Every punter is now subject to the power of race stewards from the moment they step foot on a track and place a wager.

It matters little whether punters bet with the totalisator, bookies, corporates or betting exchanges.

They are all answerable to stewards.

Any unlicensed person - punter or not - who enters a racetrack falls under the jurisdiction of stewards and consequently is bound by the rules of the racing.

That includes providing stewards, should they request, with item such as mobile phones or bank records if it is deemed they will help any inquiry into a racing matter.

Tim McHenry, legal counsel for professional punter Neville Clements, challenged the validity of such jurisdiction at the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.

McHenry said "shock and aghast would be felt by any right-thinking member of the public" that they could be bound by the power of stewards.

Brian Forrest, acting chairman of the RADB, disagreed.

He said stewards had jurisdiction over Clements and, by extension, all punters who may find themselves linked, however tenuously, to an inquiry.

Forrest said Clements was bound by the rules because betting was an integral part of racing and therefore people who are engaged in betting are, in fact, taking part in racing.

Many believed stewards were unable to exercise any power over punters who attend, in ever diminishing numbers, betting rings.

Such a belief is now exposed as myth.

Cliff Pannam, Queen's Counsel appearing for Racing Victoria stewards, said stewards had wielded such power and it had not been questioned for more than 70 years.

Better still, it had been endorsed by no less a judicial power than the Privy Council.

Pannam said a person, where his conduct directly related to the rules, was bound by the rules.

Given the RADB's ruling, Clements has until Friday to comply with the stewards' direction to provide his complete and original phone records for a five-month period.

Clements may not be the only person subject to such scrutiny if the board declares this week that a stewards' demand for the mobile phone of Danny Nikolic is not a gross intrusion of privacy.

And then the racing landscape will be made clear in no uncertain terms for every jockey, trainer and owner.

Interesting times, indeed.