18-month ban - De Souza outed after inquiry into Malaysian race fall

The Malaysian-based Brazilian jockey who appeared to deliberately fall off a short-priced favourite in a race as the barriers opened, setting off a worldwide social media frenzy, has been handed a hefty penalty by local stewards.

Fifteen days after experienced jockey Lemos “Lai Lai” De Souza was dislodged from favourite Pacific Power in a race in Kuala Lumpur on July 6, Selangor Turf Club stewards suspended the rider for 18 months and imposed a RM50,000 (A$18,081) fine at an inquiry on Monday.

Stewards immediately opened an inquiry into how De Souza fell from two-year-old Pacific Power, the drifting 2.40 favourite on the Malaysian totaliser, and the easing $1.30 to $2 favourite on TAB fixed odds in Australia, for the restricted maiden over 1400m.

But they were forced to delay the hearing as De Souza, who was stood down by officials after the incident and who also incurred two careless riding suspensions from the same meeting, quickly sought medical attention in Singapore.

De Souza, who rode Pacific Warrior to victory for Pacific Power’s owner Jimmy Poh at Sunday’s Selangor Mile meeting, returned to Malaysia later that week and completed trackwork at Sengai Besi.

He fronted stewards and members of the turf club’s committee on Monday, with officials determining that the jockey was guilty of contravening Malaysian Racing Association rule 44 (10).

It states that “any jockey who fails to ride his horse to the satisfaction of the stewards may be warned, fined and/or suspended”.

After De Souza pled not guilty, and taking into account mitigating circumstances, his riding record and submissions on penalty, stewards imposed the lesser penalty of a suspension and a fine rather than a disqualification.

He will be suspended until January 21, 2027. However, in a further blow to De Souza’s career as a jockey, Selangor stewards determined that he would not be eligible to apply for his jockey licence for a further 12-month period after the conclusion of his suspension.

Pacific Power and Sunday’s De Souza-ridden winner Pacific Warrior are both trained by Jason Ong, Singapore’s reigning champion trainer who will win the 2025 Malaysian trainers’ title in his first full season with a stable based out of the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Poh’s Pacific Stable of horses dominated Sunday’s 12-race card, featuring the inaugural running of the RM1 million (A$361,000) Selangor Mile for four-year-olds, with the Malaysian owner winning five races.

The Selangor Mile, however, was won by the HY Cheng-trained Lucky Magic with Poh’s Ong-trained Pacific Victory finishing second last in the 16-horse field.

De Souza, who has been advised of his rights of appeal, has ridden 32 winners in Malaysia in 2025.