An independent stewards panel set up to investigate allegations of team driving, race fixing an animal cruelty in Tasmania's harness racing industry has charged four industry participants under the Australian Harness Racing Rules.
The panel was appointed after racing expert Ray Murrihy's report was made public earlier this year, with the January report finding the state's leading harness trainer, Ben Yole, had engaged in race fixing and animal abuse.
The charges announced today come from an independent stewards panel and are not criminal charges.
Director of Racing Robin Thompson and independent stewards panel chair Dayle Brown have released the panel's report. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
They relate to one of 15 races identified by Mr Murrihy and the mistreatment of horses.
Nathan Ford has been charged in regard to his actions during race 9 at Launceston on February 26, 2023.
The panel found Mr Ford "failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to win or obtain the best possible placing on his drive Priddy Sublime".
The panel said there was "insufficient evidence to take any further action on questionable race tactics" in other races.
Yole brothers charged over training regime
An independent stewards panel has charged trainer Ben Yole and three others under the Australian Harness Racing Rules. (Facebook: Yole Harness Racing Stables)
Ben Yole and Tim Yole have been charged with the mistreatment of horses in a "pre-race regime" in a wash bay on Ben Yole's Sidmouth training property.
The Murrihy report heard from former stable employees who said that just before horses were loaded for transport to race meets, Ben and Tim Yole arranged for the horses to be brought to the wash bay.
"While in the wash bay, horses were tied up and fitted with blinds and/or earplugs," the Murrihy report said.
"As the blinds and earplugs were removed a harness whip, encased in a plastic bag to exacerbate the noise levels, was used by Ben Yole and Tim Yole to deploy physical abuse, whilst also making loud and excessive noise, including shouting, to frighten and terrorise the horse."
The actions were undertaken to simulate conditions for horses "in the latter stages of a race, when a driver asks the horse for maximum effort".
The stewards report said it examined the evidence and found there was sufficient evidence to charge both Ben and Tim Yole.
A total of 15 races were identified for examination in Mr Murrihy's report, with stewards today bringing a single charge for one race. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)
A fourth industry participant, Corey Bell, has been charged for not cooperating with the investigation.
All four have the opportunity to respond by October 14, before a final determination by the panel.
More allegations still being considered
Independent stewards panel chair Dayle Brown said there were still outstanding allegations against Ben and Tim Yole relating to the alleged administration of rule-breaking oral pastes and injections to horses.
"There are three outstanding matters pursuant to our direction from the Office of Racing Integrity Director — those matters are still being considered," he said.
"Those matters will be resolved in the next 14 days."
The panel will investigate if Ben and Tim Yole "developed a systemic approach to the administration of medication to horses before such horses being loaded on horse transports on race day and running in a race".
On the allegations of team driving, Mr Brown said the panel interviewed "an extensive amount of people" including stable hands and industry participants and found insufficient evidence to proceed with charges.
"In the report, we've gone through all the races and looked at all the issues in relation to the races we looked at and there's insufficient evidence to take any matters further," he said.
The ABC has contacted Ben Yole and Nathan Ford for comment.
Ben and Tim Yole have been issued with show-cause notices by the Director of Racing, Robin Thompson, in relation to them being fit and proper people to maintain a harness trainer licence, pending the final outcome of the independent stewards panel.
The Tasmanian government announced Mr Murrihy's independent review in March 2023, after the ABC aired allegations of team driving, race fixing, and animal welfare concerns in the state's harness racing industry.