Victorian trainer disqualified for attempted raceday treatment

Ben Dorries - Thursday October 5

Victorian trainer Clive Balfour has been disqualified for six months after pleading guilty to the attempted raceday treatment of three of his horses.

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Photo: Darryl Sherer

Rexmont, Alsimon and Tarpeia were all late scratchings from the Moe meeting on September 25 after stewards acted on a report from Racing Victoria's Compliance Assurance Team.

Under the provisions of AR178AB(1)(a), Balfour pleaded guilty to three charges, one for each horse, for attempting to inject them on race morning at his stables.

Balfour was disqualified for six months on each charge but stewards ordered that the bans be served concurrently, with Balfour's penalty to expire on April 5 next year.

"In arriving at penalty, the Stewards considered Mr Balfour's age, his extensive training career, financial position, personal circumstances and his guilty pleas," the stewards' report reads.

"Furthermore, Stewards considered the fact that his actions jeopardised the integrity and perception of racing and public confidence in the sport, together with the need for any penalty to send a strong message to all participants of the seriousness of the offence.

"Mr Balfour has been granted seven days to get his affairs in order, including the transfer of horses from his care."

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