Christchurch car industry king pin, racehorse owner and major punter Graham Beirne, speaking to Stuff from Bali where he is on holiday, said he had heard about the raids on Canterbury trainers and knew police wanted to interview him.
"I'm a suspect put it that way. The police have been to our place this morning but I'm not there. All I have to say is one word: nonsense.
"I don't know where it's coming from. If they are talking race fixing, it's nonsense. It doesn't happen, so we'll see what they come up with but they are obviously taking it seriously because they have raided stables all over the place."
Four police cars and 12 police officers had come to his Fendalton house to execute a search warrant on Tuesday morning and apparently seized computers and devices, he said.
"There is nothing to worry about.
"I am a big bettor. They would pick on me probably because three or four years ago there was an article in the Sunday Star Times which said I was the most successful punter in New Zealand and they couldn't beat me, and that was true at the time.
"But I haven't made any money in the last two years. The TAB records will show that."
Race fixing may have occurred in the distant past but checks and balances in the current system made it too difficult, he said.
The other issue in the industry was doping but he didn't know anything about that.
Beirne said he would not return immediately to New Zealand and planned to come back as scheduled on Saturday.
"By all accounts they are going to meet me at the airport."
He said he was "flippant" about the investigation but "I feel sorry for the trainers involved. I feel bad for the guys and the people they are interviewing. It's their livelihood. It's terrible for them".
"It tarnishes all their reputations even if nothing is found which there won't be."
He didn't know if any other big punters were part of the investigation. "I'm a reclusive creature so I don't know who else.
"It's a game for me although you always need the money. I like beating the system. It's only pacers and trotters."
He had about 30 horses that were trained by a number of trainers, he said.
"I don't need to race fix. I've got the pension now."