HARNESS RACING in Bermuda largely operates under the radar – organised by less than a dozen enthusiasts who don't command a huge amount of publicity, although the sport can attract big crowds.

But the news this week, revealed exclusively by this newspaper's senior sports reporter Colin Thompson, that certain ponies have been drugged and their drivers subsequently banned will have provided more ammunition for those who argue that such racing, like so many animal sports, is cruel.

Owners and drivers will tell those critics that simply isn't true, believing their ponies enjoy the sport as much as they do (although one pony approached this week declined to comment).

What the owners don't explain is why some have been put down after they've failed to perform.

We've all seen certain drivers 'training' their ponies on the open road, some at breakneck speed, their heads pinned back – so fast that they don't even hold up the traffic. The poor animals are sweating profusely and in obvious distress.

On the track, we've also seen photos of the contorted faces of the ponies as they struggle to release themselves from the harness, at the same time being driven as their optimum speed – those refusing to obey their masters threatened by the whip.

Evidence has surfaced that perhaps as many as eight ponies have had to be put down in the last year due, in some cases, to mistreatment.

For obvious reasons owners and drivers want to keep that quiet.

While not in the same league as dog fighting, which also operates on this Island, there are plenty who will argue that harness racing still constitutes ill treatment of the animal, causing it to behave in an unnatural manner.

The same argument has been made against those who support horse racing and show jumping – in the latter's case, although not in Bermuda, it's been proved that horses have been made to jump higher by treating their front legs in such a way that it would inflict pain if they happen to hit any of the jumps. In South America it has been alleged that barbed wire has been put on top of fences to force the horses to clear extraordinary heights.

To be fair, harness racing at the Vesey Street track is run under strict regulations. And there are many owners who are caring and careful about how they treat their ponies.

As Driving Horse and Pony Club president Nick DeCosta said this week, the fact that drivers had been caught cheating by forcing their ponies to ingest illegal substances, shows that the drug-testing system is operating effectively.

But race ponies with or without drugs, some will argue, are made to perform purely for the pleasure of those involved – the drivers, owners and spectators, much like horse racing.

It's been the subject of debate for many years, a subject that the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has been unable to get to grips with.

While performing a much appreciated and valuable role, the SPCA, in effect, is a toothless tiger.

They can recommend, they can criticise but they can do little to affect change without the required legislation.

Testament to their inability to take action in those areas can be found in the number of dogs on the Island who are attached to a chain, even muzzled for much of their lives, with little or no exercise.

And their owners still to refer to them as 'pets'.

As for harness racing, the SPCA no doubt condemn it, although they haven't said so publicly .

But there are many in the community who do.

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THREE cheers for those who organised the three days of International Race Weekend.

The number of race entrants may have been down compared to the event's heyday. But considering the economic climate, it was surprising that 350 or more runners flew in from overseas.

And with the continuing popularity of the Triangle Challenge which was launched a year ago and requires competitors to run the Friday night Mile, Saturday's 10K and Sunday's Half-Marathon or Marathon, annual visitor Thom Gilligan, who operates Boston Marathon Tours and Travel, believes he alone can bring in about another 400 next year.

Perhaps the biggest and most noticeable improvement this year was in the Front Street Mile, organised by Peter Lever and his team.

An excellent PA system involving at least five announcers allowed spectators to follow the races as they progressed, identifying the first, second and third finishers as they crossed the line.

Results were produced moments after the races finished, in no small part due to the efficiency of Steve DeSilva, a man behind the scenes whose invaluable work at various road races and triathlons throughout the year is often unheralded.

All in all, Friday night was a far cry from the days when certain members of the Bermuda Track and Field Association took charge of the event, dressed in tuxedos in a miserable attempt to put the spotlight on themselves rather than the runners, and left spectators completely in the dark regarding the actual races.

– ADRIAN ROBSON