Jockeys Silvestre de Sousa and Vagner Borges handed lengthy bans for betting offences

Silvestre de Sousa has been suspended for 10 months after pleading guilty to a betting charge on Friday.

The three-times British champion jockey pleaded guilty alongside fellow rider Vagner Borges, who was banned for 12 months by the Hong Kong Jockey Club stewards. Both suspensions begin immediately, with De Sousa sidelined until March 12, 2024 and Borges until May 12, 2024.

Both riders were found in breach of rule 59 (3), which states "no jockey shall 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".

According to a press release from HKJC, Borges "had an interest in a bet" on his mount Young Brilliant in a race at Happy Valley on April 26, with De Sousa having "facilitated" that bet.

The statement added that "there was no evidence before the stewards that 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".

However, the stewards also underlined "it is fundamental to the integrity of racing that jockeys are not permitted to bet or to have an interest in a bet".

De Sousa moved to Hong Kong last September after riding as a freelance due to his retainer with King Power Racing not being renewed at the start of 2022.