KEY POINTS:
A race run over the wrong distance was the lowlight of an embarrassing day of racing at Omakau yesterday.
On a day when the professional image harness racing has worked so hard to improve took a pounding, three separate incidents left punters wondering whether they were getting a fair run for their money.
Some, quiet plainly, were not.
The worst mistake came in race 11, which was programmed as a mobile 2000m event but was run over 2600m.
It was won by favourite Holme Grown, but punters betting believing the race was 2000m had cause for grievance. For example, second favourite Famous Lover had led early and would have been hard to beat over the shorter trip. Instead she faded inside that extra 600m.
The problem occurred after the official race book listed the race as 26000m, with the starter obviously thinking an extra 0 had been added to the distance. In fact, a rogue 6 had sneaked into the 2000m which should have been in the book.
While the starter's mistake was almost unforgivable under those circumstances, how the stipendiary stewards at the meeting let the race be conducted over the wrong distance is shameful.
The TAB paid out on the race in a decision supported by Harness Racing New Zealand chief stipendiary steward Neil Escott.
"I didn't see the race but if there was a problem then I am sure the stipendiary steward would have explained it to the Judicial Control Authority and they must have allowed the result," said Escott.
"These things happen from time to time, although I can't remember the last one."
John Dunn, who drove Holme Grown, said he thought he was at the wrong assembly point after his preliminary but his horse was fractious so he didn't have time to talk to the starter.
"I went and saw the stipes afterwards and they said that if anybody complained the race would be called a non-contest," said Dunn.
"I don't think any of the trainers or drivers would do that because then we lose money. But it was very strange."
The incident was the middle act in a comedy of errors at the meeting.
The main trot was a fiasco after four horses galloped in the score-up, one of them clearly checking another into a gallop but no false start was called and the checked horse, Last Link, was not declared a late scratching.
And in the last race the TAB was informed the official result was Flying Ermis beating Hallelujah Bromac, which they announced on Trackside, before having to retract that minutes later when the race was declared a dead heat.
the Herald understands some fixed-odds bets were paid before the error was realised.
