Unveiled at the Hillsin hearing: The top five sensational revelations
In the world of British horseracing, an investigation by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has been launched following allegations of irregularities in a race. At the centre of the controversy is jockey Dylan Kitts, who has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
The controversy began at the Worcester racecourse on an unspecified date. Kitts, who was riding the horse Hillsin, was accused by fellow rider Dylan Kitts of being groomed by John Higgins, leading to the stopping ride given to Hillsin at the event.
The allegations against Kitts have led to a series of payments from Higgins, who used his son-in-law, professional footballer Ashley Barnes, as an intermediary. Kitts received £100 from Higgins via Barnes after riding Hillsin to finish third at Exeter on April 21, 2023. He also received a further payment of £150 from Higgins, ostensibly to replace his lost whip after the horse's next race.
The BHA's counsel, Louis Weston, has stated that Kitts' tattoo of 'Hillsin' on his bottom, which he got during the BHA's investigation, was seen as a lack of concern for his actions at Worcester.
Mick Fitzgerald, a Grand National-winning jockey-turned-presenter, claimed that Kitts confessed to stopping Hillsin to him during a phone call on the evening of the race. According to Fitzgerald, Kitts said he was told to give Hillsin a quiet ride, which he confirmed meant a stopping ride.
Claire Harris, who trained Hillsin, encouraged Kitts to speak with John Higgins, who was not the registered owner of the horse. However, no public information is available suggesting that anyone forced Kitts to hinder Hillsin at the Worcester race.
The friend of Kitts, a member of stable staff in Lambourn, declined to appear as a witness in front of the disciplinary panel. Kitts alleged that he was groomed during the incident.
Ashley Barnes was not a party to the case, but he is on the BHA exclusion list for not providing phone records during the Hillsin investigation. The payments made by John Higgins to Dylan Kitts totaled to an undisclosed amount between April and July 2023.
The fallout from the allegations has extended beyond the racetrack. Kitts fell out with a friend following a pub fight that was initiated by teasing related to the Hillsin case.
The investigation by the BHA is ongoing, and the outcome will determine the future of Dylan Kitts in British horseracing.
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