Huge racing row explodes as punters demand giant ban for jockey's 'appalling' ride

The Sun

06 July 2023

Huge racing row explodes as punters demand giant ban for jockey's 'appalling' ride

A MASSIVE racing row has exploded over a jockey's 'appalling' ride on a horse whose odds mysteriously rocketed just before the race.

Dylan Kitts has been referred to the British Horseracing Authority's head office after his efforts on Hillsin at Worcester.

The horse - who has since been banned for 40 days by stewards - was absolutely tanking through the race.

But after jumping the final flight perfectly in the handicap hurdle was handled 'very tenderly' on the run-in as 13-2 Bensini won.

Hillsin, who was racing for the first time for trainer Chris Honour and had never before won a race, was 15-8 favourite the night before the race.

But he had drifted all the way out to 11-1 by the time the 2m4f contest started on Wednesday evening.

Punters could not believe what they had seen in the closing stages, as it looked for all the world like Hillsin was going to win.

Instead the five-year-old gelding finished third, beaten a length and a quarter, for owner F A Clegg.

Kitts - who suffered this freak fall at Hereford last year - was immediately hauled in for questioning by stewards.

He said his instructions were to 'take his time before mounting a late challenge'.

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He claimed the horse had made a noise on the back straight and it happened again coming in, with the horse also hanging badly right.

Honour, however, was said to have 'expressed concerns' over the ride.

Kitts has already served a 14-day 'non-trier' ban this season - and punters were in meltdown over his latest ride in the saddle.

Sun Racing's Matt Chapman admitted the whole thing looked 'awful'.

While others branded it 'scandalous' and 'appalling' amid calls for the jockey to be slapped with a lengthy ban.

One furious viewer wrote online: "Most shambolic and disgraceful thing I've seen."

Another wrote: "That 'ride' from Dylan Kitts on Hillsin in the final race at Worcester was an utter shambles."

While one post read: "I don't care who this offends, take the trainer and jockey licence off them now. That's scandalous."

The stewards' report said: "The rider and the trainer were interviewed and shown recordings of the race.

"The rider stated his instructions were to drop Hillsin out early, keep a good hold of the horse's head and take his time, before mounting a late challenge.

"Kitts explained that the gelding settled well and found a nice jumping rhythm, and he had been able to make ground easily mid-race when the pace steadied up.

"However Hillsin made a respiratory noise towards the end of the back straight, which continued on several more occasions throughout the race, and the gelding had also hung badly right-handed, which restricted his ability to be more vigorous in the home straight.

"The trainer confirmed the instructions and that Hillsin had been ridden in accordance with them, however whilst acknowledging the gelding had hung right-handed, he did express concerns over the manner in which Hillsin was ridden specifically from jumping the last hurdle.

"Honour also reiterated that he had emphasised to the rider that Hillsin needed to be held together for as long as possible based on his analysis of the gelding’s run at Exeter two starts back, where he didn’t get home for a different yard."

A botched watering effort on the track meant the turf on the stands' side rail was bone dry while the inner rail - where winners normally race - was much softer.

It made for comical scenes as horses raced on the wide outside throughout.