Top Australian jockey faces multiple gambling charges

Ben Melham is alleged to have gambled more than AU$21,000 on a series of bets over a six-month period, some of which were races he was riding.

Australia.- A top jockey from Australia is facing multiple gambling charges from Racing Victoria stewards from 2019 betting offences.

Ben Melham is alleged to have gambled more than AU$21,000 on a series of bets over a six-month period, some of which were races he was riding.

Victoria-based Melham is charged with making the bets between March and September of 2019.

He began the period with an injury returned to race riding by September.

The charges against Melham allege that he placed bets through his partner Karlie Dales’ betting account.

On one specific occasion, it is said that he placed AU$3,000 into her account. Additionally, some of the bets placed were in Singapore.

Melham is equal fourth in this season’s Melbourne metropolitan jockeys’ premiership. He has 37 wins from 258 rides so far this season and has earned prizemoney of AU$4,779,735.00.

The charges will be heard by the Victorian Racing Tribunal but with no date set at present.

Meanwhile, sports betting odds comparison website Oddschecker has recently departed the Australia market.