RV chairman David Moodie stands aside

On the eve of the Caulfield Cup, Racing Victoria chairman David Moodie has stood aside pending an investigation into an undisclosed matter by the state’s Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna.

An RV statement on Friday said the investigation related to a matter that had been reported to Perna by the RV Integrity Council and Moodie chose to stand aside.

A prominent racehorse owner and breeder, Moodie became chairman in May 2015 following the sudden resignation of Rob Roulston over an integrity issue.

In his role as a bloodstock agent, Roulston nominated an overseas horse for the Melbourne Cup but after the sale fell through he advised RV a fee did not apply.

Roulston eventually paid the fee after advice it could not be waived but an internal audit process uncovered his initial non-payment request.

Last month, trainer Danny O’Brien told an appeal into his and Mark Kavanagh’s respective four and three-year disqualifications, it was Moodie, then an RV board member, who told then trainer Peter Moody of the O’Brien and Kavanagh cobalt positives before they had been informed by stewards.

Newscorp reported Moodie had been cleared by the RV Integrity Council in that matter.

RV said it would make no comment while the investigation was undertaken.

The governing body has not yet found a replacement for outgoing chief executive Bernard Saundry who is leaving after the spring carnival.