ANNUAL REPORT 2016 Chris Alford Champion Australian Driver “Community expectations of animal welfare continues to evolve at a rapid rate - particularly with regards to racing animals. ” ContentsANNUAL REPORT 2016 Chairman’s Message 2 Chief Executive’s Message 10 APG Grand Circuit Review 14 APG Trotting Masters Review 16 State Controlling Body Reports 18 Australian Harness Horse of the Year 31 Australian Drivers Championship 32 Australian Harness Racing Awards 34 Media Awards 46 HRA Annual Report 2015 • 1 Chairman’s There are many events and issues to reflect upon when reviewing the 2015-16 harness racing season, including some wonderful performances by magnificent standardbred horses, outstanding driving and training feats and some positive developments off the racetrack. Our industry continues to face challenges, but these are being dealt with in a positive manner and with a great deal of success on some fronts. Indeed, there will always be GEOFF WANT challenges in a vibrant industry such as ours which revolves around animals, people, entertainment and wagering. This season however has seen the emergence of a grave new challenge, with dark storm clouds on the horizon for the dawn of a new season. The issue is equine welfare and it is the responsibility of everyone involved in harness racing to ensure the industry is not caught up in the maelstrom. 2 • HRA Annual Report 2015 Chairman’s Message PROTECTING OUR SOCIAL horrified by the findings of the commission, Extremists want all racing banned. The LICENCE TO OPERATE support the decision. RSPCA is a responsible and sensible Regardless of whether the greyhound organisation, but there are a lot of animal The members of Harness Racing Australia ban in NSW is implemented, there are rights activists who are not - zealots do have a considerate and ethical equine consequences for the entire racing industry not understand logic or rational debate! welfare agenda and rules and are doing and equine welfare will be the biggest At the excellent Harness Racing NSW a great deal to enforce rigorous animal challenge we will face in the next 5-10 conference, Harnessing The Future, in welfare protocols. It is critical however years, especially that these protocols are actually followed June the RSPCA chief executive, Heather by all people involved with the industry. - satisfying community expectations Neill, congratulated HRA for our industry’s approach to welfare and praised our injury The catalyst for this concern was the live - overcoming public perceptions and incidents database. baiting scandal which erupted around the But she stressed ... greyhound racing industry in February - convincing politicians we are responsible 2015, resulting in administrative bodies and ethical - the racing industry must be aware it has in three eastern states being dismissed a social licence to operate and cannot - countering the misinformation of animal and dozens of participants charged with breach this wrongdoing. activists. - our treatment of horses must be ethically The NSW Government went further, HRA has strong equine welfare protocols acceptable, from conception to death appointing a Special Commission of Inquiry and has worked closely with the RSPCA for several years, but we have greatly magnified - we should ask “What is in it for the which handed down an 800 page report, horse?” and is there moral justification finding that live baiting was rife and there our efforts, including more regular stable inspections to ensure the rules are being for what we are doing with them (ie was appalling “wastage” in the greyhound racing)? industry. It found as many as 68,000 followed, established an advisory group greyhounds had been killed in NSW in the of eminent veterinarians, revised our Heather Neill also posed the question “Do previous 12 years because of over-breeding procedures to track horses until they are people who work with horses understand or that they were too slow. retired, developed a destruction of horse how each piece of gear works and whether policy and further tightened whip rules. The they are really necessary?” NSW Premier Mike Baird was appalled, measures are detailed more fully elsewhere describing the report as “chilling, in the annual report. HRA and our Members will continue to confronting, horrific”, and ordered the develop and enforce rigorous equine $300m industry to be shut down from 1 It appears inevitable that whips welfare protocols and maintain regular July 2017. will be banned completely in dialogue with responsible animal rights Australian harness racing in the groups. We all must continue to be The decision has polarised public opinion. coming seasons. vigilant to ensure no-one breaches these Many people are deeply concerned that a protocols, but if they do, confront the issue. government can shut down an industry There is no doubt the NSW ban will have without the issue being broadly debated, an impact on wagering turnover, but it also The NSW inquiry was scathing of at least in state parliament, and see it as provides an incentive to the extreme animal administrators who were aware of an abuse of executive power. They are welfare groups to step up their pressure on disgusting industry behaviour and either concerned about the impact on 8,000 the entire racing industry. These groups ignored it or “swept it under the carpet”. participants and the loss of 1,000 jobs in have been empowered by the decision It is imperative that every administrator and the NSW greyhound industry, as well as the and several have already stated publicly every participant clearly understands and fate of the dogs which can no longer race. they will be campaigning for the banning follows the protocols. There can be no of greyhound racing Australia-wide, as well There are concerted moves to have the ban exceptions, as the consequences could as harness and thoroughbred racing and decision overturned, although opinion polls be extremely damaging for harness racing. equestrian sports. indicate that a clear majority of people, HRA Annual Report 2015 • 3 Chairman’s Message MICROCHIPPING litre of urine to 100 micrograms, in line Lennytheshark fulfilled the promise of his with thoroughbred racing. Furthermore, juvenile years with a brilliant season, being Equine welfare was a critical consideration a threshhold of 25 micrograms per litre placed in all 13 races he contested and when the decision was taken, after of blood was set, after scientific evidence winning eight of them. The impressive extensive research and much deliberation, was obtained to support the accuracy of six year old stallion earned $1,343,098 to introduce microchipping from 1 plasma testing. prizemoney during the season for his September 2017. There will be a phased connections - owners Kevin and Martin implementation, with the new season’s There is no place in harness racing for Riseley, trainer David Aiken and driver Chris foal crop being microchipped each year. people who cheat by administering Alford. prohibited substances, attempt to control Freeze branding will continue as well until the outcome of a race or engage in other Lennytheshark was a clear winner of the the industry adapts to the new technology illegal activities. Anyone found guilty of Lawn Derby Award as 2016 Australian and work practices. Microchipping is dishonest behaviour must receive the Harness Horse of the Year and finished in a embraced by the other two racing codes strongest possible penalties and their dead heat with the consistent New Zealand and in most equine pursuits, as well as punishment publicised to demonstrate gelding Smolda as the 2016 Australian being common place in livestock industries the effectiveness of our integrity regime. Pacing Gold Grand Circuit champion. and with companion animals. It is disappointing that some participants In only three Grand Circuit races, The industry wide benefits of linking continue to flaunt the rules, which Lennytheshark won the Inter Dominion microchip and database platforms could inevitably damages our brand. The arrest Championship at Gloucester Park and no longer be ignored, while increasingly of four participants at one of our biggest the Victoria Cup at Melton, and finished a vaccines require microchip recording events of the season, the Breeders Crown nose second in a truly sensational Miracle and simple and accurate identification is meeting at Tabcorp Park Melton in late Mile at Menangle. Smolda, prepared in important from an integrity standpoint. August, was a case in point, even though Christchurch by Mark Purdon and Natalie the investigation was still progressing as Rasmussen, was successful in the A.G. INTEGRITY this report was prepared. Hunter Cup at Melton and was placed in the New Zealand, Auckland and Victoria Cups. HRA has bolstered integrity intelligence The front page of the Herald Sun the next with a national bet monitoring program morning, reporting on the arrests, was a Both horses finished the APG sponsored undertaken by an independent company, black eye for our industry. All the positives series with 260 points, 60 clear of another Global Sports Integrity. Every harness race from a great day of racing were lost in bold Purdon-Rasmussen pacer Have Faith In Me, in all states except Western Australia is type implying corruption in our industry. which was responsible for arguably the examined in real time by experts who report performance of the season in a blistering any suspect betting activity to stewards, It is difficult to counter such negative Miracle Mile at Menangle, stopping the enabling them to take immediate action publicity, as the result of inquiries seldom clock in the Australasian record time of if deemed appropriate. receive the same media exposure as the 1:47.5. initial charges, but we must continue to There is a strenuous integrity regime in promote the positive integrity message Have Faith In Me was one of a select Australian harness racing to ensure a to maintain the confidence of our fans, band of four year old pacers and trotters level playing field for all participants and punters and the vast majority of participants.