12 May 2023 , 09:51
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Three-time champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa has been hit with a ten-month ban for a betting offence.
Brazilian de Sousa, who topped the British rankings in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and now rides in Hong Kong, was sentenced after pleading guilty to enabling another jockey Vagnes Borges to place a bet.
The 42-year-old appeared before Hong Kong stewards on Friday at a hearing into a report from the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s integrity department. Both riders admitted being in breach of the rule which forbids jockeys from having a “bet or facilitate the making of a bet or have any interest in a bet on any race or any contingency relating to a race meeting.”
Borges admitted having an interest in a bet on the the horse Young Brilliant when it ran at Happy Valley in April which de Sousa was found to have facilitated. Borges rode the horse in the race and finished seventh while de Sousa was 11th on his mount
The stewards ruling said: “In deciding the matter of penalty in respect of jockey De Sousa, the stewards took into consideration that it is fundamental to the integrity of racing that jockeys are not permitted to bet or to have an interest in a bet.
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“In mitigation, the stewards also took into consideration all submissions made by jockey De Sousa and, amongst other relevant matters, jockey De Sousa’s guilty plea and unblemished record in relation to betting offences.”
De Sousa was disqualified with immediate effect until March 12 2024 while Borges was disqualified for 12 months until May 12 2024.
The stewards added: “There was no evidence before the stewards that jockeys Borges and De Sousa had ridden their horses in the respective race with any intention other than to obtain the best possible placing for their mounts.”
De Sousa has ridden 45 winners in Hong Kong this season and is fifth in the jockeys' championship.