Trainer David Flood raises concern over Facebook impersonator

Trainer David Flood has urged people to ignore a Facebook account impersonating him and sending derogatory messages to jockeys.

Flood, 52, expressed concern about who the mystery individual, who he believes to be a man with knowledge of racing, had contacted while pretending to be the trainer and what they may have said, believing it had potential to damage his business and reputation.

The comments posted on the fake Facebook page range from the mundane – with references to the weather, turning horses out and requests for a spare lead rein – to complaints about being "harassed" by stewards, complaints over Robert Havlin's ride on Stowell, for which he was banned for 21 days, and remarks that the person running the page is a "BHA investigator".

Flood, who trains eight horses and saddled his first winner of the year when Kendergarten Kop won at Brighton on Tuesday, said he was first alerted to the page by a jockey on Sunday evening and has since been in contact with the BHA and Facebook about removing the page.

He said: "He's been sending messages slagging off jockeys for rides and pretending to be me in comments to people. This guy is living in this little world thinking he's me and it's really strange and disturbing.

"I can tell you, if this guy wanted to come down and shadow me for a couple of days, he would soon find out that he wouldn't want to be me – it's not fun trying to turn geese into swans on a daily basis.

"I'm finding it a real struggle and for there to be someone out there insulting people and making these comments is not helpful. I think the guy needs help. He's clearly delusional."

Facebook exchange between David Flood's impersonator and the trainer's daughter Megan

Flood added he had a personal Facebook page which he no longer uses, but did have active social media accounts on Twitter and Snapchat, which he had used to alert people to the fake profile.

A spokesman for the BHA said: “The BHA is aware of a Facebook account purporting to be Mr Flood and have been assisting him as he seeks to resolve the matter with the company.”

The spokesman added that advice for professionals on abusive messages was available under the participant health and welfare section on britishhorseracing.com.

Alerted to the fake profile by the Racing Post, a Facebook spokesperson said the company was "looking into this now."

Flood is not the first racing individual to be impersonated online, with trainer David Cottin last month having to alert people a Twitter page purporting to be him and claiming Easysland was not running at the Cheltenham Festival was a fake.

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