STAR jockey Danny Nikolic has been interviewed by homicide detectives after the murder of his father-in-law Les Samba.
Nikolic presented himself at the St Kilda Rd offices of the Victoria Police crime department this morning to discuss the cold-blooded street execution of the millionaire racing identity.
He spoke to officers for about two hours, denying involvement in the killing.
The champion jockey was not accompanied by a lawyer.
Homicide squad chief Det-Insp John Potter said Nikolic was not being treated as a suspect.
Nikolic is the former husband of Mr Samba’s daughter Victoria, who was a Melbourne Spring Carnival ambassador.
Nikolic, who rode Thorn Park to win the 2004 Stradbroke Handicap for Samba, yesterday said the death was a major surprise.
"It's a huge shock," Nikolic said.
Execution probe into criminal links
But as the investigation gets underway, authorities are examining whether underworld links may be to blame for Mr Samba's death in Middle Park on Sunday.
The former trainer died in a hail of bullets in Middle Park after a suspected ambush by someone he trusted enough to meet on a dark street.
Investigators are trying to detail his final hours, which ended with him lying face down in a pool of blood on Beaconsfield Pde.
Homicide squad detectives are trying to find men who were in a black Mercedes near the scene.
Mr Samba, 60, a grandfather, tried to flee his assailant but was cut down by a series of shots to the head and back.
Mr Samba arrived in Melbourne on Saturday from Sydney to attend the Premier Yearling Sales at Oaklands Junction.
He drove his hired car to the rendezvous on Sunday night.
"He's gone there without any concerns for his safety," a police source said.
Men were heard arguing before the shooting started and the gunman dashed off towards Langridge St.
The murder weapon, which fired up to five shots, has not been recovered.
Some in the racing industry said it was not too hard to see a bad ending for the man who strapped Melbourne Cup legend Rain Lover in 1969.
"It's not really a shock, he mixed around with all the crooks," one source said.
Another said: "He was always knocking around with bad people."
Mr Samba was described as an "inside man" who knew all the secrets.
He is believed to have attracted scrutiny over alleged links to Sydney vice king Abe Saffron.
During the 1980s, Samba was linked to flamboyant Perth trainer George Way, who was disqualified for life.
Mr Samba had multi-million dollar equine links with Sydney murder suspect Ron Medich, a property tycoon accused of, but denies, the 2009 murder of his estranged business associate Michael McGurk.
The head of the homicide squad Det-Insp John Potter said Mr Samba almost certainly knew his killer.
"This is a clearly horrific incident to happen in a residential street in Melbourne," he said.
Mr Samba had up to 20 horses in work with Sydney trainer David Payne, including Defiant Dame, a $270,000 yearling who is fifth favourite for next month's $3.5 million Golden Slipper.
Payne said he was stunned to learn of Mr Samba's death.
"When I got the first phone call this morning, I couldn't believe it," Payne said.
"I thought it must be a mistake. I was hoping it was a mistake. This news really saddens me - Les was a good bloke to train for."
The suspect, aged in his mid 20s to mid 30s, wore dark clothing, a dark hat and had distinctive light-coloured hair, which may have been a wig.
