Punter dismisses racing industry raids by police

A wealthy Christchurch punter whose home was raided in a highlevel police investigation into corruption in harness racing says police will come up emptyhanded.

Harness racing identities have been interviewed by police following morning raids on 10 stables throughout the country, following a long-running inquiry into alleged race-fixing, corruption and drugs in the sport.

Police executed search warrants on stables in Canterbury, Invercargill and Manawatu¯ . Figures interviewed included Natalie Rasmussen, John Dunn, Blair Orange, Nigel Mcgrath and Andrew Stuart. Orange is currently the country’s top harness racing driver.

Detective Superintendent Tim Anderson said police were talking to ‘‘a lot’’ of people in relation to the investigation, which began in April last year.

No-one had been arrested but a ‘‘number of people’’ were expected to be arrested yesterday afternoon and later in the week, he said. He would not comment on the allegations surrounding drug use but said it ‘‘was possible’’ drug charges could be laid.

Christchurch car industry king pin, racehorse owner and major punter Graham Beirne, speaking to Stuff from Bali where he is on holiday, said he had heard about the raids on Canterbury trainers and knew police wanted to interview him.

‘‘I’m a suspect put it that way. The police have been to our place this morning but I’m not there. All I have to say is one word: nonsense.

‘‘I don’t know where it’s coming from. If they are talking race fixing, it’s nonsense. It doesn’t happen, so we’ll see what they come up with, but they are obviously taking it seriously because they have raided stables all over the place.’’

Four police cars and 12 police officers had come to his Fendalton house to execute a search warrant yesterday morning and apparently seized computers and devices, he said.

Harness racing in New Zealand is a multimillion-dollar industry despite being the second biggest racing code behind thoroughbred racing. Its spiritual home is in Canterbury, where the bulk of the country’s trainers are based.

Champion trainer Mark Purdon has been quoted by The Herald stating he was not questioned by police.

‘‘They had a look around here but they weren’t that interested in me,’’ the Herald reported Purdon as saying.

Anderson said the investigation was prompted by information from the Racing Integrity Unit.

‘‘Police have been working in partnership with the RIU and other relevant organisations throughout the investigation.’’

He said police expected to provide further details in the coming days.