At a BHA hearing, De La Sayette was banned for six months. Backdated to April, it means the winner of 12 races is free to return after Ascot’s British Champions Day Benoit de la Sayette has received a six-month ban, but as it is backdated, he can return next month.
It turns out that Benoit de la Sayette could return to race-riding next month after serving a ban for cocaine use. The youngster, who won the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster on March 27, was the subject of a lot of attention. He will be racing again starting October 17. De La Sayette was expelled for six months at a British Horseracing Authority hearing. The suspension is retroactive to April 17.
De La Sayette, who won 12 races from 49, claimed that he quit using cocaine after he moved out of shared accommodation and returned to his family home in February. Ciara McElvogue from the BHA presented evidence that suggested ‘the probable use of cocaine during January to March.” Inquiry chairman Tim Charlton QC said: “The panel is still concerned that you appear to have used cocaine in the months between January and March. Benoit de la Sayette won the Unibet Lincoln at Doncaster Racecourse on Haqeeqy.
De La Sayette admitted breaching Rule (K)49 – which states a jockey must ensure that no banned substance is present in their body. A hair sample collected from him on March 31 returned positive for metabolites of cocaine.
De La Sayette’s evidence at the inquiry stated that he used the Class A drug “three or four” times at parties between August 2020 and January 2021. John Gosden was the top trainer, and Elliott made a successful start to his professional career as an apprentice.
“There is no suggestion on behalf of the BHA or any evidence that Mr. De La Sayette ever rode in a race whilst under the influence of cocaine. The sample which was taken out of competition,” Ms. McElvogue said. In May, De La Sayette was interviewed, and Ms. McElvogue reported that he made “full and frank admissions” about taking the drug had fallen in with “a bad crowd”.
Explaining the change he made, De La Sayette’s legal representative Rory Mac Neice said. “He has largely lived a life of going to work at Mr. Gosden’s yard and then spending his evenings with his parents at home. “Mr. De La Sayette has made a mistake, and he entirely understands and embraces that, and he won’t be the first teenager to have done so – and he possibly won’t be the last.”
At the time of the positive test being announced, De La Sayette released a statement through the Professional Jockeys’ Association. It said: “I am sorry for both my actions concerning taking cocaine and misleading others. To get out of an environment that was prone to it, I moved back to my parents’ house earlier in the year”.