PUNTER and brothel owner Eddie Hayson has confirmed himself an official scratching from tomorrow's More Joyous inquiry.

In his first interview since the Gai Waterhouse-John Singleton fallout, Hayson told PHIL ROTHFIELD of the SUNDAY TELEGRAPH that he has no information to help stewards.

"I have no idea why the horse ran well below its best," Hayson said.

"I run a business - I'm not a vet or a trainer. How would I know what was wrong with her? If I thought I had information that might assist them I'd attend but that's not the case.

"At the last three inquiries I've been to they've only used me as a dartboard. I'd just rather not go."

Hayson has confirmed he heard negative feedback about the mare on the Friday night before the race.

He was at the Manly-Souths NRL game with friends including Andrew Johns.

"I followed it up and made some phone calls the next morning," Hayson said.

"Everything I heard back was negative. They were saying the vets had been all over the horse for a couple of days. So I didn't have a bet. I had no betting activity on the race. That's all I could tell the inquiry anyway.

"There's nothing illegal about getting some mail and then checking it out on the phone."

He says the threat of being warned off for not attending the inquiry is not a concern.

"You can't get warned off if you've done nothing wrong," he said.

Hayson is a close friend of former jockey Allan Robinson and Johns, who are also unlikely to attend. They both rang the super mare's owner John Singleton before the race about rumours the horse wasn't right.

Johns has given a statement to stewards in an interview, detailing his conversation with Tom Waterhouse on Anzac Day at Allianz Stadium.

STORY SOURCE: SUNDAY TELEGRAPH - NEWS LIMITED.