Da Silva banned after assault

Crowley punched in weighing-room row 2016 champion jockey needed his lip stitched

Those in charge of Goodwood racecourse must be thinking if it is not the crowd, it is the jockeys. Raul da Silva, a Brazilian-born rider based near Wantage, was suspended for 21 days for violent conduct at the Sussex racecourse yesterday after punching former champion jockey Jim Crowley during a weighingroom fracas.

The incident occurred after the first race in which Da Silva rode Medieval, which finished last, and Crowley rode Charles Molson, the fifth-placed finisher.

A number of jockeys complained to Da Silva about his riding as they returned to the weigh-in and a heated discussion continued in the changing room afterwards.

Crowley, who was champion in 2016 and is first jockey to Sheikh Hamdan, is believed to have walked away before being attacked from behind by Da Silva. He needed medical attention for a split lip which was stitched by a racecourse doctor and the matter might have been allowed to rest had Da Silva not gone to the stewards himself with complaints of his own.

An inquiry was undertaken in the gaps between races and took up much of the afternoon as four other jockeys, John Egan, Martin Dwyer, Jack Mitchell and Richard Kingscote were called as witnesses along with two valets, the clerk of the scales, the security guard for the weighing room and the racecourse medical officer.

After the inquiry Da Silva, who is based with Paul Cole at Whatcombe and has ridden six winners this season, was banned for 21 days.

In a statement last night the BHA said: “The decision was made to suspend Raul da Silva for violent conduct based on the evidence he struck Jim Crowley in the face, causing an injury which required medical attention. The stewards also stated that they – or the BHA’S head office – reserve the right to revisit the incident should more evidence become available at a later date.”

The weighing room is generally a place of great camaraderie despite racing essentially being an individual sport.

Spats are not uncommon though, particularly if a jockey believes another rider has ridden dangerously. However, they are usually defused by fellow jockeys and rarely lead to violence.

The highest profile incident of this nature occurred back in 1994 when Kieren Fallon earned notoriety for pulling Stuart Webster off his horse at the end of the race and then continuing the altercation in the weighing room at Beverley. Fallon was subsequently banned for six months.