Eight-Year Ban for Jockey Who Rode Under False Name, Bet Against Himself

A jockey who changed his name by deed poll so he could bet on his own races has been banned from the sport for eight years by the racing authority in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Veteran jockey Terry Treichel had been riding in the states of New South Wales and Queensland for many years before moving to the Northern Territory in late 2019. Once there, he changed his name to Daniel Jack Smith, but continued to compete as Treichel while opening multiple betting accounts in his new name.

In March, Smith, 49, was slapped with 32 charges by Thoroughbred Racing Northern Territory (TRNT). There were 29 counts of betting on races he was competing in and two of making false declarations to the racing authority, including falsely declaring his name to be Terry Treichel on the jockey license application form.

‘Never Before Seen’

Sixteen of the betting charges related to bets on his own horse and 11 on other horses in races he was involved in. However, the TRNT investigation found no evidence of corruption in those 11 races in that it was satisfied Smith had not deliberately tried to lose the races to increase his chances of winning bets. It was also satisfied that no other individual had been involved in the deception.

It was determined that Smith placed 174 bets on races he played no part in via his various betting accounts. These bets yielded a profit of more than A$10,000 ($7,077).

Smith pleaded guilty to all 32 charges.

This is a unique set of circumstances not seen before in Australian Racing,” the stewards’ report read. “The covering of a change of identity and subsequent volume of betting whilst licensed as a jockey is unprecedented.”

What’s in a Name?

Treichel was a successful competitor. He finished second in the Northern Territory Jockey Premiership in the 2019 season and had ridden 12 winners in 2020 at the time of his suspension last December.

TRNT stewards began their investigation on December 18 last year after receiving allegations that Smith had placed bets on races at the Alice Springs meeting held on December 6, 2020.

Stewards said in the course of their investigation they analyzed the forensic imaging of mobile phone data, conducted an expanded audit of multiple betting accounts, and extensively reviewed races held in the Northern Territory between July 2019 and December 2020.

“It was apparent that as one of the betting accounts was opened in 2015, there is potential for further investigations to be conducted by Racing NSW and Racing Queensland, since he was a licensed jockey in these two states at the time,” the racing authority said.