Nikolic charged over phone

Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) has issued two charges against jockey Danny Nikolic on Friday afternoon as part of a stewards' investigation into 10 of the jockey's rides.

Nikolic has been charged with one count of failing to comply with a direction made by RVL stewards when he refused to hand over his mobile phone as part of the investigation, with stewards wanting to view his contacts list.

The 35-year-old has also been charged with bringing a mobile phone into the jockey's room, a restricted area, and using it to contact professional punter Neville Clements on January 1.

Clements has also been charged by RVL on Friday when he too refused to give his mobile phone to stewards.

According to the Herald-Sun, Nikolic has received some support, however, from Australian Jockeys' Association chairman and top lawyer Ross Inglis, who said the jockey was within his rights not to hand over the phone.

This is because Nikolic has already given stewards his mobile phone records and has stated he is prepared to give them text message records as well.

Under advice from his lawyer, Paul O'Sullivan, Nikolic also said he was willing to give stewards the identity of any number that appeared in his records while not physically giving them the phone in question.

Both Nikolic and Clements will attend a RVL inquiry on March 4 to answer the charges.