Visiting French jockey Stephen Breaux was suspended from riding in races pending enquiry following the defeat of favourite Sparkling Spirit in the second race of Pune races on Sunday. Favourite Sparkling Spirit lost in questionable circumstances but the decision to suspend the jockey came about after the Stewards ordered an enquiry into the possible interference caused by eventual winner Mariposa to the favourite. The character of the enquiry changed dramatically after Narendra Lagad, who trains Sparkling Spirit, appeared before the Stewards to inform that he suspected that Stephane had not done justice to his mount.

The 23-year-old jockey from France who is on his first visit to India has ridden 150 odd winners in France, USA & UK, and was riding three-year old filly Sparkling Spirit who was quoted at cramped odds. The filly lost ground at the start despite which she made good progress and shaped to justify the favouritism but the jockey was not aggressive in his finish. The favourite finished a close third.

	jockey : Stephen Breaux

Nobody anticipated the final outcome of the enquiry as never in the history of racing under RWITC racing such a thing had happened. Instead of debating on the interference and its consequence thereof, the Stewards ended up brushing up the rule book and to act on the powers vested with them to declare the race result to stand but at the same time deciding that all bets with the bookmakers and the totes pools be refunded. The decision of the Stewards was dubbed populist and also there is concern that this decision may set a precedent with demand for such action becoming a routine. The Stewards have invited pressure on themselves by their decision though the verdict did come as a big relief to big bettors who had put their faith on the favourite. Those who had taken chance on the lesser fancied runners were left to curse their luck.

The French rider continued to ride in the subsequent races but the Stewards later decided that he should be suspended with immediate effect and a final decision on the punishment to be meted out to him for not allowing his mount to run on its merit to be taken later, which in effect means that the jockey had stopped the horse from winning. The final decision will be handed out after the Stipes conclude their investigation.

Trainer Narendra Lagad has often found himself on the wrong side of the public esteem due to his fancied runners often not running true to the potential displayed by its previous runs. Former RWITC committee member Gautam Lala, whose family owns Sparkling Spirit, has lodged a written complaint with the club asserting that he was not satisfied with Stephane`s riding.