Race Fixing Arrests over Airborne Magic's Cobram win

[Messenger]

And the 'mud' gets used against us Dan. There is plenty of mud that can be thrown at the gallops too but instead they are loved by the media. It is so bloody sad that some do not see what they are doing to the industry - holding it back. For all the threads we have on Big Ideas, if harness produce any it will be interesting to see how much dirt is thrown when we try to promote them - so far I think the Inter developments look promising, fingers crossed.

In another thread, Katie was talking about the Everest in comparison to The Victoria Cup on Saturday. We do not have a media presence - I am certain not 1% of Victorians would know what the Victoria Cup is (much less the whole of Australia), let alone know that it was on at Melton last Saturday. If you were to retrospectively go out and survey Victorians and ask them "What event was held in Melton last Saturday" you would not find 1% knew even if you asked "What race was held in Melton last Saturday"

I won't have a bar of our Integrity Officers once again applauding Shayne Cramp in this month's Integrity Matters - only a fool would not show remorse after being caught. If you want to impress this reader - find me the story of a participant that has never been rubbed out for anything serious and let them tell us how/why they have avoided temptation.

I had a trainer pm me recently and lament the choice/records of some of the trainers we have as mentors nowadays - he had loads of ammunition

[KTQ]

Like someone said on Twitter, trainers shouldnt put them on their horses. If you do, you're as bad as they are

[Messenger]

With their revised licensing policy it would seem as though HRV would have a lot more power eg

1.1. Section 45 of the Racing Act 1958 allows the Board of Harness
Racing Victoria (HRV) to, amongst other things, register, refuse to
register or deregister any harness club, horse, owner, trainer, driver
or rider in accordance with the rules of HRV (Rules).
1.2. Part 4 of the Rules relates to licensing of participants by HRV.
1.3. HRV may by licence regulate any activity connected with the
harness racing industry [Rule 90(1)] and may require such
documentation, information or fees as it determines to accompany
any application for a licence [Rule 90(2)].
1.4. HRV may grant a licence for such period and upon such terms and
conditions as it thinks fit, and may refuse a licence without assigning
any reason whatsoever [Rules 90(4) & (5)].
1.5. HRV or the Stewards may vary the type, grade or class of a licence
held by a person [Rule 90(7)].
1.6. Ultimately, the grant or otherwise of a licence is at the discretion of HRV

10.2. HRV may determine that a licensed person no longer meets the
specific eligibility criteria or requirements applicable to the category of
licence or registration held by the person, including the Suitability
Criteria.
10.3. Given it is a condition of registration that a participant continues to
meet the Suitability Criteria while licensed, a consequence of a
determination by HRV that a person no longer meets the Suitability
Criteria is that the person's licence automatically lapses, and the
person becomes deregistered, until such time as the applicant is able
to demonstrate to HRV, in its sole discretion, that he or she meets
the Suitability Criteria.


http://www.harness.org.au/media-room...?news_id=38620

[Messenger]

With this new policy, some might consider Nathan Jack and Mark Pitt very fortunate to be driving winners on Cranbourne Cup night

[gutwagon]

Will all be useless if VCAT just overturn the decisions ! Will be interesting to see what happens when the new policy kicks in on 1 December. I can think of a few people I would be kicking out .

[Messenger]

I think VCAT can now only rule on penalty not verdict - if the verdict is No license, I cannot see VCAT being able to alter that penalty

[gutwagon]

10.8.
Decisions of HRV which relate to occupational racing licences, as
that term is defined
in Part IIIC of the
Racing Act 1958
,
including a
decision to refuse an application for a licence or a decision to revoke
such a licence,
may be reviewed by the Victorian Civil and
Administrative Tribunal (
VCAT
).

This part could make it all useless. VCAT doesn't like HRV having the final say.

[Messenger]

I see what you mean

[Danno]

The ridiculous aspect of all of this is that in the "old days" guilty or not they would have been found so ( in my humble opinion, based on the race footage alone) given a holiday of 6 to 12 months and by now it would all be history.

I don't know what the answer is, but it is giving me a major dose that this is being dragged out time and time again, providing unnecessary opportunities to others to bag our game.

[djgood]

maybe its time for contracts instead of licences ,- if you are found guilty of .... then your barred for 12 months Etc.
or maybe the U.S way where jurisdictions have not let people of certain reputation race on their tracks ,
it be good to see NSW say we will not allow the 3 people found guilty in this case are not allowed to race permanently , unless cleared of all charges