Champion jockey A Sandesh suspended for a year

Dream Alliance (A Sandesh up), with striped cap, losing to Destroyer (Imran Chisty up) on April 2 at Mahalaxmi racetrack. (Pic: RWITC video archives)

The Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) stewards on Monday suspended champion jockey Sandesh Akhade's riding licence for a period of one year. The decision was taken after an inquiry into the ride given by Sandesh to a horse named Dream Alliance on the last day of the Mahalaxmi racing season 2022-23 which concluded on Sunday, April 2. Ironically, jockey Sandesh had collected the champion jockey trophy on the same day, finishing the premier racing season with 26 wins from 104 mounts (25%).

Dream Alliance, who was even-money favourite for the Bombay Club Multi-Million race, had lost to a 15-to-1 shot, Destroyer (trained by Kolkata-based trainer Patrick Quinn and ridden by Imran Chisty), who posted a start-to-finish victory in the seven-furlong event. Sandesh had settled Dream Alliance in mid-bunch, about six lengths behind the winner at the final turn, and though both Dream Alliance and Sandesh moved up very fast in the final two furlongs (23.76 seconds), Destroyer held on to win the race by half a length at the wire (see photo).

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Although the minutes of the stewards meeting will be available later, reliable sources concerned with the inquiry told mid-day that the stewards felt Sandesh was not quick enough to take up the gap developed at the 400m marker (between Bubbly Boy and Verrocchio) and his use of the whip was not in keeping with his usual style.

This is the second serious suspension Sandesh has received after being adjudged culpable for his ride on Juliette last year. If Sandesh fails to get any relief from the board of appeal of the race club, he will have to sit out not only the forthcoming Pune monsoon 2023 season (starting in July), but also the entire Mahalaxmi racing season 2023-24 (Nov 2023-April 2024). The stewards have also further slapped a suspended sentence of six months--it means the jockey, even after his return, will be closely watched, and any further offence will attract an additional six-months' suspension.

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