Media barred from raceway
Media has been covering racing at Addington for more than 100 years, but it was not welcome at the raceway on Friday night.
A reporter and photographer who went to the first race meeting at Addington since race fixing and drugs charges were levelled at some of harness racing’s high flyers this week were barred from entering the raceway.
Earlier in the day, Addington Raceway chief executive Peter Jensen said his team were focused on holding a race meeting and news media were not to set foot on raceway property.
Ten people have been arrested on a variety of race fixing and drugs charges as a result of as part of Operation Inca, a 17-month investigation that culminated in raids on 17 properties in Canterbury, Manawatu¯ and Invercargill on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The people who spoke to The Press in the car park were unwilling to be filmed or provide their names.
One man who had been at every New Zealand Trotting Cup since 1954 and used to drive at Addington in the 1960s said he was not surprised about the racefixing allegations because in his opinion it had been going on for Police have made an 11th arrest as they continue an investigation into alleged harness race-fixing.
A 71-year-old man is due to appear in Christchurch District Court tomorrow on one deception charge, after being arrested yesterday.
His arrest takes the total number from the National Organised Crime Group’s Operation Inca to 11, after 10 people were charged last week.
Police last week raided 17 properties in Canterbury, Manawatu¯ and Invercargill.
The 71-year-old man will be joined by five others, who have been charged relating to Operation Inca, in the District Court tomorrow.
many years. The impact on the industry could be huge, he said.
‘‘I think it’s only the tip of the iceberg.’’
He said disappointing.
‘‘It always seems to be the ones at the top, the top drivers and trainers and trainers. It’s just total greed. it was very
‘‘Then you’ve got the honest guys who are going without.’’
Another industry stalwart, who has been involved with harness racing for more than 50 years, said he was surprised and disappointed about the arrests.
He said if the charges were proven, there was no place for those people in harness racing.
‘‘If it’s found that they have been cheating then they need to be banned for life. They should never be allowed back into racing again.’’
The industry would survive, he said, but drugs and race fixing allegations were the last thing it needed at a time when it was trying to attract more people.