Danny Nikolic was back in the saddle on Wednesday at Sandown after he was cleared of serious charges brought by stewards.

Charges included that Nikolic had formed associations with persons and laid bets well outside the associates' normal betting patterns on Betfair against Nikolic's rides between October 1 last year and February 13 2010

Nikolic said the stewards' investigation had been a very trying time for him both personally and professionally.

"I'm very happy with the end result and that I got a fair hearing at the RAD Board and that I've been cleared of any serious breaches," Nikolic said.

"This is all past tense to me, I'm sure I can now look forward to the spring carnival especially and really get on with things and try and rebuild what I like to do and that's ride the big winners.

"I was quietly confident. I know I had done nothing wrong so I was hoping the RAD Board would see it my way. I'm very happy now."

Nikolic said he wouldn't change using the same form people to help him to win races.

In dismissing the four charges, RADB chairman Judge Russell Lewis said the board was not satisfied that Nikolic had communicated with the associates or some of them about the chances of his mounts resulting in the associates making lay bets outside their normal betting parameters.

"The evidence relied upon by the stewards as a basis for drawing an inference that Nikolic communicated the chances of his mounts raises suspicions about what transpired," Judge Lewis said.

"But harbouring suspicions about his conduct is not sufficient to prove the charges.

"Finally, the board makes no criticism of the stewards for bringing these charges nor of the time taken to have them heard since once Betfair had informed them of apparent betting irregularities, they had a duty to investigate fully the circumstances surrounding such apparent irregularities."

Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) Integrity Services Manager Dayle Brown said the RVL stewards hadn't ruled out launching an appeal against the RADB decision but it would be discussed over the next week.

"It has been a long and complex investigation based on complex evidence from Betfair and the stewards' investigations," Brown said.

"The stewards have heard the judgment today and now wish to consider their position in relation to what the RAB Board has handed down before we make any further comment.

"I wouldn't say we were unhappy with the decision yet. We have to consider all aspects of it. It's complex, the evidence is complex and it's really a case which is breaking new boundaries and frontiers and we need to consider all that evidence."