Kitts will not ride while Worcester investigation continues

Dylan Kitts will not takes rides or attend a racecourse while an investigation takes place into his ride on Hillsin at Worcester on Wednesday evening, the British Horseracing Authority has announced.

Kitts was aboard the Chris Honour-trained gelding in a two-and-a-half-mile conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle and moved smoothly into contention in the home straight.

But the five-year-old was ultimately beaten a length and a half into third place and following a subsequent inquiry the raceday stewards referred Kitts to the BHA, while suspending Hillsin from running for 40 days.

Kitts had reported in the inquiry his instructions were to “drop out early” and “take his time before mounting a late challenge”.

He said 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 right-handed, which had “restricted his ability to be more vigorous in the home straight”.

Honour said on Thursday his family had been caught up in the fall-out from the incident, receiving abuse on social media, and that he had asked owner Alan Clegg to remove his horses from his yard.

In a statement on Friday, the BHA confirmed Kitts will not be in competitive action, or visit a racecourse, until the matter is resolved.

The statement read: “The BHA can confirm that it has been agreed that jockey Dylan Kitts will not take rides or attend any racecourses at this time, as an investigation following a referral by the stewards at Worcester on Wednesday July 5 continues.

“The BHA will be making no further comment on the investigation at this stage.”