Taku Umanga

How many times? It only takes one for a race-fixing charge. Not hard to make a horse look unlucky and come up with some bullshit excuse for the owners (and stipes) ....

Rubbish - if those two drivers were on favored runners and conspired to make sure those runners did not finish in the first three it would be easier for a trifecta punter to get a healthy dividend by excluding them if that punter was "in the know". Surely you understand that fixing a race needn't mean winning that race?

https://www.star.kiwi/2018/09/media-personality-caught-up-in-horse-racing-investigation/

Agreed - what happens if award winners are found guilty of race-fixing? Will they be stripped of the honor?

One pill wouldn't be enough to substantiate a supplying charge. Can't be in contempt of court if those reported on haven't appeared in court.

Some of those involved chose to respond to the media questions about the investigation. Surely that gives said media the right to report on those responses - or are you saying those people are naive enough to think things would be "off the record"?

I think you have to take the $$ figures mentioned "with a grain of salt". On one charge the $1400 may be an exact figure, but the "over $1000" may be just a threshold for the exact charge laid ..... that is, a lesser penalty may be for a charge "under $1000" and greater penalty for a charge "over $1000" .....

Not officially .... but yep

Anyone convicted of race fixing should receive a lifetime ban for corrupt practice. I'd even go further and say that any foreign national convicted of supplying drugs should face deportation.

MDMA is Class B

With the amount of media coverage this has received, all those charged should have their licences suspended until they are proven not guilty. HRNZ has the power to do so. That is the only way that the industry will claw back any form of respect in the eyes of the general public.

My gut tells me that your worries about the 41 year old female are correct

How so - if the information was passed onto Police and an investigation ongoing for the last 18 months, surely the RIU has been doing their job?

Programmed for October 26 at Auckland 4 - UP TO & INCLUDING R65 MOBILE TROT 2200m (Tentative) MONTE TROT Of $6000. For up to & including R65 MONTE QUALIFIED trotters. PLEASE NOTE: This field is limited to 8 starters.

I think the bigger issue is the carry on after they left the track ..... driving horses into each other and continued abuse (from both sides) as they entered the stabling area so I'm led to believe.

That sort of sick comment should justifiably lose you any credibility (or at least cop a warning from admin)!

Race 1: 8 Race 2: 4 Race 3: 5 Race 4: 2 + 13 (quinella) Race 5: 3 Race 6: 6 Race 7: 11 Race 8: 1 Race 9: 2 + 5 + 12 (trifecta)

The club will be relieved - was a disaster in the making if scratchings were required.

The Stewards have been advised by the Trainers M Purdon and N Rasmussen that the following horses may have been exposed to a possible contamination during their transportation to Cambridge for the Harness Jewels. Princess Tiffany Stress Factor Funatthebeach Sicario Winterfell Cheerful Bubbled Up Kayla Marie War Dan Delight . The Stewards have therefore ordered swabbing of the horses. The RIU has advised the New Zealand Racing Board, and they have agreed to suspend betting on the races the horses are engaged in. The results of the testing will not be available until after 4pm on Friday afternoon when a further announcement will be made. Mike Godber - General Manager Nick Ydgren - Chief Stipendiary Steward

Might have gone if was on Sunday

Agreed - very enyoyable night

Past results show that 6th and below still drop points ....

I wonder if the fact that it's penalty free if you run 2nd through 5th in any race nowadays has an effect on nominations?

If "there's not a whole lot to see" why was he even fined, and why is the video of this particular heat the only one not available?

Wasn't asking a question - noted that the video wasn't up then read the RIU report which explained it ..... must've been a bad look with him being the trainer of both the horse he was driving and the horse that he struck with the whip!