Ex-trainer banned for five years after pulling racing official’s pants down

04 March 2024 , 11:00

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Todd Balfour: disqualified for five years (Image: Racing Photos via Getty Images)

A former racehorse trainer has been disqualified for five years after pulled an official's pants down at a race meeting.

Todd Balfour, a licensed stable employee and track rider, has a long involvement in the sport as an ex-jockey and trainer of 57 winners up to 2017.

He was charged with improper conduct during the race meeting at Kangaroo Island racecourse, in South Australia, in February.

A subsequent Racing South Australia inquiry was told that the incident occurred while a Racing SA compliance officer was conducting breathalyser testing at the request of a number of participants present at the racecourse.

Balfour approached the Racing SA compliance officer from behind and without his consent “pulled his pants down and in doing so fully exposed him from the waist down to numerous parties present”, the inquiry report said.

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Balfour admitted the charge and was found guilty by the stewards who, in determining a penalty, acknowledged his forthrightness, longstanding involvement in the industry, personal circumstances and the fact that he showed remorse for his conduct and apologised to the officer.

The panel said: “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.”

The stewards considered implementing a ten year ban but reduced the penalty to five years after considering Balfour’s guilty plea and his personal circumstances.

Balfour was informed of his right of appeal.

Jon Lees