10-07-2025
‘Jumped off': Jockey flees probe after falling off horse
A jockey who fell off his mount at the start of a race has fled the country, running from an investigation into whether or not he jumped.
Footage of Brazilian hoop Lemos De Souza falling off the heavily-backed Pacific Power in race nine at Malayisa's Selangor Turf Club has gone viral online, sparking a hot debate over whether it was intentional or accidental.
The race caller at the Malaysian track was quick to point out what happened, saying: 'He practically jumped off the horse.'
Stewards acted swiftly and launched an investigation into the the run but it has since been halted.
The Selangor Turf Club's integrity division's efforts to summon De Souza have been put on pause, with the jockey making a quick escape to Singapore as reported by The Straight.
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It has drawn parallels to an incident in 1983 with WA apprentice jockey Danny Hobby, when the hoop jumped off his horse Strike Softly in the 1983 Bunbury Cup.
Hobby then fled the country so he couldn't be investigated, after being bribed $5000 by Laurie Connell to fix the race and then received a subsequent $4000 every month he stayed out of Australia — with the total paid allegedly coming to more than $1 million.
Hobby eventually returned to Australia after several years and an inquiry led to him being jailed for three years.
Connell was jailed for five years but only served a year.
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Eagle-eyed viewers have mixed feelings over the incident, with some comparing it to a soccer player flopping.
'Hmmmm, looks like he jumped,' one said.
Another commented: 'Looked like a 100% jump to me. Stewards should come down real hard.'
'Is he related to Danny Hobby?,' a viewer wrote linking it to the Bunbury Cup incident.
'Nah, he copped a whack coming out the stalls, the fave wasn't having a bar of it. It still hurts when you jump off, so I doubt Lemos would do that,' a viewer said in support of the jockey.'
Another wrote: 'Clearly lost his balance and lunged forward first. Stop spreading lies.'
