Paris Investigates Superior Force: Board Points to Possible Internal Information Leak

The Board of Stipendiary Stewards has released its report concerning the abnormal betting activity observed on Friday, September 26, 2025, around Superior Force. While they could not identify the bettors, the investigation highlights elements suggesting a coordinated action potentially fueled by internal information prior to its official release.

The Board examined the unusually high bets placed during the third race of the seventh meeting, involving Superior Force, which is trained by Carl Hewitson and belongs to the Paul Foo Kune stable. Although the investigation did not determine the identities of the bettors, several observations raise concerns: bets were concentrated in a short time frame, fragmented transactions were made to evade regulatory thresholds, and there is a possibility that internal data circulated before the public announcement.

Between 3:00 PM and 3:29 PM, bookmakers at Champ-de-Mars collected Rs 581,935 in bets on Superior Force. According to analysis by the Betting Analyst, transactions were made every six to ten seconds, which could indicate two to four individuals each betting between Rs 50,000 and Rs 70,000. However, these bets were likely split into amounts of Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 to circumvent the requirement to register the identity of bettors for cumulative amounts exceeding Rs 50,000, as stipulated in section 105(1) of the GRA Act.

Several bookmakers also reported that the bets seemed specifically targeted at Superior Force, as if some bettors had prior information. At the time of the incident, the late request to reintroduce the "tongue tie"—the equipment used during the previous victory—had not yet been publicly communicated.

When questioned, Carl Hewitson (trainer), Joey Foo-Kune (supervisor), and Paul Foo-Kune (owner) claimed they were the only ones aware of the oversight regarding the "tongue tie" during an internal meeting. They all asserted that they had not shared this information with anyone outside the close-knit stable and had no connection to the recorded bets.

However, the investigation was limited by the absence of operational cameras in the bookmakers' area that day, preventing any visual identification of the bettors and confirmation of possible organized group activity.

Although there is no direct evidence of wrongdoing, the Board reminds that the disclosure of internal information constitutes a serious violation according to rule 80.1.12 and emphasizes the necessity for all stakeholders to strictly adhere to integrity rules.

It is noteworthy that in a previous investigation related to this "tongue tie" oversight, trainer Carl Hewitson had already faced two fines totaling Rs 50,000 for violating sections 11.2 and 47.9.8 of the 'rules of racing.'