Leura man Paul Anthony O’Toole, 48, is facing charges of race fixing, including 34 counts of receiving a corrupt benefit as an agent and four counts of attempting to receive a corrupt benefit.

Another four people, from Woonona, Plumpton, the Goulburn area and Camden area, have also been charged in relation to allegations trainers were given inside knowledge as to which horses would be drug tested (swabbed) following their races.

Harness Racing NSW has also issued a statement confirming one of the country’s leading reinsmen, Greg Bennett, has been stood down from driving indefinitely “pending the outcome of an inquiry, investigation or objection, where a person has been charged with an offence”.

While the news threatens to turn the sport upside down, Bathurst Harness Racing Club chief executive officer Danny Dwyer yesterday welcomed the ongoing police investigation, saying any corruption had to be addressed and weeded out to maintain the integrity of the sport.

Mr Dwyer noted that Bathurst was one of the strongholds of the pacing industry in the state and that despite the current turmoil, the future for the sport in the region couldn’t be brighter.

“We’re a key racing centre,” he said.

“The club is moving forward and recently announced the development of a new facility adjacent to the Vale Road just down from the old saleyards that includes a 1000-metre track.

“While this scandal is not good, we’re focusing on moving forward and welcome the fact that action is finally being taken after months and months of investigations.”

Mr Dwyer said there had been a lot of negativity in the industry because of how long these investigations had been taking.

“Harness Racing NSW has been most diligent during that process and now we have charges being laid,” he said.

“The outcome of those allegations remains to be seen, though.

“This type of news is a setback, but over the past five years there has been so many positives come out of Bathurst in regard to harness racing.

“New trainers have moved into the region and our sport has never been more popular here, as was evidenced by the fact that we were able to stage meetings here with horses coming from a 40 kilometre radius of the city during the equine influenza outbreak.

“And I think the emergence of John O’Shea, Ashley Siejka and Amanda Turnbull as leading figures has brought to Bathurst a whole new world in terms of the promotion of pacing. In the meantime, it’s business as usual for us and we’ll be back racing at the Showground Paceway next Wednesday evening.”

Leading Lagoon trotting identity Steve Turnbull yesterday noted that no one from around Bathurst had been charged in relation to the scam.

“We’ve all been investigated, which is good,” he said.

“Hopefully everyone from around here comes out clean because this is such a strong area for harness racing.

“It’s a massive industry for the city. I do know that everyone is waiting with bated breath to see what else is going to happen in relation to all of this.

“I was at Penrith (paceway) on Thursday night and the rumours were flying thick and fast down there.

“Going on those rumours, it hasn’t finished yet.”