Ray Murrihy Report: Racing integrity body to be dumped after claims of race fixing, animal cruelty

Tasmania’s racing watchdog will be axed after shocking claims of race fixing and animal cruelty were upheld. Here’s what was found after a lengthy investigation.

Lake Eyre (Mark Yole) brings up trainer Ben Yole's 100th winner for the season in Hobart. Picture: TASRACING

The state’s racing integrity body will be abolished and replaced after a damning report upheld claims of race fixing and animal cruelty in the harness racing industry.

Describing the public release of the Murrihy report as “a dark day for racing”, Racing Minister Felix Ellis expressed shock and dismay at its findings of weak regulation, lax oversight and an unsustainable future under the current operating model.

He said as a result the Office of Racing Integrity will be replaced by a Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner.

A panel of interstate stewards will hold an inquiry into the state’s leading harness racing trainer Ben Yole, who was found to have breached multiple rules of racing, but Mr Yole will not be suspended while it takes place.

“The report is not an easy read and it will shock many Tasmanians. I know I was shocked when I read it,” Mr Ellis said.

“The report clearly demonstrates a regulator that has serious issues relating to complaints handling, a lack of policies and procedures and a lack of accountability and transparency.

“The report makes findings that individuals have engaged in team driving race fixing an animal abuse — this is not good enough by anyone’s standards, and demonstrates what can happen when a regulatory model fails.”

Tasracing chair Gene Phair and Racing Minister Felix Ellis speak to the media at the Executive Building in Hoabrt on Wednesday, January 31, 2024.

Former NSW Chief Steward Ray Murrihy was commissioned to investigate media reports of team driving, race fixing and animal cruelty by the industry’s dominant trainer Ben Yole.

In the latest in a series of serious failures in government oversight in areas including child sexual abuse and animal welfare, Mr Murrihy’s report concluded that the handling of complaints by the Office of Racing Integrity was “stilted, lacking cohesion and often not attributing the degree of seriousness necessary to the matters before them.”

Ray Murrihy at the stewards conference in Launceston. TAS RACING

The report found team driving in two races and said there were possibly many more.

“A condensed list of 15 races with questionable race tactics referred to in submissions will be confidentially provided to the Tasmanian Government for consideration of further review by designated appointees,” to said.

Mr Murrihy upheld claims of team driving in race 2 at Burnie on October 7, 2002, in which the Ben Yole stable had six of the ten starters.

“It is determined that Mitch Ford acted in concert with Nathan Ford by giving up the lead so as to cause Juniper to be unlawfully advantaged and On My Oath to be unlawfully disadvantaged,” the report said.

“The investigation did not find it credible that Ben Yole gave no instructions to the drivers of his starters.”

The report also found in Race 3 on August 19, 2022, Launceston Ben Yole and driver Nathan Ford breached the rules of racing when Mr Yole gave instructions to driver Corey Bell to let Ford win.

Ben Yole.

Bell told the inquiry Yole said to him: “I just need you to do this for me because Nathan’s – you know, I don’t want to lose Nathan as a driver or you know, a mate,” and “we’ve just got to hand up to him because he reckons he can win.”

Mr Murrihy also upheld allegations of mistreatment of horses at the Yole property at Sidmouth on multiple occasions.

“The horses were tied up and fitted with blinds and earplugs, whereby Tim Yole and Ben Yole deployed physical and vocal abuse including making loud and excessive noises to frighten and/or terrorise such horses,” he said.

“This practice involved pulling down the blinds and earplugs and using a harness whip, encased in a plastic bag to exacerbate the noise, to wave around the said horses and/or to strike them in the region of the rump and hind legs whilst loudly shouting at them.”

It was among a series of failings.

“This review identifies deficiencies in stocking density, ground conditions, feeding practices, protection from weather extremes, race day processes and veterinary treatment record keeping.

The report found that a Ben Yole horse Blings on Fire had been unable to eat for four days after a race because its tongue tie had not been removed.

Late on Wednesday, Tasracing said it would look into its powers to address allegations raised against a number of licensed persons named in the report.

“Further information about this will be released prior to the Friday night harness race meeting scheduled for Launceston,” it said.”

The also report found that horses were administered with medications contrary to the rules of racing.

Originally published as Ray Murrihy Report: Racing integrity body to be dumped after claims of race fixing, animal cruelty