Sullivan-owned Perfect Liner and Turner drove Makalong Shadow, whose owner Lisa Hodge was disqualified for six months.
Steward Neil Finnigan described the inquiry as "disturbing" and said it would "seriously tarnish the reputation of the participants and the industry as a whole".
The stewards sensed something abnormal in betting trends when Harkham, who had run last at his previous three starts, was backed from about $14 to $3.60.
After Harkham led, Makalong Shadow sat quietly outside him and Perfect Liner joined the three-wide line.
The fact that neither horse made a move allowed Harkham to slow the race to a jog and be unbeatable in the sprint home.
Stewards said the middle stages of the race were among the slowest run all year for that class of race and the last 400m (28.3sec) the equal quickest as Harkham sped away to win by 12.8m.
Stewards investigated the money trail and found Sullivan also laid the favourite Lamborgindi, which had no chance of making ground on the leader, on Betfair.
The four guilty parties are likely to appeal.
