Tasmania’s racing integrity workplace had grievance of alleged race fixing in opposition to Yole Racing, courting again to 2016
- In brief: An ABC investigation earlier this yr regarded into allegations in opposition to Tasmania’s main harness racing steady, however Proper to Data paperwork now present the state’s integrity workplace knew about complaints for years.
- What’s subsequent? An impartial inquiry into the dealing with of allegations in opposition to Yole Racing is predicted at hand down its findings on the finish of June.
Tasmania’s Workplace of Racing Integrity was conscious of allegations of race fixing and group driving in opposition to main harness coach Ben Yole as early as 2016, seven years earlier than an ABC investigation.
Proper to Data (RTI) paperwork obtained by the Tasmanian Greens reveal a complete of 19 complaints have been made to the Workplace of Racing Integrity in regards to the Yole Racing operation and the way it has been handled by racing authorities since 2016.
They vary from alleged group driving and animal welfare issues, to issues regarding stewarding and horse eligibility.
Staff driving typically refers to a prohibited race tactic, the place drivers from the identical steady intentionally keep again or block different horses as a part of plan to let a selected horse win.
The RTI paperwork present a grievance was made in opposition to Mr Yole, with regard to alleged race fixing, in 2016, with an extra grievance regarding group driving made in Might 2022 and one other in February this yr.
The Might 2022 grievance raised issues “… {that a} rider had stated they have been not driving for Ben Yole, as a result of he had suggested on who to let go previous, and who to dam”.
The paperwork say that, “when approached, the rider in query declined to verify this declare”.
The February grievance raised issues in regards to the driving of a horse, Priddy Chic, suggesting it was getting used for group driving.
It’s unclear who made the complaints specified within the doc, however the doc numbers the complainants from “complainant 1” to “complainant 12”.
In state parliament on Thursday, Racing Minister Madeleine Ogilvie stated the 2016 grievance about race fixing had been investigated by former New South Wales integrity supervisor Ray Murrihy on the time.
Mr Murrihy is now enterprise an impartial investigation of harness racing in Tasmania, after an ABC investigation uncovered allegations of group driving and animal welfare issues in opposition to Yole Racing in March.
Ben Yole strenuously denied all allegations uncovered by the ABC.
The RTI paperwork present a grievance from 2019 was in regards to the situation of standardbred horse Actual Duchess, however the “RSPCA investigated and have been happy that there was no offence regarding the grievance”.
One other grievance from 2022 particulars issues about “overcrowding, lack of safety from the weather and the variety of horses that have been deceased from the Yole Racing steady since 2017-18”.
Ms Ogilvie instructed parliament that the RTI paperwork didn’t embody details about how a number of the complaints have been dealt with.
“I am suggested that in lots of, many circumstances the allegations listed have been handled,” she stated.
She stated Mr Yole’s stables have been inspected often by the Workplace of Racing Integrity and his property was inspected fortnightly by stewards.
“I am suggested that every one inspections and audits of the coach have discovered that the coach is compliant with the foundations of racing.”
She stated the RSPCA had additionally undertaken inspections and decided the circumstances didn’t breach the Animal Welfare Act.
Mr Murrihy is predicted at hand down the findings from his inquiry on the finish of June.
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