BROKEN Hill harness racing trainer Heidi Smith has been suspended for three months.
In February this year, Racing New South Wales’ integrity department received information relating to licensed trainer Heidi Smith using a car to lead thoroughbred horses on the training surface at the Broken Hill Racecourse.
An investigation was commenced on March 15 with Racing NSW investigators attending the racecourse.
General manager of investigations at Racing NSW, Daniel Hadley, said investigators obtained relevant closed-circuit footage and Smith took part in an interview where she made admissions to the allegations.
“The car in question was located at Broken Hill Racecourse,” Hadley said. “Investigators conducted interviews with two industry participants.”
Mr Hadley said Racing NSW stewards conducted an inquiry into the alleged conduct of Smith.
“A brief of evidence compiled by investigator Ash Tucker was tendered and oral evidence was taken from Ms Smith,” Hadley said.
“Stewards considered the evidence and, as a result, issued one charge against Ms Smith.”
That charge was Ms Smith was that at 6.40am on Sunday, March 9, while “driving a motor vehicle on Broken Hill Racecourse, she did exercise a thoroughbred horse by leading the thoroughbred horse from the side of a motor vehicle”.
She subsequently pleaded guilty, and the early plea was taken into account when the penalty was decided, along with her 23 years’ experience as a trainer.
Ms Smith’s punishment was handed down as a six-month suspension of licence, but stewards ordered the original sentence be reduced to four months.
Additionally, Stewards ordered that one month of the penalty be suspended for a period for a year, on the basis that she is not found to be in breach of the related rule during this time period.
That meant the total period of suspension is three months, starting from April 22.
The related rule to the breach is that “a person must not, whilst driving a motor vehicle on a registered racecourse, public thoroughfare or grounds associated with a registered racecourse lead a horse from a motor vehicle in any manner including, but not limited to, by tethering a horse either behind or to the side of a motor vehicle or the use of any apparatus being towed by a motor vehicle”.
