Bahrain Businessman Challenges Racing Victoria Ruling Amidst International Scandal
A significant ruling by Racing Victoria stewards, imposing a $20,000 penalty on Bahrain businessman Nader Al AlaAli, is currently under scrutiny at the Victorian Racing Tribunal. The case hinges on allegations of misleading evidence provided by Al AlaAli concerning his relationship with Amer Adbulaziz Salman, a figure linked to a global breeding and racing syndicate, a substantial cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, and alleged money laundering activities.
Al AlaAli is contesting the stewards’ finding, with his appeal reportedly centred on the precise interpretation of the questions posed to him. He asserts that his initial responses were truthful, stating he had merely “heard of” Salman and had no direct business dealings with him. A key point of contention is Al AlaAli’s claim that he was never explicitly asked about Salman being his brother-in-law, a familial connection he maintains was separate from his business affairs.
The stewards’ investigation into Al AlaAli began in November of last year, leading to a guilty verdict for breaching racing rule AR 232 (i) – providing misleading evidence. The Victorian Racing Tribunal heard that Al AlaAli’s Australian-based operation, Brookdale Racing, had acquired horses from Salman’s international entity, Phoenix Thoroughbreds. This transaction, valued at $3.17 million for horses later assessed by Racing Victoria to be worth “tens of millions,” triggered a background check by the sport’s governing body concerned about the legitimacy of the transfer.
The Shadow of a Billion-Dollar Scheme
Compounding the stewards’ concerns was Salman’s documented involvement in a multi-billion-dollar cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme in New York. He was subsequently incarcerated for 15 months on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Furthermore, Phoenix Thoroughbreds had faced bans from racing in various jurisdictions, including Australia, due to its inability to satisfactorily demonstrate the origins of its considerable wealth.
Phoenix Thoroughbreds had a notable presence in Australian racing, having campaigned high-profile horses such as Loving Gaby and the 2020 Golden Slipper winner, Farnan. The syndicate also faced accusations of utilising laundered funds to acquire racehorses. Reports from August 2020 detailed allegations from a prosecution witness in a New York court, asserting that Salman had misappropriated over $150 million from the OneCoin cryptocurrency scheme, with a portion of these funds allegedly channelled into purchasing expensive racehorses. Salman eventually agreed to a plea deal, resulting in his imprisonment in July of the previous year.
The Crucial Interview and the Unveiled Connection
During an initial interview with stewards in August 2024, Al AlaAli was questioned about his awareness of Mr. Salman and Phoenix Thoroughbreds. His response was: “Yeah, I’ve heard of him. I didn’t meet him at all. I heard of him. I got his name in the documents.” When pressed about whether Brookdale Racing served as a front for Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Al AlaAli unequivocally stated: “No, no, we don’t have anything to do with Phoenix at all… I don’t have a need, personal or professional.” Crucially, he did not disclose his familial relationship with Salman at this juncture.
The relationship came to light seven months later, in March 2025, when stewards discovered that Salman was Al AlaAli’s brother-in-law. Consequently, Al AlaAli was recalled for a further interview in July 2025, where he confirmed the marital connection: “Yes, correct. He is my brother-in-law. But business wise, we don’t have any relation. There was no relation to business. What is business in the office and home is different. We don’t mix these things.”
Stewards subsequently laid charges four months after this second interview, maintaining that the disclosure of the brother-in-law relationship was “relevant and reasonable” during the initial August 2024 interview, particularly when he was asked direct questions. They emphasised the imperative need to scrutinise the horse sales and ensure the legitimacy of all transactions to uphold the integrity of the racing industry.
Defence Arguments and the Tribunal’s Deliberation
However, Al AlaAli’s legal counsel, Hamish Esplin, has argued that the stewards’ case is “unfair, unreasonable and failed the correct legal test.” Esplin contends that the stewards’ line of questioning consistently focused on business connections, not personal relationships. He argued that his client had addressed the questions as they were put to him and that requiring him to volunteer information about his familial ties, without explicit inquiry, would necessitate “mental gymnastics.” Esplin maintained there was no evidence linking Mr. Salman to Brookdale or Al AlaAli in the context of the investigation.
The Victorian Racing Tribunal has now retired to deliberate on the evidence presented, with a verdict anticipated in the coming weeks. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for how stewards conduct interviews and the expectations of disclosure regarding personal relationships in the context of racing investigations.
Payne Partnership Dissolves
In separate racing news, the decorated training partnership between siblings Michelle and Patrick Payne has been dissolved. This announcement follows a tragic road accident near Ballarat that resulted in the death of a truck driver and three horses trained by the Paynes. The statement indicated Michelle Payne would scale back her involvement in the larger training operation to focus on a more intimate team at home, working closely with her father and retaining a select number of horses in Ballarat. Patrick Payne Racing will continue as a standalone training entity, with Patrick maintaining control of the horses at his current facility. The siblings have stated their priority is ensuring a smooth transition for owners and horses during this period.
