Chief Stipe

Isn't it time that the industry reviewed testing levels? In the poppy case for example the level of opioid detected would have had no effect on the horse at all.

It will be one of three things - a deliberate act by someone, environmental contamination or a mistake by a staff member. One thing is guaranteed it won't have been intentional. I'm betting on inconclusive environmental contamination with a very low level detected. Once again the owners will probably lose out for something that wasn't performance enhancing. There have been some other drug positives in the industry in recent months and not a skerrick of interest in them.

Cut Scooby some slack. His skin is so stretched over his frame that a feather would hurt him.

Well the usual suspects may be inclined to cast aspersions but I find an open debate is a good leveller. Seems to be a trend over there where it is OK to slam a Track Manager or a Trackside Presenter but not the hierarchy that hired them or have done nothing to fix the problems just make them worse.

Tokyo Tycoon returns post-race positive loveracing.nz Tokyo Tycoon has returned a post-race positive result to meloxicam following his victory in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Pukekohe earlier this m Photo: Kirstin Ledington NZ Racing Desk Unbeaten Mark Walker-trained juvenile Tokyo Tycoon has returned a post-race positive result to meloxicam following his victory in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Pukekohe on March 11. The son of Satono Aladdin defeated Ulanova, Tulsi and To Catch A Thief to cap a perfect five from five campaign. After being notified by the Racing Integrity Board of the positive, Te Akau Racing have released the following statement: “We are extremely disappointed to be advised by the Racing Integrity Board (RIB) that Tokyo Tycoon has returned a positive post-race result for a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory medication following the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes. “This news has come as an enormous shock as we have trained 155 winners this year in New Zealand alone, 30 at Group level, and every other horse has delivered a 100% clear post-race result. “Te Akau always conducts itself with the utmost integrity and professionalism. Our whole team is deeply committed to these principles. We take pride in our robust systems, which have been noted by the RIB. Abiding by all rules of racing is non-negotiable for us. “The post-race result indicates the presence of meloxicam which is commonly used within the industry and is administered as an anti-inflammatory medication post-gallop. This treatment was not prescribed to Tokyo Tycoon making this result a mystery. “We are working very closely and co-operatively with the RIB to ascertain exactly what has happened, and to establish how this has occurred. “There are, in our view, only two possibilities for this to have occurred: ether a human error, or deliberate administration by an unknown party. “We have CCTV throughout our stable, and this footage is currently being analysed to identify what has occurred. We have shared this data with the RIB. “We feel very disappointed for Tokyo Tycoon's owners who are wonderful friends and supporters of our stable - and for the horse himself as Tokyo Tycoon proved to be the stand-out 2YO throughout this season. “As this is an on-going investigation, there will be no further comment.” Should Tokyo Tycoon be disqualified, the Stephen Marsh-trained Ulanova would be the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) winner.

All seems to me like selling the industry jewels and then waiting for the buyer to drop us as soon as the promises fail to be realised. All started going down hill when we cannibalised the golden goose - the tote.

Whoosh! Entain waves its magic wand and 100's of millions of new revenue emerges overnight. Really? Supposedly they have had consultants doing the numbers and it all adds up. Where have we heard that before? NZ is a limited market of 5 million people. Where is the revenue going to come from? Doesn't this smell of everything we have seen over the last few decades?

Who the hell in any corporate environment signs up for 25 years?!

TAB NZ selects Entain as preferred partner for 25-year strategic arrangement subject to Ministerial approval 27 March 2023 As a statutory entity and the sole holder of a betting licence in New Zealand, TAB NZ is committed to materially boosting the fortunes of racing and sport, delivering a world-class customer experience and enhancing its responsible gambling and harm minimisation efforts. For some time, TAB NZ has faced increasing competition, rising costs, capital constraints as well as other challenges, which have impacted its ability to deliver adequate funding to racing and sports. These challenges are expected to increase. In order to achieve TAB NZ’s objectives and growth ambitions, Board and management considered that it was in the best interest of TAB NZ and its stakeholders to explore a strategic partnering arrangement with a world-class international wagering operator to deliver TAB NZ’s wagering and broadcast functions. Over the past six months, TAB NZ has engaged with a range of world-class operators in relation to a strategic partnering arrangement and received several compelling proposals. It has been supported through the process out of Australia by Barrenjoey Capital Partners as sole financial adviser, Allens as principal legal advisers. Chapman Tripp provided legal advice in New Zealand. Following a detailed assessment of a number of proposals which were received, TAB NZ has today announced that it has selected Entain as its preferred partner for a 25-year strategic partnering arrangement. The proposed strategic arrangement remains subject to Ministerial approval. The specific terms of the arrangement remain commercially confidential until approval is granted. Entain was selected as the preferred partner based on a wide range of criteria, including operational expertise, cultural alignment with TAB NZ and the commitment of the partner to uplifting TAB NZ’s harm minimisation and responsible gambling efforts. TAB NZ Chief Executive Officer Mike Tod said today’s announcement signals an important step in boosting the fortunes of racing, sport and communities for a generation. “TAB NZ faced an uncertain future in a David and Goliath battle with international wagering operators and a lack of capital to both compete and meet its potential. Today’s announcement is a significant milestone toward the transformation of TAB NZ and those who rely upon its growth and long-term success. In the absence of a strategic partnering arrangement, TAB NZ would be further cutting distributions in the next financial year,” Mr Tod said. “This proposed strategic arrangement with Entain provides a certain, material and immediate uplift in the funding TAB NZ can provide New Zealand racing and sports ensuring that these industries not only survive, but thrive. It will allow us to greatly improve our harm minimisation and responsible gambling efforts, and provides immediate job security and long-term job creation in New Zealand to the advancement of our nation at large. “Entain is a global and world-class operator who will deliver industry best practice and an elevated and safe experience for New Zealand punters, as well as racing and sports fans. We are deeply excited by their commitment to New Zealand and this opportunity.” TAB NZ Chairman Mark Stewart said the Board is unanimously supportive of the proposed strategic partnering arrangement. “Management and the Board ran a world-class and robust process that attracted the interest of some of the best wagering operators in the world and have delivered a result that will benefit all our stakeholders for a generation. It’s a credit to our Chief Executive Officer and his team for the result they have delivered and to our stakeholders in Racing and Sport for the way in which they have supported this process,” Mr Stewart said. Entain’s Chief Executive Officer - Australia, Dean Shannon, said the company was excited to be selected by TAB NZ as its preferred partner. “This is a unique opportunity to shape the future wagering experience for customers and to support New Zealand’s racing and sporting industries. We have a compelling vision for the future of TAB NZ, which includes a renewed focus on innovation and technology, and a long-term commitment to all racing, sport and industry stakeholders,” Mr Shannon said. “As the partner of choice for New Zealand, we have made a firm commitment to employment continuity for at least 24 months, with the team at TAB NZ essential to our future vision and growth of the market in New Zealand. We applaud TAB NZ for how the process has been run to date and we look forward to working with all stakeholders on necessary approvals to finalise the transaction.” Overview TAB NZ today announces that it has selected Entain as its preferred partner for a 25-year strategic partnering arrangement. The proposed strategic arrangement enhances the viability of New Zealand racing and sport, will materially boost the fortunes of both and has the support of key stakeholders, including the three racing codes and Sport NZ. If approved by the Minister for Racing, today’s announcement will deliver a key recommendation from the Messara Report (2018) that was provided to the New Zealand Government as a critical change to support the long-term viability of the Racing industry. Ministerial Approval The proposed strategic arrangement remains subject to Ministerial approval. TAB NZ and Entain look forward to working collaboratively with the Minister’s office in relation to the proposed strategic arrangement. Key benefits of proposed strategic arrangement with Entain Guaranteed funding to TAB NZ of greater than NZ$1.0 billion in the first five years to support the revitalisation of the racing industry with material upside over the life of the arrangement. Significantly strengthens the financial position of TAB NZ today by facilitating an upfront payment to racing and sports, in addition to an increase in future payments over time relative to TAB NZ’s current trajectory of funding reductions Additional and significant upfront payment should legislation be enacted that prevents unlicensed offshore operators from providing wagering services in New Zealand. Over the 25-year arrangement, the proposed terms have the potential to deliver a total uplift in payments to racing and sports of c.NZ$5.0 billion relative to the counterfactual of TAB NZ’s declining commercial performance due to intense international competition and historic under investment in the business in key areas like retail, technology, broadcast and operations Investment and uplift in TAB NZ’s harm minimisation and responsible gambling efforts A 24-month employment guarantee for TAB NZ’s employees, with new job opportunities for Kiwis as the New Zealand market and Racing and Sports industries grow A commitment to retain and refresh the TAB NZ brand A commitment to provide a world-class and industry best practice wagering, retail and broadcast offering to Kiwi customers as well as racing and sports fans Additional support to the Racing industry, including a NZ$10.0 million sponsorship of an enhanced racing carnival and the establishment of other community linked initiatives Strong racing and sports industries are expected to drive significant economic growth and see New Zealand communities, as well as the nation at large benefit materially, including the creation of new roles both directly and indirectly About Entain Entain plc (LSE: ENT) is a FTSE100 company and is one of the world’s largest sports- betting and gaming groups, operating both online and in the retail sector. The Group owns a comprehensive portfolio of established brands; Sports brands include BetCity, bwin, Coral, Crystalbet, Eurobet, Ladbrokes, Neds, Sportingbet, Sports Interaction and SuperSport; Gaming brands include Foxy Bingo, Gala, GiocoDigitale, Ninja Casino, Optibet, Partypoker and PartyCasino. The Group owns proprietary technology across all its core product verticals and in addition to its B2C operations provides services to a number of third-party customers on a B2B basis. The Group has a 50/50 joint venture, BetMGM, a leader in sports betting and iGaming in the US. Entain provides the technology and capabilities which power BetMGM as well as exclusive games and products, specially developed at its in-house gaming studios. The Group is tax resident in the UK and is the only global operator to exclusively operate in domestically regulated or regulating markets operating in over 40 territories. Entain is a leader in ESG, a member of FTSE4Good, the DJSI and is AA rated by MSCI. The Group has set a science-based target, committing to be carbon net zero by 2035 and through the Entain Foundation supports a variety of initiatives, focusing on safer gambling, grassroots sport, diversity in technology and community projects. For more information see the Group’s website: www.entaingroup.com Note for editors: TAB NZ and Entain will not be commenting further on the proposed strategic partnering arrangement until the outcome of the Ministerial Approval Process.

NZTR can't even update their comms on their website. Still have Bernie's Blog that hasn't been updated for 3 years!

Sounds a lot of same old same old hype rolled out again. Where will they get $200m per year from?

It’s twilight at the Mowbray racetrack in Launceston. Drivers parade in their coloured silks, as the races are called in a steady monotone. But as dusk falls on northern Tasmania, unrest begins to fill the air. Tonight’s meet is dominated by one stable in particular — it has 65 out of a possible 94 runners. A handful of other trainers, shrinking in size, have also come along to try their luck, but the odds will be stacked against them. “If I was in the school ground I’d be calling it cheating, not playing within the rules.” That’s the view of industry veteran Kent Rattray, one of the few other harness racing trainers here tonight. He has one horse on the card. “More often than not we’d rather stay down with our horses and not even watch it.” The trainer at the centre of Tasmania’s harness racing world, whose stable dominates tonight’s meet, is Ben Yole. Tonight, the ABC has brought its cameras to the races, and Mr Yole is rankled by the long lens. Trainer Ben Yole (centre) dominates harness racing in Tasmania. ABC News: Maren Preuss He threatens to withdraw his runners from the meet altogether — a move which would spike the entire night of racing. His drivers march upon the office of the chief steward in protest. Drivers leave the steward's office after protesting and head back to the stables. ABC News: Maren Preuss The delay is costing time and money. The pressure is on. “More drama than an episode of MAFS [Married at First Sight],” one participant observes. One steward attempts to usher the ABC crew to another area, reasoning that they aren’t licensed to be on course. “Half of Ben’s stable isn’t licensed, so what’s the difference?” challenges an industry participant, in defence of the news crew. In the end, a deal is struck that allows Mr Yole to enter his runners onto the track through a car park behind the stables, rather than via the parade ring, in a bid to avoid the cameras. Punters hoping to see the condition of horses and place their bets accordingly will be disappointed. “One man got his knickers in a knot and decided that he didn’t want to have his picture taken,” says Mr Rattray. “And the stewards have folded to his whim.” A graphic of Ben Yole superimposed in front of horses on his property and a race. Stacking the odds By Chris Rowbottom, Jessica Moran, Charlotte King and Andy Burns for ABC Regional Investigations Updated 26 Mar 2023, 9:09am Published 26 Mar 2023, 7:16am ⁴ Ben Yole’s operation has morphed from a hobby farm into a racing juggernaut of industrial proportions, in a little over a decade. By last year, it had swelled to an almost unfathomable size, with 3,886 Yole entries making up more than half of all harness race fields in Tasmania, as well as some fields across the strait in Victoria. At most meets, runners from Mr Yole’s stable will dominate the card through sheer weight of numbers. In some cases, the stable has every runner in the race. Mr Rattray says the industry is not what it was. “He [Yole] fills every field,” he says. “And that’s not a crime. “But … it’s very depressing when you line up and there’s nine against one.” ‘That’s strange’ In October last year, Mr Rattray approached stewards at a meet at Burnie, in the state’s north-west, to call for a race inquiry. His filly had come second, and did better than expected, but the veteran trainer wanted to know why the win appeared to be gifted to one stable mate from another. “Burnie is a small track. It’s only 600 metres round. Normally the leader will win the race.” “The fella who led spent the entire back straight looking over his shoulder, looking for something, and it wasn’t long before his [stable mate] rounded up and went outside his wheel,” he says. “He pulled back and allowed him to go to the front. “I thought, ‘That’s strange’. You don’t give up the front at Burnie. “All I asked for the stewards on that night was to question and to find out why you would hand the front up. “It never happened.” As the sun set on the Burnie Cup in January, it appeared to happen again. It’s the last race on the card, and nine runners are ready to go. The red-hot favourite, Be Good Benny, appears to be a shoe-in. It draws the best barrier and looks well placed to lead on the inside. “Normally the leader will win the race,” Mr Rattray said. “If you lead at Burnie, you don’t hand up.” But almost immediately, the favourite appears to give that position away to his stable mate — a long-odds roughie that has not placed for months. The roughie, Written In Silk, settles into the lead and wins the race. “It appeared there was very little want from the inside horses to hold the front, it was sort of handed to Written In Silk,” Mr Rattray said. In this race, all nine horses are from Ben Yole’s stable. In the 10 minutes before the race started, there was an influx of bets placed on Written In Silk to win. The ABC understands a series of cash bets made on the winner raised flags with at least one prominent on-course bookmaker. Those bets included a $500 wager at odds of $23, and another wager of $200 at odds of $19. While the bets appear small, in the scheme of harness racing, they equate to large gambles on a roughie with little chance of the win, and almost $15,000 in prize money for the lucky punters. Both bets were laid at the Burnie Harness Racing Club. The TAB betting window at the Burnie Harness Racing Club, where the bets were made. ABC News: Monte Bovill The betting agency source said this suggested the punter had prior knowledge of the outcome of this race. No investigation has been launched into the integrity of the win. “It’s not cut and dry that it’s a sting,” Mr Rattray said. “But why aren’t stewards asking the question?” The ABC is not suggesting that Ben Yole or any of his drivers made bets on this or any other races. The race prompted the chairman of the Launceston Pacing Club, Chester Bullock, and another trainer to meet with Tasmania’s Office of Racing Integrity. “That horse led easily, maybe not through its own ability,” Mr Bullock said. “We’re talking about a horse with a possibility of winning the race, handing-up to a horse that was well backed.” Mr Bullock told the integrity office he believed the race involved team driving. “I haven’t had a correspondence or a communication to say that that has been investigated,” he said. Three weeks later, another race prompted more questions. Reds Good to Go, a nag that hadn’t won a race in almost a year, finished at least 50 metres in front, blitzing the Burnie field at a race mile rate less than a second shy of the Burnie track record. “Once she got out, she [the driver] couldn’t stop the horse even if she tried,” Mr Rattray said. “This is a horse that doesn’t do that.” The horse was backed into $7.50 from $21 in the 25 minutes before the race. “Remarkably, someone backed it. Quite heavily,” Mr Rattray said. “Somebody should have questioned the improved performance.” The driver was cautioned for losing control of the horse, and the horse, as with all winners, was drug tested post-race. But the stewards’ report did not query the horse’s improved performance. “Whether the stewards just give up trying, I don’t know,” Mr Rattray said. Post-race drug swabs take months to return a result. The Office of Racing Integrity would not comment on specific races, but said it was not uncommon for participants to voice a divergent view to stewards, particularly in harness racing. It said it did not accept there is a serious risk of team driving if fields are dominated by one trainer, and that its rules that prohibit driver collusion are actively regulated. Insider speaks When Riley — not his real name — began driving for Ben Yole, he thought his dreams had come true. A young driver with a chance to mix it in the exciting world of harness — working for the biggest name in Tasmania. But Riley claims he was directly instructed to drive races to benefit the stable. “We knew our individual jobs,” he said. “[They] would let us know what [they] wanted [us] to do during the race individually. “That meant whether we would run the gate and attack the leaders, or whether we would just go to the fence and stay out of it, and be ‘road blocks’.” What Riley is describing is what’s known as “team driving”, and it’s prohibited in the racing code. The driver said he was concerned races may have been “fixed” for betting purposes. “I’d say I was being asked to team drive. So the people that they wanted to win would win the race,” Riley says. The concerns were raised with stewards, but the driver says they fell on deaf ears. “I approached a steward and told them about my concerns but nothing was ever done,” he said. Winners and ‘field fillers’ In January, a horror overnight smash involving a Yole float that killed four horses and partially blinded a young stablehand was referred to WorkSafe, and brought the operation into the spotlight. “Horses are just numbers at that stable,” said Jayden, not his real name, who worked as a stablehand at Ben Yole’s property in 2020. “There are horses everywhere. Horses coming in off the track, and then horses go back out.” Where the pastures end, and the dirt begins, is the Yole Racing stable. It sits at Sidmouth, north-west of Launceston and a short drive from Beaconsfield. “You got the good horses who earn the money, those horses have an individual paddock, or maybe with one other paddock mate,” Jayden said. “Then all the horses that are field fillers, they’re placed into paddocks with anywhere from five to 20 other horses.” “They’re not winning. They’re not getting any money back. They’re just kind of there to allow for those other horses to win.” A recent ABC drive-by of the Yole property revealed large numbers of horses kept in a dry paddock, with a small number of shade cloths only erected within the past month. Janet Ainscow literally has had a front-row view of the Yole operation for more than a decade. She was removed from the harness stewards’ roster last year after a conflict of interest dispute involving the trainer, who lives next door. Ms Ainscow had posted on social media about garbage blowing from the Yole stables into her paddock. From the fence line, dozens of horses can be seen covered in canvas rugs, grazing in dusty paddocks. “What I’m seeing next door is probably the worst conditions I’ve ever seen horses kept in of any racing establishment I’ve visited.” Ms Ainscow now works as a thoroughbred steward and risks losing her job for speaking publicly. “The paddocks in summer … there’s just dirt. It’s just absolutely nothing but dirt,” she said. “There’s times where, those horses, they’re just wandering around sifting through the dust. “And they’re just eating faeces, and I’ve watched it one time — 20 to 30 horses going from one manure pile to another eating faeces.” “Now, in my opinion, no animal should be subjected to conditions where they’ve got nothing to eat but their own excrement,” Ms Ainscow said. “It should not be allowed to happen.” In a statement, the Office of Racing Integrity said animal welfare was “a high priority” and that “stewards routinely conduct inspections on properties used by industry participants across all three codes”. “The Yole Racing stable is the subject of regular inspections by the Office of Racing Integrity with the property attended approximately every fortnight. No breaches of the Rules of Racing have been identified.” RSPCA Tasmania inspected Yole stables 13 times in 2022 and found no breaches of the Animal Welfare Act 1993. Its CEO, Jan Davis, said while she was not happy with the condition more than 150 horses were kept in at the Yole Racing stable — she was limited by the state’s animal welfare legislation. “The paddocks haven’t got a lot of grass in them, haven’t got a lot of shade in them, and it looks pretty awful,” Ms Davis said. “Having said that, there is feed provided for the horses, and they do have spaces to go where they’re safe in the worst of the weather, but it really is about the mismatch between our expectations and what the minimum under the regulations allows.” But it’s not only the welfare of the horses that Ms Ainscow has raised concerns about. In 2022, the steward said she was in the swab box collecting a drug sample from a horse that was being strapped by a driver from the Yole stable. “During conversation with that person, they told me that they were given instructions on how to drive the horse and what horse they had to let through, which determined the outcome of a race,” she said. Ms Ainscow took the report to the Office of Racing Integrity and told them the driver was prepared to make a statement. “As far as I know, they have never been contacted to give a statement.” The Office of Racing Integrity claims it did approach the driver about the incident, but they declined to provide a formal statement. The driver refutes this. Assigning race tactics for drivers is within the rules of harness racing and if a trainer has more than one runner, the tactics must be divulged to stewards prior to a race. All drivers are required under the code to drive to win. Former stablehand Jayden said he believed he had also seen instructions go beyond normal race tactics. He said he had witnessed two occasions at Launceston where drivers were instructed to interfere with the horses of other trainers in order to advantage a stable mate. “Telling the driver to pretty much stay back in the field and hold other horses in, or not let other horses out. “To make sure that [the] horse with the most ability would be able to win,” said Jayden. “So it’s all about game plan — team driving.” Ben Yole declined an interview and did not provide answers to specific written questions from the ABC. However, a response from the trainer’s lawyer emphasised the rigorous scrutiny and regulation the stable is subjected to, and described the allegations as “patently false”. Focus on integrity Sal Perna is a former long-time Racing Victoria integrity commissioner. ABC News: Danielle Bonica Sal Perna is one of Australia’s leading authorities on sports integrity. His career includes stints on the AFL tribunal, The World Anti-Doping Agency’s independent ethics board and an 11-year tenure as Racing Victoria’s integrity commissioner. He believes a sharper focus should be placed on any horse race with multiple runners from the same stable. When you talk about integrity, there [are] so many vulnerabilities and so many aspects of it that can cause an issue — and having too many horses in one race could lead to that,” he says. “It will raise suspicions, and in the minds of the stewards, it will put them on alert and they’ll examine those races and [put] far more scrutiny on it than they would where there’s a number of trainers.” Mr Perna is no stranger to cases of race domination by one stable. “We had a case where a father and son won all the races in a particular meeting, and it just raises the observations, the attention and the focus the stewards have to have.” “It’s not necessarily a breach of the rules — but you do have to look at it and be more mindful about it.” In a statement, Tasracing said it did not accept that races where the majority of runners were from the same stable demanded more scrutiny. Despite this, the racing body says it was proposing an “equity in participation rule”, which would cap the number of horses entered in a race from any one stable. Tasmania’s racing minister, Madeleine Ogilvie, has admitted the state government is aware of claims against Yole Racing in relation to team driving and race fixing. Ms Ogilvie also said she had confidence in ORI (Office of Racing Integrity) to pursue allegations of race fixing. In February, stewards in Victoria laid charges against Mr Yole relating to allegations that two of his horses were found with high concentrations of arsenic, a prohibited substance, at race meets in 2022. Back home in Tasmania, the trainer brought the wrong horse to a meeting twice in the space of four months between late 2022 and early 2023, and was fined a total of $1,500. If intentional, the act is known as a ring-in, where a known slow horse is entered into a race, making sure the odds are high so there’s plenty of money to be won, then at the last minute, is swapped for a faster horse. Mr Yole told stewards both incidents involving the incorrect horse were accidental. A handful of Mr Yole’s drivers have been fined for minor offences on track, including a driver in February who was reprimanded for “calling out” to another stablemate during a race. Stewards are investigating another driver’s actions from the same month, after he was accused of interfering with the non-Yole favourite during a race at Launceston, which participants say advantaged the stablemate who went on to win. Participants alleged team-driving tactics were used to game another race at Hobart in January, in which the second non-Yole favourite appeared to be “boxed in” by a horse who ultimately placed last, in order to advantage a stablemate. After public pressure, stewards agreed to investigate the driver’s tactics but ultimately “declined to pursue the matter further”. But industry participants want a more substantive investigation, that encompasses the operations of the Office of Racing Integrity itself. “I would like to see federal police come and look at everything, every aspect of what’s been going on in harness racing,” Mr Rattray said. “And that’s not to say that everybody and everyone is guilty of an offence, but I just think there is such low morale, low confidence in what’s been happening, that I don’t believe anyone in the system at the moment can get a grip [on it].” Industrial racing As Mr Yole’s operation has grown, so has the amount of money wagered on Tasmanian harness racing. The code is now big business, with punters betting more than $130 million on Tasmanian trots last year — an explosion of 92 per cent over the past decade. A 15 per cent slice of that money, almost $20 million, goes to the Tasmanian government, which it says is used to fund animal welfare initiatives, increases in stake money and infrastructure. In 2022, harness racing received $9 million of government funding. The Tasmanian government claims the racing industry generates almost $200 million a year for the local economy, and supports nearly 6,000 participants. But off the track, there’s been a churn of chief executives, allegations of bullying and harassment and of mass dysfunction within the Office of Racing Integrity. Last year, the government announced a raft of changes off the back of a wide-ranging review by Victorian harness chief Dale Monteith, including the introduction of a newly created role of integrity commissioner, with increased powers. Legislation that would enforce the changes is yet to be presented in parliament. Kent Rattray said he thought long and hard about giving an interview with the ABC. “I spoke with my brother the other day and his granddaughter came and helped him,” he said. “And she’s keen as mustard, she does the pony trots. “She loves the horses and wants to be a driver like her dad. “But he said to me, he said, ‘I don’t know that we’ll have an industry for her to drive in if something doesn’t happen.’ “It’s not a happy place to go to anymore.” Credits Reporting: Chris Rowbottom, Jessica Moran, Charlotte King and Andy Burns Photography/Videography: Maren Preuss, Danielle Bonica and Monte Bovill Digital production/editor: Daniel Miller Graphic design: Paul Yeomans

ABC NewsSHARE Tasmanian government announces independent review into Yole racing stable race-fixing allegation By state political reporter Adam Langenberg Posted 6h ago6 hours ago, updated 50m ago50 minutes ago A neighbour says conditions at Ben Yole's stables at Sidmouth are "the worst I've ever seen". (ABC News: Maren Preuss) Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff announces an independent investigation after an ABC report on allegations of team driving and race fixing by the state's most prominent harness racing stable. Key points: The Tasmanian government says it has asked the Office of Racing Integrity to carefully review allegations of team driving and race fixing It says an "independent" review into the claims will also be conducted, with more details to be announced at 3pm RSPCA chief executive says an urgent overhaul of the state's "outdated" animal welfare legislation is needed On Sunday, an ABC investigation aired allegations of unusual races and betting patterns in races dominated by horses from trainer Ben Yole's stable, as well as concerns about animal welfare standards. Following the report, opposition Labor and Greens parties called for a review of the state's racing watchdog, the Office of Racing Integrity (ORI), and its handling of investigations. Industry insiders allege drivers from Mr Yole's stables work as a team to fix races, and claim the ORI has turned a blind eye to the problem. Today, Mr Rockliff told reporters the government was committed to an independent investigation, on top of asking the ORI to review all allegations reported by the ABC. In an earlier statement, Racing Minister Madeleine Ogilvie said she had asked the ORI to "immediately and carefully review" the claims in the ABC's report "to determine what additional investigations may be required". She said the ORI and its director of racing, Justin Helmich, were "well equipped to investigate allegations of rule breaches". Mr Rockliff's announcement of an independent probe goes a step further, and he said more details would be announced at 3pm AEDT by Ms Ogilvie. "We will be of course acting on the allegations that have been raised and ensuring independent review and investigation as well," he told a media event today. Racing Minister Madeleine Ogilvie has asked the Office of Racing Integrity to "immediately and carefully review" the allegations. (ABC News: Jordan Young) Reacting to allegations raised in the ABC report, opposition racing spokesman Dean Winter said it was the "darkest day for Tasmanian harness racing in many, many years", and the matters needed to be investigated "properly and fully". "These trainers do not make these allegations lightly," he said. "They are the most serious of allegations that have been made by the industry itself, because they've lost confidence in the Office of Racing Integrity to do its job." Through his lawyer, Ben Yole said the allegations were "patently false". (ABC News: Maren Preuss) Mr Winter said the majority of runners at harness racing meets coming from just the one stable, Yole Racing, had "hurt the code for many years" and he had no faith in the Office of Racing Integrity. "I was at the Burnie harness racing track when one of those races actually took place. I stood and spoke to participants afterwards who were bewildered; they had their mouths open, wondering how on earth that actually happened," he said. Labor politician Dean Winter says he was at one of the races that should have been investigated. (ABC News: Luke Bowden) "And we waited for an inquiry to be set up by the Office of Racing Integrity. And rather than setting up an inquiry, they did absolutely nothing despite what was clearly a case for any investigation there that day. "No-one could possibly have confidence in ORI after what's been done, and no-one could possibly have confidence in the minister." ORI lacking 'guts or capacity' to investigate, say Greens Greens leader Cassy O'Connor said the allegations were "very disturbing" and accused the Office of Racing Integrity of lacking "the guts or the capacity" to investigate it. Kent thought one race looked a bit 'strange'. But then it happened again One stable dominates the harness racing industry — sometimes fielding an entire race with its horses. Insiders warn unusual races and betting mean integrity officers need to act. Read more "Industry insiders have said they raised the alarm with Tasracing, they raised the alarm with stewards, got fobbed off, got nowhere," she said. "Tasracing and the Office of Racing Integrity don't have the courage to take on the big players in the racing industry and that's why we need here a thorough, independent investigation. "What's happened here is that our racing integrity bodies have allowed someone to get so big that they dominate the industry, that they are potentially able to influence the outcome of races, that they are too big to fail." ORI rejects claims of driver collusion The ORI refused to comment on individual races. It said it did not accept there was a serious risk of team driving if fields were dominated by one trainer, and that rules that prohibit driver collusion were actively regulated. A statement from a Tasracing spokesman said the organisation had faith the ORI had investigated the allegations of team driving and race fixing properly. Ms Ogilvie said in recent days that Tasracing had proposed to the racing industry an "equity in participation" rule. "[The rule] will see a limited number of horses able to be entered in pre-determined races from any one stable," she said. "The Office of Racing Integrity will also employ a betting analyst to assist across all three codes of racing, to provide 'real-time' access to information to assist stewards in their inquiries, as well as providing the opportunity to proactively review trends in relation to betting on Tasmanian racing." She said the government was preparing legislation to create a Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner with the power to set integrity and animal welfare standards, following an independent review of the state's racing regulations. Mr Yole was contacted for comment. A previous response from the trainer's lawyer emphasised the rigorous scrutiny and regulation the stable is subjected to, and described the allegations as "patently false". Calls for overhaul of 'outdated' legislation Horses at the Yole Racing stable near Sidmouth.(ABC News: Maren Preuss) Mr Yole's next-door neighbour and racing steward Janet Ainscow told the ABC the conditions at his Sidmouth stables were "probably the worst conditions I've ever seen horses kept in of any racing establishment I've visited", alleging horses were kept in dusty paddocks with nothing to eat but their own excrement. The stables have been subject to regular visits from both the Office of Racing Integrity and the RSPCA, with each saying no breaches of the rules of racing, or the 30-year-old Animal Welfare Act, had been identified. RSPCA chief executive Jan Davis wants an overhaul of the 30-year-old Animal Welfare Act. (Supplied: Jan Davis) RSPCA chief executive Jan Davis said legislative change was urgently needed. "There are limits to what we can investigate under the legislation," she said. "Whilst we had a few changes last year that upped our powers, the legislation is still not specific enough for us to be able to do the things that we think we need to be able to do. Get Tas alerts on the ABC News app Here are the steps to get breaking news alerts on the latest Tasmanian stories directly to your phone. 📱 Download the ABC News app — Apple App Store | Google Play "For example, it says things like appropriate shelter, adequate food and they're very subjective measures. As a charity with very little funding, it's very difficult for us to take on well-funded and quite significantly active groups to try and win that battle without some better back-up in the legislation. "The rules have changed, expectations have changed, everything's changed but our legislation lags behind that recognition." Government minister Roger Jaensch said the Office of Racing Integrity's powers included oversight of animal welfare and urged anyone with concerns that animals had been mistreated to contact the RSPCA.

Yeah and getting his wish to aid and abet the downfall of Tasmanian Harness Racing.

Legarto for my money. She can do things many horses can't and win from impossible positions.

JMac stuffed the ride up in the first one.

TAB NZ names preferred partner New Zealand Racing Desk@nzracingnews12:38pm New Zealand racing (Image: Trish Dunell) TAB NZ has announced Entain as its preferred partner for a 25-year strategic arrangement, subject to ministerial approval. The statutory entity and sole holder of a betting licence in New Zealand, TAB NZ has faced increasing competition, rising costs, capital constraints and other challenges, which have impacted its ability to deliver adequate funding to racing and sports, with no sign of those challenges abating. The board and management of TAB NZ considered that it was in the best interests of the entity and its stakeholders to explore a strategic partnering arrangement with a world-class international wagering operator to deliver its wagering and broadcast functions in order to achieve its growth ambitions. Over the past six months, TAB NZ has engaged with a range of international operators in relation to a strategic partnering arrangement and received several compelling proposals. It has been supported through the process out of Australia by Barrenjoey Capital Partners as sole financial adviser and Allens as principal legal advisers, while Chapman Tripp provided legal advice in New Zealand. Following a detailed assessment of a number of proposals which were received, TAB NZ on Monday announced that it has selected Entain, the parent company of well-known bookmaking brands Ladbrokes, Neds and Betstar, as its preferred partner for a 25-year strategic partnering arrangement. The proposed strategic arrangement remains subject to approval by Minister for Racing Kieran McAnulty. The specific terms of the arrangement remain commercially confidential until approval is granted. Entain was selected as the preferred partner based on a wide range of criteria, including operational expertise, cultural alignment with TAB NZ and the commitment of the partner to uplifting TAB NZ's harm minimisation and responsible gambling efforts. TAB NZ CEO Mike Tod said the announcement signals an important step in boosting the fortunes of racing, sport and communities for a generation. "TAB NZ faced an uncertain future in a David-and-Goliath battle with international wagering operators and a lack of capital to both compete and meet its potential," Tod said. "Today's announcement is a significant milestone toward the transformation of TAB NZ and those who rely upon its growth and long-term success. In the absence of a strategic partnering arrangement, TAB NZ would be further cutting distributions in the next financial year. "This proposed strategic arrangement with Entain provides a certain, material and immediate uplift in the funding TAB NZ can provide New Zealand racing and sports, ensuring that these industries not only survive, but thrive. "It will allow us to greatly improve our harm minimisation and responsible gambling efforts and provides immediate job security and long-term job creation in New Zealand to the advancement of our nation at large. "Entain is a global and world-class operator who will deliver industry best practice and an elevated and safe experience for New Zealand punters, as well as racing and sports fans. We are deeply excited by their commitment to New Zealand and this opportunity." TAB NZ Chairman Mark Stewart said the board is unanimously supportive of the proposed strategic partnering arrangement. "Management and the board ran a robust process that attracted the interest of some of the best wagering operators in the world and have delivered a result that will benefit all our stakeholders for a generation," Stewart said. "It's a credit to our chief executive officer and his team for the result they have delivered and to our stakeholders in racing and sport for the way in which they have supported this process." Entain's CEO of Australian operations, Dean Shannon, said the company is excited to be selected by TAB NZ as its preferred partner. "This is a unique opportunity to shape the future wagering experience for customers and to support New Zealand's racing and sporting industries," he said. "We have a compelling vision for the future of TAB NZ, which includes a renewed focus on innovation and technology and a long-term commitment to all racing, sport and industry stakeholders. "As the partner of choice for New Zealand, we have made a firm commitment to employment continuity for at least 24 months, with the team at TAB NZ essential to our future vision and growth of the market in New Zealand. "We applaud TAB NZ for how the process has been run to date and we look forward to working with all stakeholders on necessary approvals to finalise the transaction." The key benefits of proposed strategic arrangement with Entain include: • The guaranteed funding to TAB NZ of greater than NZ$1.0 billion in the first five years to support the revitalisation of the racing industry with material upside over the life of the arrangement; • It significantly strengthens the financial position of TAB NZ by facilitating an upfront payment to racing and sports, in addition to an increase in future payments over time relative to TAB NZ's current trajectory of funding reductions; • Additional and significant upfront payment should legislation be enacted that prevents unlicensed offshore operators from providing wagering services in New Zealand; • It is also a commitment to provide a world-class and industry best practice wagering, retail and broadcast offering to Kiwi customers as well as racing and sports fans; and • Additional support to the Racing industry, including a NZ$10 million sponsorship of an enhanced racing carnival and the establishment of other community linked initiatives.

Are you suggesting all the horses should be retired because racing is too stressful? BTW you can get a drug positive for administering a legal drug that improves the health of a horse. Sometimes trainers push the withholding period a tad close or a horses metabolism is not the same as the average horse or both.

It's all published on the RIB site. Why make a news item out of it?

Mmmmm I'm surprised you aren't doing an @Archie Butterfly

Why is it newsworthy for HRNZ?

Should have been two straight in OZ but she monstered them in this Group 1.