Media release – Sean Carroll, Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner, 20 May 2025

Statement concerning the property at 117 Valley Road, Sidmouth

The Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner (Commissioner) has been advised that, on 19 May 2025, Tasracing issued Mr Wayne Yole, harness racing trainer, with a notice imposing a condition on his trainer’s licence that he is not permitted to house or train horses on 117 Valley Road, Sidmouth.

This issue of the notice follows a multi-agency inspection of the training premises at 117 Valley Road, in March this year, which was convened by the Commissioner, Mr Sean Carroll, and attended by Tasracing. It likewise follows a Show Cause Notice subsequently issued by Tasracing to Mr Yole on 17 April 2025, also in relation to those premises.

The Commissioner is advised that, while acknowledging the improvements that have been made to the premises in response to that Show Cause Notice, Tasracing has decided to issue the Notice imposing the condition on Mr Yole’s licence.

Mr Yole has 7 days to relocate the horses presently at the Valley Road premises.

Mr Yole has the right to appeal the decision to the Tasmanian Racing Appeal Board.

Any questions can be directed to the Office of the Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner by email to [email protected]

Background

The Commissioner, at the invitation of the Tasmanian Minister for Racing, the Hon Jane Howlett MP, is undertaking an assessment of Tasracing’s Code of Practice for Racehorse Welfare to ensure that the animal welfare systems and processes it codifies meet contemporary community expectations as they relate to animal accommodation and protection from weather extremes.

Having received community submissions and stakeholder feedback, the Commissioner is finalising this assessment and expects to provide it to the Minster and Tasracing in the coming weeks.

Any person with a particular complaint about individuals or locations should report it to the Commissioner’s office via the confidential Racing Integrity Hotline 1800 296 967 or in writing through www.racingintegrity.tas.gov.au so that their complaint can be dealt with according to the Commissioner’s complaints-handling framework.

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