Racing Victoria stewards will today present their case against two Gold Coast punters caught up in the Danny Nikolic probe. But Alessandro Alaimo and Kevin McFarland, whose betting activity - and, in Alaimo's case, a family friendship - linked them to the Nikolic probe, will not attend the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board hearing. Alaimo lashed out at Racing Victoria stewards for pursuing him and McFarland. He said stewards were trying to claim a "victim" after the "embarrassing" and "vindictive" pursuit of Nikolic during a six-month investigation. Last month the board cleared Nikolic of four charges of bringing the industry into disrepute, but fined him for using abusive and insulting language to stewards and for leaving the jockeys' room without the permission of stewards. Nikolic subsequently asked Sal Perna, the Racing Integrity Commissioner, to investigate several aspects of the RVL stewards' investigation. "I've got no intention of going," Alaimo said. "I'm not a participant, I don't own horses, I don't train horses. I just have a bet. "I don't have anything to do with Dan. I know his dad. "I don't know (professional punter) Neville Clements. I've never met him." Alaimo, a long-time friend of Nikolic's father, John, said he did not appreciate the fact someone had "jumped his fence" in a bid to present him with RVL documents demanding he attend the board hearing. He said he told them in no uncertain terms to vacate his property. RVL stewards requested Alaimo provide them with complete records of his phone account. He declined. Clements, a former bookmaker and commission agent, was warned off racetracks in Victoria for failing to provide stewards with a complete set of phone records for a five-month period from last September to February.
He has appealed against the decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. A decision is scheduled on October 4. RVL stewards questioned Clements over his betting transactions on Betfair where he placed successful lay bets on some horses ridden by Nikolic. Queensland Racing stewards warned off Alaimo, Clements and McFarland after an investigation into the defeat of Baby Boom, trained by Nikolic's elder brother John, at the Sunshine Coast on January 4. Alaimo, Clements and McFarland did not attend the QR inquiry, although Clements spoke to chief steward Wade Birch when he flew to Melbourne for a Sandown meeting in February. RVL integrity manager Dayle Brown said he would present the stewards' case today. He said the case would proceed with or without Alaimo and McFarland. Courtesy of ADRIAN DUNN of the HERALD SUN, 25/07/2010 
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STEWARDS LAUNCH HEARING INTO PAIR CAUGHT UP IN NIKOLIC INQUIRY