NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Budget 2025
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Racing

Racing: Horseman shocked at watchdog's liquor tactics

Michael Guerin
By Michael Guerin
Racing Editor·NZ Herald·
10 Jun, 2016 05:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Photo / iStock

Photo / iStock

Racing integrity bosses say there is no witch hunt on for drugs and alcohol in the industry even after going to extraordinary lengths to test two young reinsmen.

And the main horseman involved admits he was shocked by a racing investigator turning up at his house two weeks ago but he now understands why.

Harness racing driver Bob Butt pulled out of his one-race engagement to drive at the Rangiora meeting on May 29 after waking up feeling ill.

Investigators employed by the Racing Integrity Unit oversaw urine testing at the meeting, as has become more routine in racing in the last year, aimed primarily at alcohol levels in drivers and jockeys.

Already this season two drivers, including Butt, have been suspended for turning up to drive at the races with an excess level of alcohol in their system.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In both cases the horsemen were still over the limit after drinking the night before, not on the day of the races after waking up.

Suspicious Butt may have dodged the meeting because he was tipped off about the testing, an investigator travelled to his home nearby and after being unable to get an answer, sought the aid of a fellow horseman who worked next door to go into Butt's house and wake him.

The investigator then asked for the RIU testing van to come to the property and test both Butt and fellow horseman Matt Anderson, who had fulfilled his obligations at the races and gone home without being tested. Anderson was asked to drive to the Butt property, again a surprising move considering his raceday obligations were over and he was no longer working.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Both Butt and Anderson's tests came back negative or under the limit.

The incident has angered Butt's father, well-known trainer David Butt, who says the RIU and stewards should not be able to come on to his property and conduct testing there.

"There are a whole lot of issues around it, not the least being OSH issues about having people on our farm," says David Butt.

But while shocked to be woken from his sickbed and asked to provide a sample, Bob Butt isn't letting the incident sour him.

Discover more

Racing

Racing: Shandale keen to rack up overtime

09 Jun 06:47 PM
Racing

Pike looks for Eagle Farm double

10 Jun 05:00 PM
Racing

Racing: Cup win writes Kiwi jockey into history

11 Jun 05:00 PM
Racing

Racing: Pike pair brain 'em in Brisbane

12 Jun 05:00 PM

"I'm not too worried to be honest," he told the Herald.

"I'm not a big fan of them coming to my home to do it because I was just sick and only had one drive so didn't bother going.

"But I also know why they test for it. So I'm moving on."

After news of the extreme testing measures started to become public the RIU sought a legal opinion and say they are confident they were within their rights.

The RIU sent Butt a letter yesterday outlining that legal opinion.

The RIU's chief investigator, former police officer Neil Grimstone, says while the measures taken to test Butt and Anderson were rare, they do not amount to a witch hunt.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"When Mr Butt didn't attend the meeting, and only pulled out after it may have become obvious there was testing going on, that may have raised some suspicions," says Grimstone.

"But his test showed nothing irregular and he has no case to answer, we want to be very clear about that.

"We are not looking to catch people inside the racing industry who want to drink, even if they choose to do so to excess.

"We are about providing a safe environment at race and trials meetings and that can extend to all licensed racing people, but most importantly trainers and drivers.

"But this is not the start of some random, out of race or trials day testing of everybody in the racing industry for alcohol or drugs.

"Obviously drugs are illegal but alcohol isn't and what racing people do, within limits of course, away from race and trials days is their business."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

On Thursday senior South Island jockey Chris Johnson was suspended from riding for two months after pleading guilty to turning up to ride at a trial meeting with cannabis in his system.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Racing

Racing

Chase A Dream won't be chasing the Inter Dominions – or the girls

21 May 03:06 AM
Racing

Lhasa to relish synthetic surface at Cambridge

20 May 05:00 PM
Racing

Tuesday trial to decide whether Inter Dominion dream still alive

19 May 05:00 PM

The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Racing

Chase A Dream won't be chasing the Inter Dominions – or the girls

Chase A Dream won't be chasing the Inter Dominions – or the girls

21 May 03:06 AM

Queensland campaign and future sex life cancelled as a star pacer's mind is not on racing.

Lhasa to relish synthetic surface at Cambridge

Lhasa to relish synthetic surface at Cambridge

20 May 05:00 PM
Tuesday trial to decide whether Inter Dominion dream still alive

Tuesday trial to decide whether Inter Dominion dream still alive

19 May 05:00 PM
Mick On Monday: No crown for Journalism but plenty of glory

Mick On Monday: No crown for Journalism but plenty of glory

18 May 05:00 PM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP