Tasracing has sacked its newly appointed chief thoroughbred steward for “conduct-related matters” that occurred just days into their employment.
The racing authority stood down the top official following an event at Spreyton racecourse near Devonport on September 21, but has refused to reveal why, citing privacy around employment matters.
The publicly funded racing body has not released the identity of the former chief steward, nor the conduct it dismissed the person for — just three weeks after they started on September 15.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, the authority said it had terminated their employment for conduct-related matters.
“The decision follows an extensive investigation by Tasracing,” it said.
All Tasracing employees are bound by a code of conduct that sets out minimum standards of behaviour, and the authority says it investigates any suggestion or allegation of breaches.
The steward was working on adjudicating thoroughbred races when the conduct occurred. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
The investigation was carried out by the authority’s internal integrity unit, rather than by the independent Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner, Sean Carroll.
Mr Carroll told the ABC earlier in October that this was because the matter was an “employment issue”.
The commissioner on Tuesday said he had been advised of the chief steward’s dismissal for misconduct and was satisfied with Tasracing’s handling of the matter.
“The Tasmanian racing industry has entered a new era where the highest benchmark of integrity will be the foundation of the industry’s future success,” Mr Carroll said in a statement.
“It is essential that those entrusted to oversee and govern the industry, as well as participants, demonstrate these high standards, and that where these standards fall short, action will be taken.”
Separate investigation found five stewards placed bets
Just a month earlier, the commissioner completed a separate investigation, which found that five stewards had placed bets on Tasmanian horse races while employed at the now-disbanded Office of Racing Integrity or while employed by Tasracing.
Stewards placed hundreds of bets on races, integrity probe finds
No adverse criminal or legal findings were made against the stewards, but Mr Carroll issued a statement that “wagering on races by stewards has the potential to compromise confidence in the integrity of racing, and that any form of wagering by stewards must be treated seriously”.
Tasmania’s racing industry is in the midst of a reckoning with integrity issues, with Mr Carroll’s role established in February 2025 through new legislation intended to bolster racing integrity and animal welfare.
He is currently conducting a health check on the industry, considering both its financials and governance, but does not expect to release his findings publicly.