Cheltenham Racism Row Jockeys Shake Hands as BHA Presses On With Investigation

Cheltenham Jockeys Make Peace, But BHA Investigation Rolls On

A handshake and words of mutual goodwill between two Cheltenham Festival jockeys may have signaled a personal resolution, but the British Horseracing Authority has made clear it will press forward with its formal inquiry into an alleged racial abuse incident that rocked the opening day of the prestigious racing event.

Declan Queally and Nico de Boinville were photographed shaking hands on Thursday, a day after a heated confrontation at the starting line ahead of the first race on Wednesday. Queally had lodged a complaint with race stewards, alleging that de Boinville subjected him to verbal abuse — including remarks of a racial nature — as the two jockeys positioned themselves near the running rail before the Grade One contest.

"Heat of the Moment" — Queally Calls It Forgiven

Speaking after their reconciliation, Queally was generous in his tone. "All sorted, it was the heat of the moment and all is forgiven," he said. "Best of luck to Nico in the future."

De Boinville echoed the sentiment, saying he appreciated Queally's willingness to move on, and he also extended thanks to former jockey Davy Russell, whose intervention helped defuse the situation.

However, Queally was candid about the fact that the governing body still has a role to play. "The BHA are dealing with it, so we'll go from there," he said. "It was heated down there — we're sportspeople and tempers can rise. But we'll see what the BHA say."

Reflecting on how the story became public, Queally acknowledged that the timing of his post-race interview with ITV Racing's Matt Chapman may have amplified the situation. "If I hadn't been caught after the race when blood was still up, there might have been nothing about it," he admitted. "There was effing and blinding, there was a racial comment thrown. I've told the BHA but I'd prefer to just enjoy my day."

The BHA confirmed it will continue gathering evidence and is expected to decide next week whether the inquiry warrants further action.

Starting Problems Prompt Full BHA Review

The racism row was not the only controversy overshadowing the festival. Starting procedure failures plagued multiple races across the week, with the Mares' Novice Hurdle, the Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase, and the Pertemps Hurdle Final all failing to get away cleanly on the first attempt.

In response, BHA chief executive Brant Dunshea announced a full review of starting procedures following the festival's final day.

"It has been a tremendous two days of racing so far at the Festival," Dunshea said, "but we share the frustrations of jockeys, trainers, and punters regarding the starts. The data shows that away from the festival, our starting procedures work well. However, there are clearly several factors unique to Cheltenham which make the starting of races extremely challenging. We will carry out this review ahead of the next Festival."

Willie Mullins Fires Criticism Over Track Conditions

The quality of the going on Thursday drew sharp criticism from Ireland's leading trainer, Willie Mullins, who withdrew his star performer Fact To File — the hotly fancied favourite — from the Ryanair Chase over concerns about the ground conditions.

The going was officially classified as good, good-to-soft in places, but Mullins was far from satisfied, taking aim at the racecourse in an interview with Racing TV.

"If the ground is going to be like this, we're not going to bring them," he said bluntly. "We were promised watering, and I'm not sure the watering we were promised has been done. I'm a little bit annoyed about that. For the majority of the good, big, National Hunt horses, we'd like it a little softer."

Heart Wood Stuns Punters in the Ryanair Chase

With Fact To File absent, Nicky Henderson's Jonbon stepped in as the 2-1 market leader for the Ryanair Chase. However, it was Henry de Bromhead's Heart Wood — last year's runner-up — who stole the show, surging clear in the final stages to win by a commanding 10 lengths.

Big-Priced Winners Keep Punters on Edge

Thursday proved another grueling day for those backing favorites. The action opened with a major shock as White Noise triumphed at odds of 40-1 in the Mares' Novice Hurdle, setting the tone for a day full of surprises.

The upsets continued in the Grade One Stayers' Hurdle, where veteran 11-year-old Home By The Lee defied his 33-1 odds to edge out Ballyburn by a length and a quarter in a stirring finish. Kabral Du Mathan, sent off at 4-1, looked full of running approaching the final flight but faded dramatically on the run-in, finishing a distant fourth — a brutal result for punters who had backed Dan Skelton's six-year-old stepping up to three miles for the first time.

Ask Brewster Closes Out Day Three in Style

The third day of the festival wrapped up on a poignant note as Ask Brewster claimed victory in the Fulke Walwyn/Kim Muir Handicap Chase for amateur riders. The horse is trained by Cath Williams, who recently assumed the training licence at her Welsh yard following the conviction of her husband, Evan Williams, who was found guilty last week of assaulting a dog walker on their property with a hockey stick.