Jockey Dylan Kitts

Hillsin disciplinary hearing: Dylan Kitts and John Higgins found guilty

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Fri September 19, 2025 · 3M ago

Dylan Kitts and John Higgins have been found guilty of conspiring to stop Hillsin from achieving its best possible finishing position at Worcester in July 2023.

However, trainer Chris Honour has been cleared of having any role in the conspiracy but was found to have misled the stewards.

An independent disciplinary panel conducted a hearing into the charges brought against the trio on September 8 to 10 and 15, and took four days to reach their verdict.

The case revolved around Hillsin’s run in a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle in which he finished third behind Bensini, beaten a length-and-a-quarter.

The close-up verdict on our full result, provided by the Press Association, read: "Held up in rear, headway on outside from 5th, lost ground on leaders 3 out but yet to be asked for any effort, closed last, very tenderly handled flat, went 3rd inside final 100 yards, stayed on."

The BHA issued a statement which read: “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. It is expected that all horses and jockeys competing are doing so with the sole ambition of achieving the best possible position and performing to the best of their abilities on the day. A case such as this is so serious because it strikes at the very heart of this confidence.

“We are pleased, therefore, that the independent Disciplinary Panel have found Dylan Kitts and John Higgins in breach of Rule (J)25.2 for conspiring together to stop Hillsin from achieving its best possible position at Worcester on 5 July 2023.”

A sanctions hearing will take place at a later date, likely to be in November.