British racing officials have handed out some of the toughest integrity penalties seen in years after an independent disciplinary panel concluded that jockey Dylan Kitts and a sort of stand-in owner, John Higgins, worked together to keep the horse Hillsin from running to its full potential in a race at Worcester on July 5, 2023. Higgins was accused of profiting from “lay” bets on the gelding.
The British Horseracing Authority said the penalties handed down to the pair on Tuesday (November 18) for conspiring to prevent Hillsin from winning sends a clear message that “British racing will not tolerate conduct of this kind.”
BHA welcomes sanctions imposed by panel against Kitts and Higgins in Hillsin betting scandal
The governing body said that running and riding horses to give them the best possible chance is the basic standard expected of everyone in British racing. It stressed that people watching and betting on the sport need to feel confident that what they see on the track is “clean and fair.”
Following the publication of the independent Disciplinary Panel’s decision on penalties in the case relating to the running and riding of Hillsin, the BHA has released the following statement. pic.twitter.com/7BRuREQs7V
— British Horseracing Authority (@BHAHorseracing) November 24, 2025
The BHA added that the actions of Higgins and Kitts ignored that basic expectation and undermined the hard work of the many thousands of people across the country who devote themselves to keeping British racing a global leader built on integrity and fair competition. It added that: “We therefore welcome the sanctions imposed by the independent Disciplinary Panel, which reflect the seriousness of this breach of the Rules of Racing.”
The authority also underlined how large the inquiry was. It said the investigation was wide ranging and similar in complexity to a major fraud case. It also pointed out that this was the first time it had used its powers to extract telephone data.
Kitts and Higgins face lengthy bans
The judicial disciplinary panel had already ruled in September that Kitts and Higgins worked together to carry out a corrupt act. Kitts admitted he stopped Hillsin from running on its merits but said he did it because he had been threatened. The panel did not accept that explanation. It found that Kitts had not been threatened if he failed to follow Higgins instructions and that he had plenty of chances to refuse.
Trainer Chris Honour had originally been accused of being part of the conspiracy but was cleared of that charge. He was found only to have misled the stewards during the post race inquiry and was punished for that alone.
At the sanctions hearing on November 18, the panel handed out tough penalties to the two main figures. In Kitts case, the panel said the situation belonged in the most serious category, which carries a starting guideline of an eight-year disqualification and a possible range of five to twenty five years.
After considering both the factors that made the case worse and those that worked in his favor, including what it described as evidence the horse would have won and a previous rule breach, the panel gave him a nine-year disqualification. It was backdated to his interim suspension on July 13, 2023.
Higgins, who is now 79 and is the father-in-law of professional footballer Ashley Barnes, was described as the driving force behind the scheme. The panel said he not only came up with the plan to stop the horse but also directed how it should be carried out. It added that he decided Honour should be the one blamed. Higgins received a 12-year exclusion order, backdated to March 2024.
Honour, who the panel said was in a completely different category from the others, was fined £750 ($982) for giving misleading evidence. The panel pointed to several factors in his favor, including his previously good record, the impact the case had on his mental health and the fact that his untruth did not ultimately mislead anyone.
“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.” – British Horseracing Authority
In earlier comments, the BHA said a case like this is especially serious because it damages the confidence people need to have in the sport. It said the actions of those involved go against the values British racing is built on. It added that the outcome of the hearing shows the sport will not tolerate this type of behavior.
Kitts, who has not ridden since the Worcester race, has now left racing. Higgins had already been placed on the BHA exclusion list for not cooperating with investigators.
Featured image: Sky Sports Racing via YouTube
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