Is Industry scandal over hyped?

Given breaking Revelations in the Harness Racing Industry indicating that the drug related charges relate to the human use of drugs and are not related to Equine abuse, is this whole scandal been over blown and miss-represented. Here is a letter to the editor that I believe sums up the present situation. (Editor)

To the Editor

I presume that most of you have read of the ongoing investigation and charging of many big name New Zealand harness racing drivers, trainers, and participants. I am sure that most are shocked by the names currently at the center of this inquiry, and share my consternation as to how such industry leaders could risk throwing away the benefits earned thru years of hard work and struggle, efforts that have elevated them to the pinnacle of New Zealand’s harness racing’s driving and training colonies. At this point, though, I suggest that we all take a step back, exhale, and keep an open mind as to what REALLY has happened, rather than reacting wildly to unsubstantiated, under explained police assertions.

Having had quite a few horses trained by Nigel McGrath in recent years, perhaps I am biased. I have found Nigel to be a man of integrity, with a fierce work ethic, intelligence, a good sense of humor, and few unnecessary words. I am unaware that he has ever gambled. I am skeptical that such an individual would willingly and knowingly participate in race fixing, thereby risking all he has so diligently worked for.

I therefore feel compelled to ask exactly what are the charges? The police have deliberately cultivated a scenario suggesting widespread industry collusion, involving drugs, and with an aim at fixing races for monetary gain. The industry press has been quick to assume police assertions to be true – although they are currently unexplained and unsubstantiated- and have predicted dire industry results which their own negativity is helping to effectuate! We need to stop this precipitous rush to pre-judgement, and wait to hear exactly what crimes are being charged.

Are the charges asserting a coordinated conspiracy behind the charged individuals’ actions, or are the authorities merely jumping on a few isolated races where wiretapping has uncovered something nefarious? Are the drug charges being referred to merely accusations of individual, human abuses, perhaps criminal in nature, or are they assertions that the accused used drugs on horses or sold them for use on horses?

If at the end of the day, we are looking at individual drug abuses and sales unrelated to use on horses, and at a few isolated instances of inexcusable race fixing, then we are looking at a sad and limited situation, but nothing of the scope implied by recent police implications and inferences drawn by trade press. Remember also that phone taps can catch poorly phrased, but innocuous, comments that under scrutiny by non racing investigators can be interpreted in nefarious but unintended ways! How many times does a trainer have multiple horses in a race and, when speaking to an owner, say “your horse is a lock, don’t worry about my others!”? Is that statement suggestive of a desire to hold a horse back or just that the other horses are weaker and non threatening?

Perhaps we need a return to the old days when all horses trained by the same trainer in a race were coupled, regardless of ownership. That way a lot of issues might disappear! The notion that a trainer/driver must try aggressively to win at every start with every horse is ludicrous! Good handicappers always figure into the equation classification issues, upcoming stakes, time off, and a myriad of other factors that militate for a “soft” trip, staying on the rail, etc…..and team driving – very common in these days of multiple horse trainer entries – occurs all the time, everywhere!

I do not mean to imply that these charges are frivolous or fraudulent. Neither I nor anyone really knows any facts or detailed assertions yet. I merely urge everyone to keep an open mind, to remember that people we are jumping to vilify today were our hero’s and friends yesterday, that pre judgement of them facilitates the same of us in the future. We should be slow to assert an inter connectivity that has yet to be proven. 

We should also be skeptical of police assertions followed by police requests for anyone knowing anything illegal going on in racing to step up and pass them on to the police! That creates open season for every disgruntled better, every unhinged or bitter individual to throw mud regardless of merit….one might ask oneself why police are making such a request, and what it suggests about the strength of their case.

One last point. It is not unimaginable that after 17 months of investigation, wiretapping, raids, and significant costs in manpower and money, that authorities might feel compelled to exaggerate their findings, to find evil where none may exist, to imply much larger scope of discovery than has really been achieved…..
I am afraid that innocent people will have their lives destroyed if we as both individuals and an industry fail to keep an open mind at this time, fail to push for details supporting all police claims! If anyone race fixed, they should be banned, and for a long time. The police deserve our support and respect,But let’s require proof – and analyze the strength of that proof – before we assume guilt and precipitate the further demise of the industry we all love!

Gordon Banks

Owner and breeder in New Zealand, Australia and The United States