An Irish amateur rider has accused top British jockey Nico de Boinville of directing a racially offensive comment towards him during an incident at Cheltenham on Wednesday. Declan Queally and de Boinville, who rides for Nicky Henderson, engaged in a heated exchange at the start of the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, the first race on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Tensions rose as the riders vied for position in the 21-horse field, resulting in two false starts before the race finally commenced. De Boinville finished second on Act Of Innocence, with Queally coming in fifth on I’ll Sort That.
Following the race, Queally expressed his displeasure to ITV Racing, stating, “Being abused by an English rider Nico de Boinville is not very nice. I’m an amateur. I’ve come over here riding in front of my kids and that. Horrific.” De Boinville responded by suggesting Queally reflect on his actions.
During a stewards’ inquiry, it was revealed that Queally, along with other riders, had contributed to the false starts by not approaching the starting line correctly. Queally and another rider received suspensions for their conduct.
Queally lodged a complaint about the incident, alleging that de Boinville had used offensive language towards him, which he described as racially motivated. De Boinville declined to comment on the matter when contacted.
The stewards are investigating the issue further after hearing initial testimonies from Queally and de Boinville.
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