KEY POINTS:
A decision about charges being laid over a horse mix-up could be made by the end of the week, says Harness Racing New Zealand chief executive Edward Rennell.
At a Forbury Park meeting in Dunedin last week a pacer ran in a race for trotters after being confused with another horse.
The two horses were from the Canterbury stable of Murray Edmonds and it wasn't until after the pacer ran in the trotting race that the error was realised.
Edmonds did not attend the meeting himself and left the horses in the care of fellow trainer Darryn Simpson.
One report said the identities were switched when the horse covers, which carried the horses' names, were placed on the wrong horses by the driver of the truck that had transported them to Dunedin. In the race itself, the pacer refused to trot and was pulled up soon after the start.
The trotter that was meant to have run in the race was reasonably well supported to be the seventh favourite in a field of 14.
Rennell said investigations were under way and a decision would be made in a few days.
It appears there was nothing sinister in the mix-up and Rennell said it was unlikely any charges would be in the category of serious, which would attract a very heavy penalty.
* Nathan Williamson, who shares the lead with Gavin Smith in the junior drivers' premiership (51 wins), will head to Auckland on Friday night in preference to Addington.
He has been engaged for Arid (junior drivers' race), Kamwood Boy, Boston Knight, Por We Banjo and Glow at Alexandra Park, where he has never before driven.
