An Irish amateur rider has accused top British jockey Nico de Boinvile of making a racially abusive comment towards him during an incident at Cheltenham on Wednesday. Declan Queally and de Boinville, who rides for Nicky Henderson, got into a heated exchange during the chaotic start of the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, the first race on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Tensions rose as riders vied for position in the 21-horse field, leading to two false starts before the race finally commenced. De Boinville finished second on Act Of Innocence, with the winner being King Rasko Grey trained by Willie Mullins, while Queally came in fifth on I’ll Sort That, trained by his family.
Following the race, Queally expressed his displeasure to ITV Racing, stating, “The start was chaotic. Being verbally attacked by English rider Nico de Boinville is unacceptable. As an amateur, riding in front of my children, it was a horrific experience.” De Boinville responded by suggesting Queally should reflect on his own actions.
During a stewards’ inquiry, it was reported that several riders, including Queally, had not approached the starting tape properly, leading to the false starts. Kennedy and Queally received one-day suspensions for misconduct, while Gilligan and O’Keefe were suspended for two days due to prior offenses.
Queally lodged a complaint about an incident at the start, alleging that de Boinville had used derogatory language towards him, including a racial slur. He reported the incident to BHA stewards for further investigation. De Boinville declined to comment when contacted.
The stewards’ notice stated, “After initial evidence from Queally and Nico de Boinville, the matter has been adjourned for additional evidence gathering.”
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