The Stipendiary Stewards reported that they had questioned Trainer Vishal Gaikwad and Jockey Leigh Roche in the above connection. Jockey Leigh Roche said that he jumped out and made the running  and every time he would go ahead, Jockey Akshay Gaikwad (ANGELS HARMONY) would chase and come alongside and when he tried to sit and let Jockey Akshay Gaikwad go ahead, he would come back.

Trainer Vishal Gaikwad said that he had instructed the Jockey to go to the front and if someone was going to fast then to sit second and he concurred with what the Jockey had to say about the running of the race.

The video recording of Race No.6 was viewed. To a specific question, Jockey Leigh Roche said that if he was to ride this horse again, he would prefer to sit second.

The video recording of the previous race of GOLDEN HIND i.e. Race No.57 run on 24th August, 2018 during the Pune Meeting 2018, was viewed.

Having heard the submissions made and having viewed the video recording of the race in question as also the horse’s previous run i.e. Race No.57 run during the Pune Meeting 2018, and keeping in mind that the horse was in the money and also considering the caliber of the jockey the stipendiary stewards are not entirely satisfied with the explanation tendered by Jockey Leigh Roach and reported him to the Stewards for faulty appreciation of the pace.

The Stewards of the Club at their meeting held on Thursday, 13th December, 2018 interviewed Trainer Vishal Gaikwad and Jockey Leigh Roche in the above connection and having heard them and having viewed the video recording of the race, the Stewards were not satisfied with the explanation tendered by Jockey Leigh Roche and held him guilty of riding an ill-judged race.  In that, he was instructed to hit the front and if someone was cutting pace then to sit second. After the start he hit the front, however, thereafter when ANGELS HARMONY came alongside and started cutting pace, a Jockey of his caliber should have used his judgement and settled behind which he failed to do and by cutting pace he ran the horse to the ground thus contravening Rule-159(b) of the Rules of racing.

However, keeping in mind that this was the first day he was riding on the Mumbai Race Track and that he admitted before the Stewards that he did ride a bad race, the Stewards decided to only fine him a sum of Rs.10,000/- and cautioned him to be more careful in the future.