COUNSEL for The Sporting Life has dismissed as "grotesque" the idea that racing presenter Derek Thompson went to court and lied about his assertion that Kieren Fallon told him he deliberately prevented a horse from winning.

Richard Hartley, QC, told the High Court: "He didn't want to come because he was deeply embarrassed as he didn't wish to harm the careers of the plaintiffs.

"He came here in the certain knowledge that his evidence would actively harm his career but felt he couldn't stand back and see an injustice done.

"What reason could there conceivably be for him to come here and lie? I suggest the answer is absolutely none."

The evidence of Channel 4 presenter Mr Thompson about a conversation he had with Fallon at the Old Plough pub near Newmarket on the night of the race was "absolutely crucial" to the case, said Hartley in his closing speech for the newspaper.

Mr Thompson said the champion jockey had admitted to him that night that North Yorkshire trainer Jack Ramsden had told him to pull Top Cees from the Swaffham.

The Ramsdens and Fallon, who used to live at Norton, are suing the newspaper over a "savage verbal onslaught", in May 1995, the day after Top Cees won the Chester Cup.

It said they had conspired to deceive the racing public by deliberately not trying to win the Swaffham Handicap at Newmarket three weeks before.

Publishers Mirror Group Newspapers deny libel. They say the article is justified and fair comment on a "scandal" that was a matter of public interest.

Patrick Milmo, QC for the Ramsdens, of Sandhutton, near Thirsk, and Fallon, said in his closing speech that people did not act dishonestly just for the hell of it, for fun.

"They do it for a reason and the usual reason is some sort of enrichment, either directly or indirectly."

A betting "coup" at Chester would have been a motive, but Ramsden did not have a bet on Top Cees in that race, preferring to back two other horses.

Another possible motive was to deceive the handicapper so that the horse would be allocated a lower weight - but the horse's outing in the Swaffham resulted in its weight being raised.

There was also no need for it to race at Newmarket in readiness for Chester as it had been running all winter and was fully fit.

There was not "one tiny scrap of evidence" to support the newspaper's suggested motive that Ramsden ordered the horse to be pulled after deciding not to back it because the price was not right.

The horse's owner had backed it £400 each way and it would be a "quite extraordinary state of affairs" for Ramsden to ensure that he lost his money, as trainers were dependent upon their owners.

"So you are left in the curious position that there is no motive which can be credibly put forward for this dastardly act of cheating," Mr Milmo said.

Mr Milmo said the scale of improbability of Mr Thompson's tale of his encounter with Fallon being true was "monumental".

Mr Milmo said the newspaper was read by about 250,000 people daily, including many in whose eyes the reputations of the Ramsdens and Fallon were of the greatest importance.

The litigation had become a "major ordeal" for the plaintiffs, he said, and any damages award must be very substantial - approaching six figures each.

The hearing was adjourned until today when the judge was expected to sum up to the jury.

The hearing continues.

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