Prominent harness racing trainer's company goes into liquidation

Tasmanian harness racing trainer Ben Yole's company has gone into liquidation, owing more than $735,000.

In a report lodged with ASIC, Mr Yole declared the company had no real estate or equipment, but did own motor vehicles.

Mr Yole was disqualified from the racing industry after animal welfare issues.

A company directed by a prominent Tasmanian harness racing trainer has gone into liquidation with significant debt, owing creditors more than $735,000.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) documents show Ben Yole Racing changed its name on October 14 to Zen 12 Tivo Pty Ltd and appointed liquidators, Adrian John Warry and Nicholas Giasoumi from Melbourne company, Dye and Co Pty Ltd in October.

He said the company was not owed money, but owed superannuation to its employees to the sum of $6,156.02.

The documents show the company's main creditor was Tasmanian business acquirer Stephen Wyles, who was owed $481,299 from a secured loan.

The company also owed $97,457 to the Australian Taxation Office, $26,184 to CWS in Prospect Vale, $15,192 to Dobson Mitchell Allport and $70,250 to the Department of Justice.

Ben Yole was also owed $46,890 from the company.

In August, Ben Yole Racing pleaded guilty to failing to maintain a policy of insurance with a licensed insurer for a near 18-month period and was ordered to pay $62,168 to the WorkCover Tasmania Board and fined $8,000.

The issue emerged after a car crash near Sidmouth in the state's north in January 2023, where four horses were killed, and injured workers later learned they were not covered by workers' compensation insurance.

The company had more than 30 employees at the time.

In January 2025, Mr Yole's racing licence was disqualified for three years for the mistreatment of horses on his property at Sidmouth.

An independent stewards panel described the offending as "systemic razzing" of horses in a wash bay for a period of at least 12 to 18 months, which involved fitting horses with headgear, blinds and earplugs — but allowing them to see and hear — and tying them to a pole near a rear wall of the wash bay.

A driving whip with a plastic bag attached to "exacerbate the noise of the whip" was waved in the vicinity of the horse's rear legs.

"The regime constituted horse mistreatment of a serious nature," the report said.