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Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Jockey who ‘practically jumped off' hot favourite slapped with 18 month ban
Lemos De Souza hit the deck shorly after the stalls opened A jockey who 'practically jumped off' a hot favourite right at the start of a race has been slapped with an 18 month suspension. Brazilian rider Lemos 'Lai Lai' De Souza, 33, is one of the leading riders in Malaysia with 32 wins in 2025, and has ridden 300 winners in the region. He was aboard Pacific Power in the ninth race at Selangor Turf Club on July 6 for the region's champion trainer Jason Ong. The two-year-old had finished placed in his three previous starts. READ MORE: TV legend who famously beat King Charles in charity race ends 60-year career on Tuesday READ MORE: Top Flat jockey on track for eighth century of winners takes up lucrative Hong Kong offer He went off favourite for the 7f race but punters learned their fate as soon as the starting gates opened when De Souza immediately fell off and hit the ground. Drawn in barrier one, on the inside, he appeared to throw himself to his left as he came off. Race commentator Devon Pretorius said: 'Lai Lai De Souza has come off. Not too sure what happened there, but he's come straight off the horse straight from the start, so Pacific Power is riderless and Lai Lai De Souza is down at the start.' De Souza managed to get back on his feet and walk to an ambulance and once the race was completed Pretorius went back to have another look at the incident. Content cannot be displayed without consent 'A quick look at the replay here,' he said. 'Pacific Power jumps. I'm not too sure if the saddle slipped and then he pretty much knew his fate about 10 metres out of the starting and just practically jumped off the horse as he knew he wasn't going to get his foot back in the irons on his right side.' Footage of the incident has had thousands of views on social media with many observers coming to their own conclusions. The stewards report noted: 'Jockey was dislodged from his horse shortly after the start. A review into this incident will be held at a date to be fixed.' Lemos De Souza: received 18 month ban However De Souza, who gave up his remaining rides, left the country to get medical attention in Singapore. He returned to action at the track on Sunday where he had ten mounts, including for the owner and trainer of Pacific Power, scoring on Pacific Warrior. The jockey appeared a stewards panel and members of the Selangor Turf Club's committee on Monday where he was found guilty of 'failing to ride his horse to the satisfaction of the stewards', according to The Straight. De Souza pleaded not guilty but the panel handed an 18 month suspension until January 21 2027, fined him £8,800 and also made an order that he would not be eligible for a licence until 12 months after he has completed the sentence.
Perth Now
10-07-2025
- Perth Now
‘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. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. 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. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. 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.'
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Jockey who ‘practically jumped off' favourite at start facing investigation
Video of rider Lemos 'Lai Lai' De Souza's fall from Pacific Power raised eyebrows among numerous punters as it was shared across social media A jockey who 'practically jumped off' a hot favourite right at the start of a race is facing a stewards' investigation. Brazilian rider Lemos 'Lai Lai' De Souza, 33, is one of the leading riders in Malaysia with 31 wins in 2025. He needs one more victory to reach 300 winners in the region. De Souza was aboard Pacific Power in the ninth race at Selangor Turf Club on Sunday. The two-year-old had finished placed in his three previous starts. He went off favourite for the 7f race but punters learned their fate as soon as the starting gates opened when De Souza immediately fell off and hit the ground. Drawn in barrier one, on the inside, De Souza appeared to throw himself to his left as he came off. Race commentator Devon Pretorius said: 'Lai Lai De Souza has come off. Not too sure what happened there, but he's come straight off the horse straight from the start, so Pacific Power is riderless and Lai Lai De Souza is down at the start.' De Souza managed to get back on his feet and walk to an ambulance and once the race was completed Pretorius went back to have another look at the incident. 'A quick look at the replay here,' he said. 'Pacific Power jumps. I'm not too sure if the saddle slipped and then he pretty much knew his fate about 10 metres out of the starting and just practically jumped off the horse as he knew he wasn't going to get his foot back in the irons on his right side.' Footage of the incident has had thousands of views on social media with many observers coming to their own conclusions. One comment said: 'Looked like a 100% jump to me. Stewards should come down real hard.' Other remarks included: 'Gee just missed the landing otherwise would have been a 10. Thats so obvious' and 'I''m no expert but looks like he took a dive!' Not everyone shared the same view, with one punter saying, '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.' The stewards report noted: 'Jockey was dislodged from his horse shortly after the start. A review into this incident will be held at a date to be fixed.' However the review faces delay as De Souza, who gave up his remaining rides, has reportedly left the country to get medical attention and is believed to be in Singapore. According to The Straight he is also preparing materials for his defence.
