Racing: Invercargill HRC lifts ban on Small

The Invercargill Harness Racing Club (IHRC) has lifted its ban on horses trained by South Auckland horseman Geoff Small after being threatened with legal action.

IHRC president Tom Kilkelly banned all Small-trained horses from racing at the Ascot Park track last October, claiming the trainer had brought the industry into disrepute.

However, he was forced to back down yesterday after a letter from Small's lawyer outlining potential High Court proceedings if the ban remained.

The letter observed that Kilkelly, also a trainer, had a financial interest in four horses who lined up in the same races for which Small-trained horses had been nominated.

"Mr Kilkelly, therefore, directly benefited from the exclusion of Mr Small's horses by having the chance of his horses enhanced by the elimination of competition," said the letter, which was released by Kilkelly.

Small's lawyer observed it may be a contravention of rule 1001 (1), for which the potential penalties were a fine not exceeding $25,000, or suspension from holding or obtaining a licence for any specific period or for life.

Kilkelly strongly denied any sinister motives for the Small ban, and felt it was highly unlikely Small would send his horses to the Deep South for the races in question.

"I can assure you my ban on not accepting nominations was never for me to receive an unfair advantage," he said.

"I believed that the harness racing industry in New Zealand did not accept or condone Mr Small's behaviour. However, only one other club in New Zealand followed my lead, therefore one would assume that the majority accept his behaviour."

In announcing the ban last October, Kilkelly said Small was making harness racing "look like a joke" and that he'd "held the industry to ransom for too long".

- NZPA