Quote Originally Posted by Smoken View Post
If the manufacturer is at fault, then it will be found out, but that still doesn't explain the unprofessionalism on what happened on Sat night. This all could have been prevented, from that Thursday that they decided for some strange reason to look into this rumour. Did they forget that more trainers use these sulkys, and the big guns would be using them on Sat night?
Yep, I'm sounding like a parrot, but just because they are stewards, that doesn't mean they did not use common sense on Sat night, because & they didn't thoroughly investigate this rumour! If you investigate it, you might as well do it thoroughly, not just on some sulkys.
I wonder if this rumour was true, how many other rumours could be true, but HRV brush them off... Why did this tip off warrant for it to be looked at, even though very poorly.
Makes you seriously wonder! Harness will be last of the racing codes for many years to come at this rate!
I believe given the resources available (very limited) the did what they should have done by investigating a line of enquiry at the first available opportunity - Thursday - found nothing and given that result were not alarmed. Had they found one on Thursday different story. The number of rumours that stewards receive are significant, they have to use some judgement as to what resources they employ and what they check out vs what they don't. Har does not have the resources of the gallops, but it's no surprise that some of the best gallops stewards came from the trots. Most participants would not understand the large number of jobs performed by stewards on race day - it is significant.

Credit to them that they kept going at the next available opportunity and found something. Participants are required to play within the rules, Trainers have a responsibility to race horses in approved gear. Not the stewards fault here in my opinion.