Silvestre De Sousa was given a ten month suspension after pleading guilty to a breach of rule 59 (3), which states "no jockey shall bet, or facilitate the making of a bet, or have any interest in a bet, on any race or any contingency relating to a race meeting".

The Hong Kong Jockey Club stated the breach came during an incident at Happy Valley on the 26th of April, where jockey Vagner Borges had an 'interest in a bet' on his mount Young Brilliant.

De Sousa was found  to have 'facilitated' the bet. 

Although De Sousa's solicitor Harry Stewart Moore has stated that an appeal would be made, the Hong Kong Jockey Club released a statement on Monday morning, saying: 

"The Stewards have approved an application from jockey S de Sousa to withdraw the appeal lodged by him against the severity of a 10 month disqualification from 12 May 2023 to 11 March 2024 (both dates inclusive), imposed by the Stipendiary Stewards on 12 May 2023 for a breach of Rule 59 (3).

The Stewards further directed that the appeal deposit be refunded."