Trainer Ryan Balfour suspended for four months following cobalt charge

South Australian trainer Ryan Balfour has been suspended after one of his runners tested positive to banned levels of cobalt earlier this year.

Ryan Balfour has been banned for four months. Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images

South Australian trainer Ryan Balfour has been suspended for a four-month period after one of his runners tested positive to banned levels of cobalt in July.

Five-year-old Ketchikan won a Maiden Plate over 2112m at Gawler on Wednesday, July 17, however, an inquiry was made into the result of a post-race urine sample taken from the gelding.

Upon further analysis, the sample revealed the presence of cobalt, which was detected at level greater than 200 micrograms per litre, sitting above the threshold level of 100 micrograms per litre as stipulated under the Australian Rules of Racing.

Balfour pleaded guilty to the charge AR240(2), for when a prohibited substance is found in a sample taken from a horse at a race meeting.

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Stewards handed down the following penalty to the trainer in a stewards’ report made public on Monday.

“A suspension of Mr. Balfour’s license to train for a period of four months, reduced from eight months after taking into account mitigating factors,” the report said.

“Acting under the provisions of AR283(7), the suspension was ordered to commence at midnight on Monday 28 October 2024 and to expire at midnight on Friday 28 February 2025.”

As a result of the findings, Ketchikan was disqualified from the race, with Moto Moto, trained by Stephen Theodore at the time, promoted to first after finishing in second place.

Balfour has trained four winners from 32 runners so far in the 2024-25 racing season, his most recent success coming with Willaston at Morphettville on October 11.

Originally published as Trainer Ryan Balfour suspended for four months following cobalt charge