ERA Hands Seven-Day Bans to Two Jockeys; Cosgrave Placed on Forfeit List

The Emirates Racing Authority suspended apprentice A Tiar and jockey B Coen for seven days after stewarding rulings tied to incidents on 14 February in Abu Dhabi, with both licences to ride in races suspended from 15 February 2026 and expiring at midnight on 21 February 2026. The ERA posted the decisions as part of its stewarding rulings for the Jebel Ali meeting.

The ERA’s ruling on A Tiar names the horse as KASSOU HIPOLYTE (FR) and records that “Apprentice A Tiar (KASSOU HIPOLYTE (FR)) pled guilty to careless riding under the provisions of ERA Rule 69(i), in that near the 400 metres he attempted a run, where in the opinion of the Stewards there was insufficient room, between BURN IT UP AA (US) (J Rosales) and ZAYD (FR) (S De Sousa), which he bumped heavily with.” The entry notes the stewards “took into account A Tiar's good careless riding record, guilty plea and deemed the interference to be in the low range,” and that A Tiar “elected to waive his right of appeal and therefore start the suspension immediately under the provisions of 99(i)(1).”

The ERA entry for B Coen lists CHICAGO CRITIC (GB) as the mount and states that “Jockey B Coen (CHICAGO CRITIC (GB)) plead guilty to careless riding under the provisions of ERA Rule 69(i), in that near the 1200 metres he permitted his mount to shift inwards when insufficiently clear of WESTERN WRITER (IRE)(P Dobbs), who clipped the heels of CHICAGO CRITIC (GB).” The stewards “took into account B Coen's good careless riding record, guilty plea and deemed the interference to be in the low range,” and imposed a seven-day riding suspension commencing 15 February 2026 and expiring midnight 21 February 2026.

On the same ERA posting, jockey A Taftafi was suspended for one month for accepting a ride while suspended under ERA Rule 11(i). The ERA recorded that “A Taftafi subsequently pleaded guilty to a charge under ERA Rule 11(i), in that through negligence he breached the Rules by accepting a ride in a race while his licence to ride in races was suspended,” and that Taftafi’s licence “was suspended for a period of one month, commencing Sunday, 15 February 2026 and expiring at midnight on Saturday, 14 March 2026.”

Separately, Pat Cosgrave has been placed on the ERA’s forfeit list over unpaid costs tied to an earlier improper-riding finding in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan. Irish Independent reported that “Pat Cosgrave has been placed on the forfeit list of the Emirates Racing Authority over his failure to pay costs relating to a ban,” and that the ERA is seeking roughly £35,000 in costs. Media reports show Cosgrave was initially banned for six months by ERA stewards after the Jebel Hatta inquiry, a sanction that was later reduced to four months on appeal, and that the British Horseracing Authority’s disciplinary panel agreed the reduced suspension should not be reciprocated in Britain.

Gulf News supplied granular detail on the Jebel Hatta hearing, reporting that the incident involved Anaerobio for trainer Mike de Kock and stablemate Vercingetorix ridden by Christophe Soumillon, and that stewards said Cosgrave was seen “looking back on at least three occasions before intentionally allowing his mount to shift out, allowing stablemate Vercingetorix (Soumillon) a clear run on the rail.” The Guardian noted that “the ERA has continued to pursue him for legal costs despite the partial success of his appeal.”

The ERA rulings this week reinforce the authority’s willingness to impose short, rules-based suspensions for careless riding and to pursue financial sanctions in high-profile cases; the body’s enforcement track record includes a one-year suspension of trainer Salem bin Ghadayer in 2018 after a positive ketamine test for High On Life. For now, A Tiar’s waiver of appeal means the seven-day ban is active, B Coen’s seven-day suspension stands through 21 February, A Taftafi begins a one-month ban on 15 February, and Pat Cosgrave faces an ERA forfeit listing and an outstanding bill that could affect his status until the costs are discharged.