Duo 'conspired together' in controversial finish

Dylan Kitts and John Higgins conspired together to commit a corrupt practice by agreeing to stop a horse achieving its best possible position, it has been found.

Former jockey Kitts admitted to a disciplinary hearing he prevented his mount Hillsin from running on his merits when finishing third in a handicap hurdle at Worcester in July 2023.

Kitts, 24, said he did so after being threatened by Higgins but the independent disciplinary panel concluded Kitts was "not threatened in the event that he failed to comply with the instructions which he received from John Higgins and that he had ample opportunity to refuse to comply".

Higgins is the father-in-law of Premier League footballer Ashley Barnes and is an associate of the horse's owner Alan Clegg, who was not charged by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

Trainer Chris Honour was charged but has been cleared from having any role in the conspiracy.

After four days of deliberation, the panel's verdict was delivered on Friday, external and it concluded that Honour had only misled the stewards in the post-race inquiry.

"Central to the success of British racing is the confidence among those participating, betting and watching our sport that what they are seeing unfold on the track is clean and fair," read a BHA statement.

"A case such as this is so serious because it strikes at the very heart of this confidence.

"The actions of those involved in this case are fundamentally incompatible with British racing's values and are an affront to the many thousands of people, up and down the country, who dedicate their lives to this sport and to competing fairly.

"The outcome of this hearing demonstrates that our sport will not accept this sort of behaviour."

A sanctions hearing is set to be arranged for early to mid-November.

Kitts has not ridden since partnering Hillsin and has since left racing.

Higgins was previously placed on the exclusion list by the BHA for failing to co-operate in the investigation.

Burnley striker Barnes, 35, was also placed on the list after he and Higgins failed to provide their phone records.