CONTROVERSIAL jockey Danny Nikolic was today fined $5,000 by the Victorian Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board for failing to produce his mobile phone for inspection of a contacts list by Racing Victoria stewards.

The RAD, under the chairmanship of Brian Forrest, issued the fine after a hearing during which Nikolic handed the phone over after being told he would lose his license if he failed to do so.

Nikolic was charged by the RAD with a breach of AR 175(p) in that he failed to comply with a direction of the RVL stewards.

It was alleged that Nikolic failed to comply with a direction of the RVL Stewards made on February 23, 2010 – that direction being to produce his mobile telephone to the stewards for inspection of his contacts list. He pleaded not guilty but the Board found the charge had been sustained.

Nikolic was charged in February with using his mobile phone at Flemington races on January 1. 2010. without stewards' permission to contact professional punter and commission agent Neville Clements.

Nikolic claims that Clements does form for him and the call to him was related only to the tempo of the Bagot Handicap which he won on Atlantic Air.

The RAD Board will resume its hearing of the charge laid by the Stewards under AR 175(p) against Neville Clements at 9.30am on Wednesday, 24 March 2010.