Always back the horse named self-interest, son. It'll be the only one trying
19-year-old Victorian reinsman Ryan Backhouse was suspended for 7 days and fined $100 for using the whip or rein in an unapproved manner on Rio Rock in the 1st race at Mildura on the 26th of February. It seemed a harsh penalty because there was nothing in it. Take a look. Backhouse is in the […]
We have been writing a lot about cobalt positive swabs lately, predominantly because we’ve been struck by the huge differences in penalties being applied by Stewards in different states for identical offences. In Queensland we have seen a number of trainers escape with fines or suspended sentences after their horses have thrown positive swabs to […]
USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA Social Media should not be used for any of the following: To publish or make comments that are detrimental to the harness racing industry or any of its members. To direct abuse or inappropriate comments about other individuals or organisations that participate in the harness racing industry. – HRV Social Media Policy It seems […]
We couldn’t find the points scoring rules and conditions for the Australian Women’s Drivers Championship held at Launceston yesterday published anywhere, so this article has been written based on the Australian Drivers Championship (ADC) rules published on the HRA website. Click to access aust-driving-champ-rules.pdf Under these rules Western Australia’s Deni Roberts (pictured) has won the […]
The $2.1 million Eureka is the richest harness race in the world. Is it the best? No, it’s not even in the top ten in the Southern Hemisphere, let alone in the world. The AG Hunter Cup, Victoria Cup, Miracle Mile, Chariots of Fire, Blacks a Fake, Sunshine Sprint, NSW and VIC Derbies, NZ Derby, […]
Last night’s heats of the 3yo Vicbred Super Series at Kilmore shone a spotlight on everything that is wrong with Victorian harness racing. Here are the two major areas of concern. Unaffordability of the Series There were eight heats run, four for the males and four for the females. They carried total prizemoney of $10 […]
In February of this year Victorian trot trainer Paul Cauchi was convicted in the Sunbury Magistrates court on counts of failing to provide veterinary care to two horses, and aggravated cruelty to the pair. Cauchi’s offending was particularly egregious. One of the victim horses had two catastrophically fractured legs and burn lesions to both; the […]
The way the fallout from Ray Murrihy’s damning findings about Ben Yole being a doper, a race fixer, and an animal abuser is being handled is like watching a circus. Neither the Tassie government, nor the Office of Racing Integrity or the Racing Director gave the principal racing authority TasRacing a copy of Murrihy’s findings […]
The Controlling Body or Stewards may reject a nomination without assigning any reason Australian Harness Racing Rule 23(1)(13) As you can see above, the principal racing authorities in each State – HRNSW, HRV, HRSA, RWAA and Racing QLD or the QRIC – and/or the Stewards in each of those jurisdictions has the right to reject […]
The final Term of Reference (ToR 7) provides opportunity to advise on other matters relevant to horse welfare, team driving and race fixing. On the basis of relevancy, this review believes that fierce competition on the racetrack is the industry’s best safeguard against team driving and race fixing. Therefore this review would be remiss not […]
