BRISBANE, Australia — Fine Cotton, a thoroughbred at the center of one of Australia's biggest horse racing scandals, died Friday.

On Aug. 18, 1984, a horse disguised as Fine Cotton won a 0.93-mile event at Brisbane's Eagle Farm race track. Fine Cotton was an average performer and a syndicate substituted him with a stronger horse called Bold Personality, which won by a nose after a huge betting plunge.

The schemers painted Bold Personality to make it resemble Fine Cotton, but the scam was eventually uncovered because of the large number of bets placed on Fine Cotton to win.

The involvement of several high-profile Sydney bookmakers, who were found to have prior knowledge of the substitution, made the event into a national scandal. The horse's trainer was also found to have known of the swap.

Movie producer John Stainton bought Fine Cotton a year after the scandal. Stainton, who also managed the late Steve Irwin — the Crocodile Hunter — said Friday the 31-year-old gelding died from old age at his Brisbane-area property.

Stainton said Fine Cotton was used as a riding horse before being retired about 12 years ago.