An amateur rider from Ireland has accused top British jockey Nico de Boinville of directing a racially abusive comment towards him during an incident at Cheltenham on Wednesday. The altercation occurred during the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, the opening race of the second day of the prestigious Cheltenham Festival.
Tensions escalated as the riders vied for position in the 21-horse field, resulting in the starter calling two false starts before the race officially began. De Boinville ultimately finished second on Act Of Innocence, with Queally crossing the line in fifth aboard 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 should reflect on his own 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. As a result, Kennedy and Queally received suspensions for misconduct at the Start, while Gilligan and O’Keeffe faced longer suspensions due to repeat offenses.
Queally later alleged that de Boinville had used racially derogatory language towards him, prompting him to report the incident to the BHA stewards for investigation. De Boinville declined to comment when reached for a response.
The stewards have adjourned the matter to gather additional evidence after hearing initial statements from Queally and de Boinville.
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