Champion jockey Sandesh Akhade is back in the news, this time for all wrong reasons, as the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) stewards found him culpable for his ride astride Dream Alliance which finished second to Destroyer, on the last day of the Mumbai 2022-23 season which concluded on April 2.
The RWITC has suspended the champion jockey's riding licence for a period of one year, after the inquiry meeting which was held in Mumbai on Monday , according to reliable sources.
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 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.
Dream Alliance, who was an even-money favourite for the Bombay Club Multi-Million race, had lost to Destroyer who was available at 15-1, ridden by Imran Chisty, who made it a start-to-finish victory.
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, Destroyer held on to win the race by half a length.
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