Operation Inca News Today

A significant police investigation into alleged race fixing in the harness racing industry has ended with the final charges being dropped, leaving those ac

As reported by the NZ Herald, a significant police investigation into alleged race fixing in the harness racing industry has ended with the final charges being dropped, leaving those accused looking for answers and compensation. Operation Inca was a 17-month investigation involving phone taps, bugged cars and hotel rooms, and police officers following harness racing

One of the horses, 5-year-old trotter Jimmy Cannon, was listed as dead on the Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) website last month, amid rumours he has been shot. The other horse has since been cleared to race again. Joseph Johnson/Stuff Stable to Stirrup Charitable Trust trainer Rebecca Nairn and chairman Carl Markham. Stable to Stirrup chairman Carl Markham, who also breeds standardbred racehorses, said most in the industry cared a lot about their animals, and wanted them to have a good lif...

Joseph Johnson/Stuff Canterbury is harness racings most active area. The local industry employs about 1700 people and injects about $200m into the Canterbury/West Coast economy. They could be two old men discussing great horses over a beer in the members lounge at Addington Raceway. Don Bates, in his 70s, is quietly spoken and retiring, Warwick Gendall, approaching 80, is confident and talkative. In fact the setting is more formal. Gendall, a retired High Court judge, is chairing a panel of t...

In a fresh harness racing scandal, a Canterbury trainer has been suspended after being caught injecting a suspected illegal substance into two horses.