Trainer David Flood has been fined £1,300 by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) after posting a recruitment video on Snapchat that contained disparaging comments about female staff. In the video, Flood described one female employee as 'wanting more days off than Santa Claus' and made other offensive remarks.
Video content and remarks
The two-minute-nine-second video, made in August last year, showed footage of the gallop at Flood's yard in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, without showing the speaker's face. According to the BHA disciplinary panel report, Flood was heard making derogatory comments about two former female jockeys or stable hands. Among the remarks were: 'I had two different birds that were a nightmare,' 'she wanted more days off than Santa Claus,' 'she wouldn’t hold a throbbing p**** on that gallop,' and 'she would get a ride of her own boss every Shrove Tuesday.'
Admission and penalty
Flood admitted to making the video, being the voice featured, and sharing it when interviewed by investigators in December. He was charged with breaching BHA rules and agreed to a financial penalty of £1,300. Judicial panel member Tim Grey stated: 'I agree that the culpability in this case is properly to be regarded as low when considering the identified mitigating and aggravating factors in the case, but that a slightly elevated level of fine from the entry point is appropriate to reflect the extensive nature of the pejorative language used.' Grey added: 'I therefore do not find any reason to order otherwise than in accordance with the agreed outcome and I confirm the penalty to be one of a £1,300 fine.'
Impact and context
The video was circulated to Flood's approximately 500 followers on Snapchat. The BHA's disciplinary action underscores the sport's commitment to maintaining professional standards and respect for all employees. Flood runs a small stable in Stow-on-the-Wold and has not publicly commented further on the incident.
