People in racing are simply incredible. Some would say a different breed, others that they are simply one of a kind.
You could say the same of the industry itself.
A scandal such as the one that rocked the harness racing industry in the past week comes along and on the face of it, nothing really changes.
Races are still run, punters still show up to watch and bet on them and horses still get worked.
Imagine if the same sort of saga hit another industry.
Imagine if it was in business or finance - imagine the markets.
At a glance it was a case of normal transmission at the first meeting in Canterbury after the Operation Inca arrests were made.
Turnover was relatively similar to the last meeting before the scandal hit - relative to the class of the two meetings.
Punters still lined up to outlay their hard earned cash on a product that had its integrity rocked just days before.
Owners still watched nervously and cheered their horses loudly.
That is testament to how much they care about the industry and how entrenched they are as hard-core supporters. It also shows how even the hardest and most damning situations can have a relatively small effect on those ingrained in the industry.
Of course, below the surface, tongues wag and people question why those arrested allegedly did what they have been charged with. Many are left reeling, wanting answers, and rightfully so.
There is a nervousness that bubbles away under that surface, but that seems to rarely cause a total loss of faith in racing.
The same can certainly not be said for the general public.
The non-racegoers, the racing haters, the occasional bettors, and those who have a mild-at-best interest quickly lose whatever faith they have.
In this particular case it is hard not to apportion some of the blame for that on the mainstream media.
Very, very few people in this country know the events that led to the arrest of 12 people connected to the harness racing industry. Plenty think they know and claim they know the real stories. But the accounts that so many have willingly served up seem to be conflicting.
What I know is that the truth is not going to be told for many months, and the whole story may never be told.
But that may not matter for those who do not follow the case closely.
The eventual verdicts may not even matter to those outside racing. Simply, the damage has already been done. They are already judging harness racing as an industry that harbours corruption.
It is easy for some to simply blame the media. But the media's responsibility is to report on these events, and outlets such this one do that fairly and responsibly.
Others do not.
That, and the nature of communication in 2018, add to what is a perfect storm, though perhaps a perfect mess would be a better way to describe it.
The question is how much damage will this mess continue to do? And what will the consequences for harness racing be?
The sport needs every punter, owner it can get. It also needs Government support.
The industry can only hope that the damage is not totally irreparable.
Happy trails
