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Former champion jockey Robbie Fradd pulled back his mount during a race so it would drop from second to third place, the opening day of a race-fixing trial heard yesterday.

The comments came from New Zealander Gavin John Whiterod, who was testifying as an expert witness for the prosecution in the District Court.

Prosecutor Nicholas Adams earlier told the court that Fradd had won money for himself or 'any other person unascertained' in connection with the placing of bets with the Hong Kong Jockey Club on the outcome of the race. The horse finished third.

Fradd, 37, denied one count of cheating at gambling.

He was arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption in February along with 20 others on suspicion of race-fixing.

Mr Whiterod, who said he had 20 years' experience in the racing industry, said that after watching the tape of the January 16 race at Happy Valley, he found Fradd 'prevented his horse Winning Dragon from running to the best of its natural ability'.

He said the South African rider had failed to take advantage of the opportunity 'to move the horse forward to the gap behind the leading horse', adding that the horse should have been able to grab second place. The horse began as an even-money favourite to win the North Island Handicap, the court heard.

'He [Fradd] should have moved up to the gap. I believe he was restraining the horse . . . and [held] it back slightly and he had looked to his right several times,' Mr Whiterod said. 'I believe that he should be able to observe the gap between the leading horse and Winning Dragon . . . He elected not to take the gap and another rider moved forward.'

Mr Whiterod said he believed Fradd had begun pulling back when Winning Dragon was more than two lengths behind the winner. The court heard Fradd's horse finished three and a quarter lengths behind the winning horse, Victory Marble.

But Winning Dragon's trainer, John Size, testified that although he was not satisfied with Fradd's riding that day, he did not criticise him after the race.

Mr Size said he believed that the poor performance of the horse in the race was due to its young age - the horse was only three years old - and its lack of experience. He said it was only Winning Dragon's third start.

The trainer also said the horse had not been up to racing in Class Two of the handicap system and that it had also been unfamiliar with the track condition on that night.

Mr Size said Winning Dragon was categorised in Class Four when it was brought from Australia in July last year. It jumped to Class Two after it won its second race on December 23.

He said he had been satisfied with Fradd's riding of the horse in the previous two races.

The court also heard that on February 6, Fradd again rode Winning Dragon and placed first in the Pacific Ocean Handicap - a Class Three race at Happy Valley.

He was arrested and charged with the offence after the race.

The trial continues before Deputy Judge Colin Mackintosh on Monday.



Fradd pulled back horse, court told