By Matt Markham
Harness racing licence holders are being urged to be vigilant when leaving racecourses after horse floats were found to be unconnected from the vehicles towing them at a Canterbury race meeting last week.
Harness Racing New Zealand understands of at least two floats that were found to have been disconnected or tampered with while parked in the float park at the Timaru Harness Racing Club’s meeting at Phar Lap Raceway last Friday.
Another trainer has also come forward and said his truck float was tampered with and stones placed in his diesel tank while at on the Central Otago circuit last week.
It is not known if the two incidents are related.
The Racing Integrity Unit’s head of the Harness Racing, Nick Ydgren asked that everyone checks the connections between their vehicle and float before leaving a racecourse.
“Obviously it’s not something that they should have to do,” he said.
“But at the moment we would suggest being vigilant and ensuring everything is as it should be before departing.”
Ydgren also urged anyone who saw someone or anything suspicious going on, especially in the float park, at a meeting to go and see the Racing Integrity Unit staff in attendance at the meeting immediately.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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