Davis Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 (edited) Harness racing's greatest knocker Press writer Van Beyond has another kick in the guts for harness racing. This time about the Blair Orange breath test failure. To further stick the knife in, he also brings up McGrath and M. Kerr. More bad news for harness racing. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/racing/124044652/top-harness-driver-pinged-for-excess-alcohol-before-race-meeting Top harness driver pinged for excess alcohol before race meeting Martin Van Beynen One of New Zealand’s top harness racing drivers is one of two facing charges after failing pre-race alcohol tests at a Canterbury race meeting. Blair Orange and Bob Butt were breathalysed and found to be over the permitted limit at a meeting of the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club at Motukarara Raceway, near Christchurch, on January 24. Drivers must test under 100 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath to comply with harness racing rules. In New Zealand, the alcohol limit for motor vehicle drivers aged 20 years and over is 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath and the blood alcohol limit is 50 milligrams (mg) per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood. Orange was scheduled to drive in seven races and Butt, who is also a trainer, in two. They were stood down and other drivers took their places for the races. The Racing Integrity Unit has filed charges against the drivers with the Judicial Control Authority (JCA) and is expected to hear the charges in about a week. Orange hung up when he was approached for comment. Butt did not respond to messages. Orange is one of the country’s foremost harness racing drivers and in a 25-year career has driven more than 2100 winners, with the wins collecting more than $25 million in prize money. Butt has driven 49 winners and garnered about $500,000 in prize money. The alleged breaches are a bad start to the harness racing year after a 2020 plagued with a series of scandals. Canterbury trainer Mitchell Kerr handed in his training licence in November last year over allegations of fraudulent behaviour regarding horses he trained. He is facing charges laid by the Racing Integrity Unit with a hearing expected next month. Nigel McGrath, another promising driver and trainer, was banned from harness racing for eight years last year after an incident in which he was allegedly caught doping a horse. Edited January 25, 2021 by Davis spelling errors 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brodie Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 (edited) What the hell has made this Martin Van Beynon such a hater of harness racing does anyone at all know? The plonker obviously sits there on his computer ready to tap away Every time someone in the industry does something! Some will say that he is just printing the news, but FFS he is totally over the top every time. He is out to castigate everyone involved in harness for some unknown reason, and the indiscretion on a national scale is minute but he wants to try and ruin participants lives!!!!!!! Harness participants are not role models as far as I am concerned, so why is he wanting to eff some lives! Martin Van Beynon how about you write about the injustices that the NZ TAB are putting in place on their loyal customers?? Edited January 25, 2021 by Brodie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enteebee Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Its not Van Beynons fault - Orange and Butt are repeat offenders and it isnt good enough - harness racing get off light in comparison to throughbred jockey penalties. 4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Cant knock I a news reporter for reporting the news.At least he has mentioned it and not like harness racing scribes and kept it quiet. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 20 minutes ago, Enteebee said: Its not Van Beynons fault - Orange and Butt are repeat offenders and it isnt good enough - harness racing get off light in comparison to throughbred jockey penalties. Eh?! How do you work that out? It has nothing to do with HRNZ. The RIU are the Police for all three codes and the JCA are the judiciary. Don't forget not too many weeks ago it was NZ's Champion Jockey, Chris Johnson who got caught the same way. Not sure that Van Beyon did the same sort of article. In saying that I think the rule is an ass. Johnson was able to legally drive a truck float full of horses to the races but not ride them! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enteebee Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 4 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Eh?! How do you work that out? It has nothing to do with HRNZ. The RIU are the Police for all three codes and the JCA are the judiciary. 5 days is about 2 weeks (5 racing days) - look at the jockey penalties - a lot more severe and I never said it was HRNZ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 2 minutes ago, Enteebee said: 5 days is about 2 weeks (5 racing days) - look at the jockey penalties - a lot more severe and I never said it was HRNZ Interesting,big difference in penalties.Saying that Blair would drive more in a week than.most of these would have ridden in 3 months 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 4 minutes ago, Enteebee said: 5 days is about 2 weeks (5 racing days) - look at the jockey penalties - a lot more severe and I never said it was HRNZ Your evidence doesn't support your assertion. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 2 minutes ago, Richie said: Interesting,big difference in penalties.Saying that Blair would drive more in a week than.most of these would have ridden in 3 months You are comparing a different level of Jockey. Are we aware yet what the Butt and Orange penalty is? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 6 minutes ago, Richie said: Interesting,big difference in penalties.Saying that Blair would drive more in a week than.most of these would have ridden in 3 months Yes and that is taken into consideration. Any recent comparison should be with the 8 weeks CWJ got. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 12 minutes ago, Enteebee said: 5 days is about 2 weeks (5 racing days) - look at the jockey penalties - a lot more severe and I never said it was HRNZ Your relatively detailed response was quick off the mark. I'm interested to know if you had pre-prepared it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 44 minutes ago, Enteebee said: Its not Van Beynons fault - Orange and Butt are repeat offenders and it isnt good enough - harness racing get off light in comparison to throughbred jockey penalties. Too right. Can not blame the media 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enteebee Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 4 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Your relatively detailed response was quick off the mark. I'm interested to know if you had pre-prepared it? it was from the recent Chris Johnson case - just a snip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davis Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 25 minutes ago, Richie said: Cant knock I a news reporter for reporting the news.At least he has mentioned it and not like harness racing scribes and kept it quiet. I know Press journos who are real piss heads, some have lost their driving licenses due to excessive blood alcohol. Does Von Beynon write about them? Of course he is entitled to report this but he's always overly negative concerning harness racing. Why did he need to mention McGrath and M. Kerr in this story? Those two blokes got nothing to do with this case. Von Beynon puts the boot into harness racing any chance he gets... 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 47 minutes ago, Enteebee said: Its not Van Beynons fault - Orange and Butt are repeat offenders and it isnt good enough - harness racing get off light in comparison to throughbred jockey penalties. just looked up some old records and see your Oamaru trainer records are not squeaky clean 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 1 minute ago, Enteebee said: it was from the recent Chris Johnson case - just a snip Fair enough but it isnt exactly comparing apples with apples is it. For example Crozier was over 400mg granted he was just a trainer. The penalties take into consideration the loss of drives (rides), alcohol reading and earning capacity. 5 driving days for Blair Orange could be over 50 drives. The others mentioned in your list would be lucky to have got 50 rides in a season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Chapo Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 You can drive a car under 250 mg/ litre of blood Reading was 190 mg/litre of blood 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongOwner Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Enteebee said: Its not Van Beynons fault - Orange and Butt are repeat offenders and it isnt good enough - harness racing get off light in comparison to throughbred jockey penalties. This is an internal witch hunt by industry participants. Likely gypsy bottom fielder trainers who cannot drive or train. JEALOUS stitchers who are no good.. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 3 minutes ago, El Chapo said: You can drive a car under 250 mg/ litre of blood Reading was 190 mg/litre of blood about time Riu is disbanded of ex cops 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karrots Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 OMG I being borderline Pig Monster, cause I said I was out, now I’m posting again. Whippy whack me with you whip! I deserve it. I’m still in spell paddock, but I heard neighing in next door paddock and wonder WHAT UP? DO YOU THINK THAT THIS JOURNO JUST HAPPENED TO FIND THIS OUT BY SCROLLING THRU ALL THE GALLOP/HARNESS STRIPES REPORTS ON A DAILY BASIS? OR DO YOU THINK HE WAS READING BOAY HARNESS AND SAW THIS?! Oh thank-good ness I didn’t post fully about Bird story rumour. I gotta smack myself & be like no more reading BOAY until Friday KARROTS. Over and out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongOwner Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 41 minutes ago, Enteebee said: 5 days is about 2 weeks (5 racing days) - look at the jockey penalties - a lot more severe and I never said it was HRNZ The bush lawyer who loves shitting on hard working people . Are you a failed driver / trainer ! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 1 minute ago, LongOwner said: The bush lawyer who loves shitting on hard working people . Are you a failed driver / trainer ! owns syndicate horses half a percent share lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 I mean c'mon guys and gals, it was only time until this hit the news. As they say the world hasnt got worse the news has just got juicer gossip. They aren't going to write stories of good like Matt Purvis having his best season yet, they will write a negative story to get the click bait going 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enteebee Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 22 minutes ago, hunterthepunter said: just looked up some old records and see your Oamaru trainer records are not squeaky clean yes - the dodgy vet who doped Sundon without telling Fred Fletcher didnt wash his hands - and thats rich coming from the biggest cheating stable supporter - 1 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enteebee Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 8 minutes ago, LongOwner said: The bush lawyer who loves shitting on hard working people . Are you a failed driver / trainer ! more McGrath supporters - the cheats are going to lose 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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