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Professional footballer Ashley Barnes has been handed an exclusion by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) for failing to cooperate in an investigation.

The Norwich City striker, 34, has been placed on the disqualification list alongside his father-in-law John Higgins and cannot enter any premises licensed by the BHA.

Barnes, who has also previously played for Burnley and Brighton, has been a registered owner in Britain already, having enjoyed success with Manor Park when trained by Brian Barr at Newton Abbot in 2021.

The Racing Post has claimed the investigation surrounds the Hillsin case, with jockey Dylan Kitts handed an exclusion order following an investigation into a ride on the horse in July 2023, that saw the horse banned for 40 days in the process.

A BHA spokesman has told the Racing Post: “The BHA can confirm that the Ashley Barnes listed as an excluded person on our website is the professional footballer Ashley Barnes.

“Mr Barnes has been excluded due to a failure to cooperate with a BHA investigation. As that investigation is ongoing, the BHA will make no further comment.”

What is the Hillsin case?

Jockey Dylan Kitts was handed a disciplinary officer exclusion order having failed to comply with an investigation into his ride on Hillsin in July last year.

Kitts was aboard the Chris Honour-trained gelding in a two-and-a-half-mile conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle and moved smoothly into contention in the home straight.

But the then five-year-old was ultimately beaten a length and a half into third place and following a subsequent inquiry, the raceday stewards referred Kitts to the BHA, while suspending Hillsin from running for 40 days.

The statement read: “The BHA can today confirm that Mr Dylan Kitts has been issued with a disciplinary officer exclusion order as a result of his failure to co-operate with an investigation.

“This order, which prohibits Mr Kitts from attending premises licensed by the BHA and/or associating with racing’s
participants, has been issued after Mr Kitts failed to provide relevant information requested by the BHA’s integrity team as part of an ongoing investigation.

“This investigation remains ongoing and the BHA will be making no further comment at this time.”