The ABC story on Tassie Racing has been released

[Messenger]

PeterProfit writes that all harness racing fans need to tune into the 7.30 Report on the ABC tonight

(The above first line is due to the title of this thread being changed)

[Showgrounds]

Even I will watch the turgid 7:30 report as I once loved Tassie trots but now recognise it as cancerous to the entire industry.

True to form, the "nuffin ta see here" defence is out before the 7:30 Report.

https://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/tasmania-harness-racing-industry-abuse-claims-ben-yole-racing-denies-poor-treatment-of-horses/news-story/14c4063ac76c3930cd878d0ebb67f597

[Messenger]

Nothing on 7.30 report tonight

Unfortunately The Mercury is behind a paywall. (How can every newspaper think we can afford to subscribe to them all - there has to be some collective deal)

You can see the following without paying

[Showgrounds]

Well, that's a half-hour of my life I'll never get back. Nothing whatsoever about Tas trots, just Sarah Henderson's excellent impersonation of a bullying headmistress.

Oh dear, it wasn't an impersonation.

[Showgrounds]

Nothing on 7.30 report tonight

Unfortunately The Mercury is behind a paywall. (How can every newspaper think we can afford to subscribe to them all - there has to be some collective deal)

You can see the following without paying

My link above takes you straight to the Mercury story without the pay wall.

[aussiebreno]

My link above takes you straight to the Mercury story without the pay wall.

Nope

[Showgrounds]

Nope

Gee, it did for me when I just opened it.

[Messenger]

Well, that's a half-hour of my life I'll never get back. Nothing whatsoever about Tas trots, just Sarah Henderson's excellent impersonation of a bullying headmistress.

Oh dear, it wasn't an impersonation.

Yes, the way she framed her questions (attacks) to the Russian ambassador were so unprofessional

[Messenger]

The ABC story on Tassie Harness Racing has been released

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-26/ben-yole-harness-racing-dominance-in-tasmania/102122922

Not a good look

[Danno]

I'm not about to defend nor convict anyone, but I will say the ABC has carefully edited the story to the point I think it lacks credibility.

[Danno]

Anyone remember "Destreos" ??

[Showgrounds]

The Hunter Valley is along way from Tassie, Danno, but I can smell the stench from across Bass Straight.

This has been a long time coming and it has arrived solely due to Tas Racing's and the Tasmanian Government's failure to act. Failure to act and subsequent cover-ups become the story, unfortunately.

[thepacingman]

Anyone remember "Destreos" ??

I think you're getting the Rattrays mixed up.

Ken trained Destreos until he got rubbed out. Then partner Sally took over. She owned the horse.
Kent is the one quoted in the article.
Guess they'll be related somehow.

[Showgrounds]

Nothing on the 7:30 Report tonight, either. Just pumping the tyres on animal activists at the expense of pork producers and The Headmistress bullying the state opposition leader.

In the meantime:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-27/calls-for-urgent-investigation-into-ben-yole-stable-allegations/102148132

[Messenger]

The Office of Racing Integrity (ORI) might now get the hint that people expect more from them - the Minister 'now' seems to (amazing what a bit of adverse media prompts)

[Theoldfox]

if you prefer the video version to avoid reading it can be found here. Runs for almost 5 mins.


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-26/allegations-of-race-fixing-levelled-at-harness-stable/102147648

This is a video version of the original ABC story but not as comprehensive (It is not the latest news posted by Showgrounds)

[Messenger]

I think you're getting the Rattrays mixed up.

Ken trained Destreos until he got rubbed out. Then partner Sally took over. She owned the horse.
Kent is the one quoted in the article.
Guess they'll be related somehow.

Just to make things more confusing the power point presentation style ABC story (see post 9) identifies an interviewee as Kent Rattray
The video version of the same story (see post 16) labels him as Ken Rattray

[aussiebreno]

Haven't fact checked so taking on face value. 92% increase in punting on Tas harness in past decade.

All Yole/Yole-connected money? Have to think there would be some drop-off from rank and file and pro punters with Yole dominating race fields, so I'd love to know how much Yoles are punting.

[Messenger]

I think there are a lot more pro punters out there than we realize. I would doubt it would be anywhere near half Yole money - you don't bet just to win back your own money. At a HRA microsoft teams meeting I was surprised to hear a pro who has followers say his gang bet $500k a week across all codes (I think that was it - if I was home I could check my notes) and he said it as if they were just medium players

[Showgrounds]

I think there are a lot more pro punters out there than we realize. I would doubt it would be anywhere near half Yole money - you don't bet just to win back your own money. At a HRA microsoft teams meeting I was surprised to hear a pro who has followers say his gang bet $500k a week across all codes (I think that was it - if I was home I could check my notes) and he said it as if they were just medium players

We are not talking wìn and place punters, either.

[aussiebreno]

But a 92% increase would be heavily against the trend in other jurisdictions. Why would pros turn their hand to a market Yole has most runners?

[Showgrounds]

Money, money, money!

[aussiebreno]

Money, money, money!

For a pro not connected to the Yole stable how are they making more money from Tas rather than a different jurisdiction?

Why are pros driving a 92% increase when other jurisdictions are flat and other jurisdictions don't have the team driving risk?

[Messenger]

I have never studied Tas harness Brendan. The pros must be seeing something in 'their' favour. Maybe Yole favourites get rolled more than they should and the pros are finding value. It is likely that they are working off statistics and betting according to algorithms which may favour races with multi runners from a stable. I have heard of a gallops commentator who bets on international womens volleyball as that is where he has found an edge. It is funny that we think that everybody in horse racing loves horses - not so, to many it is simply the punt

[aussiebreno]

Maybe more needs to be done to help Emma Stewart to fill up more race fields in Vic to boost turnover ;)

[Messenger]

PP still on the Yole stable, has chosen the 8th of March, 2020 meet to highlight the fate that besets his runners

He suggests that:
12 are Alive
8 are registered as Dead
13 are presumed Dead
2 are Missing
3 have Transferred Stable

[broncobrad]

Well they've enlisted Ray Murrihy "The Sheriff" to oversee the Independent investigation. Surely that must offer some hope to industry participants in Tassie.