How novel harness racing corruption probe collapsed
Early one spring morning in 2018, teams of police officers began storming harness racing stables around the country.
Over the next two days, 17 properties – stables and homes in Canterbury, Manawatū and Invercargill belonging to some of the sport’s top identities – were raided, culminating in 11 industry figures being accused of race fixing, corruption and drugs charges.
Unbeknown to them and the wider industry was that detectives had been tapping phones and following harness racing drivers to races for over a year.
The 17-month investigation – dubbed Operation Inca – undoubtedly soaked up a significant amount of police resources, both financially and in manpower. Police at the time said such an investigation was unprecedented in New Zealand.
Publicity was widespread. A number of racing’s big hitters chimed in on the merits of the probe.
And five and a half years later, no charges of race fixing or corruption have stuck.
At the Christchurch District Court late last month, Judge Michael Crosbie confirmed his decision to stay – effectively drop – the “significant and lengthy” prosecution by way of its few remaining charges.
The Press is still waiting for the release of a document outlining the judge’s reasons for his decision.
Horse race or match fixing is difficult to prove in New Zealand. The prosecution must demonstrate that an act was done with intent to influence a betting outcome by manipulating the result of the race or match, and that the accused obtained an advantage or caused loss by doing so.
Minor drugs charges, swept into the investigation after the police raids, were dealt with by way of guilty pleas and discharged without conviction.
Of those was star race champion Matt Anderson, who admitted a charge of ecstasy (MDMA) possession and two of supplying the drug.
Anderson was banned from racing for six months over the drug deal after refusing to answer questions from the Racing Integrity Board’s (RIB) investigators about it.
Some of those accused through Operation Inca have been granted permanent name suppression. Others, at least four, are seeking their interim orders to be made final after their charges were disposed of.
It is understood that some have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend themselves.
Harness racing NZ acting chief executive Mauro Barsi said the organisation had no comment to make as it did not want to jeopardise the judicial process.
“Other than to say that it has taken a very long time to get where we are now and it has been very challenging for many in our sport,” he said.
Harness racing turns over about $220 million a year in betting in New Zealand and receives about $40m from the Racing Board. About 11,000 people are believed to own horses trained for harness racing, industry reports say.
Canterbury is widely considered the home of harness racing, which is a central feature of Christchurch Cup and Show Week.
The New Zealand Trotting Cup, raced at Addington during the week, offers a purse of $700,000 and draws the top pacers from around the country and abroad.
Sweepstakes are often held in city offices and workplaces and many people take the day off to take part in the excitement and festivities.
About 1700 people are employed in harness racing in the Canterbury-West Coast region.
Police have so far declined to comment on Operation Inca, citing the administrative and outstanding name suppression matters still before the courts.
The New Zealand Harness Racing Trainers and Drivers Association did not respond.
The next hearing to determine some administrative and final name suppression matters in the case is scheduled for May 9.