Dylan Kitts given nine-year ban after Hillsin investigation concludes

Dylan Kitts has received a nine-year ban after an independent British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel concluded he attempted to prevent Hillsin from winning at Worcester in July 2023.

John Higgins, an associate of owner Alan Clegg who was not accused of any wrongdoing, was deemed to be the instigator behind the scheme and has been on the BHA exclusion list since March 7 last year, the date to which his 12-year ban will be backdated after he failed to co-operate with the process.

Kitts, a conditional rider who has since left the racing industry, received a nine-year ban backdated to the start of his interim suspension, which came into force on July 13, 2023. He was considered by the panel to have been “groomed” by Higgins “and therefore not the prime mover in the conspiracy”.

Trainer Chris Honour was found to have misled the stewards after the race, but was not judged to have been a driving force behind the plan and was fined £750 when several mitigating factors were considered.

A BHA statement on Monday read: “The penalties handed down to John Higgins and Dylan Kitts today for conspiring to prevent Hillsin from winning sends a clear message that British racing will not tolerate conduct of this kind.

“Running and riding horses to achieve their best possible position is the minimum standard expected of all participants in British racing. It is vital that those engaging with the sport have confidence that what they are seeing unfold on the track is clean and fair.

“The actions of Mr Higgins and Mr Kitts, which disregarded that basic expectation, undermined the efforts of the tens of thousands of people who work tirelessly across the country to ensure British racing remains a global leader built on a culture of integrity and fair competition.

“We therefore welcome the sanctions imposed by the independent disciplinary panel, which reflect the seriousness of this breach of the rules of racing.

“This investigation was extensive in its nature, not dissimilar to a complex fraud case. Significant quantities of evidence were analysed and numerous interviews conducted, while this was also the first in which telephone data extraction powers were utilised.

“Such work calls for detailed scrutiny of large amounts of data in order for it to be translated into tangible information and to fulfill our disclosure obligation. Given the seriousness of the allegations in this case, it is right that all appropriate efforts were made to reach this outcome.”