Ex-horse racing coach banned for 5 years for knocking down official’s pants
Ex-racehorse coach Todd Balfour has been banned from the game for 5 years after he pulled down an official’s trousers at a race assembly.
Balfour, who has a protracted historical past in horse racing as a former jockey and coach of 57 winners till 2017, was charged with improper conduct throughout a race assembly at Kangaroo Island racecourse in South Australia in February. The incident occurred whereas a Racing SA compliance officer was conducting breathalyser exams on the request of a number of contributors on the racecourse.
Balfour approached the officer from behind and with out his consent “pulled his pants down and in doing so fully exposed him from the waist down to numerous parties present”, in line with the inquiry report.
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Balfour admitted the cost and was discovered responsible by the stewards who, when deciding on a penalty, took under consideration his honesty, lengthy involvement within the business, private circumstances and the truth that he confirmed regret for his actions and apologised to the officer.
The panel mentioned: “Stewards also considered the serious nature of the conduct, the resultant distress caused to an official, and that objectively viewed, by any reasonable person, such conduct would be considered reprehensible and extremely inappropriate.”
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The stewards considered giving Balfour a ten-year ban, however they selected 5 years as an alternative after making an allowance for his responsible plea and private state of affairs. They additionally let Balfour know that he has the precise to enchantment, stories the Mirror.
Elsewhere in horse racing, Constitution Hill has been dominated out of the Cheltenham Festival after returning unsatisfactory blood check outcomes. “Very sadly we are going to have to admit defeat in the battle to get Constitution Hill ready for the Champion Hurdle,” coach Nicky Henderson mentioned on X.
(Image: Getty Images)
“We therefore have to declare that he will not be running there this year. He has undoubtedly improved over the weekend and seems noticeably brighter than he was at the end of last week, and I really did think he was much perkier when ridden this morning.”
