The rain fell at Cheltenham on Thursday but it was nothing compared to the flood of relief felt by racing in general when Irish amateur jockey Declan Queally and top English rider Nico de Boinville shook hands on ITV and tried to diffuse the sport’s unlikely racism row.
Former champion jockey Davy Russell was peacemaker following the previous day’s remarkable row which saw Queally accuse De Boinville of “repeated racial abuse” after a clash at the start of the Turners Novice Hurdle.
The 38-year-old Irishman complained to the racecourse stewards after the race about “horrific” abuse and later told the Racing Post it was racial in nature.
On Thursday De Boinville told the BBC that he denied all allegations against him and commented: “I can categorically say there wasn’t any racial slurs or anything like that. Let’s let it play out.”
The British Horseracing Authority launched an investigation and although that will continue, and won’t be concluded before the festival ends, there was sense of a line being drawn with the jockeys’ gesture.
“All sorted, just heat-of-the-moment battle,” said the Irishman as the two jockeys shook hands at the entrance to the weighroom. “All is forgiven and best of luck to Nico in the future.” As for De Boinville he commented: “I appreciate Declan and wish him the best. A big thanks to Davy Russell for sorting this all out.”
Queally later commented: “It was heated down there, we’re sportspeople and as was said, tempers can rise. But we’ll see what the BHA say. I told the BHA what was said so that’s all I’m saying. It was very heated and I could see how competitive it was. There was a lot of swearing.
“I was where Nico wanted to be and unfortunately what happened, happened. Everyone has cooled down now, hopefully it can be resolved, and we can put the matter behind us.”
He also added: “Nico’s blood was up at the start and he probably shouldn’t have said what he said but I think people should enjoy the Cheltenham Festival rather than the media swarming around me, it’s a silly thing.
“There was effing and blinding, there was a racial comment thrown, I’ve told the BHA but I’d prefer to enjoy my day.”
Separately, the body that represents Ireland’s jockeys insists there is no element of racism between British-based riders and their Irish counterparts. The secretary of the Irish Jockeys’ Association Andrew Coonan said that there is no anti-Irish sentiment among British jockeys.
Coonan wouldn’t comment on the issue involving Queally and De Boinville as it is still under investigation but pointed to the number of Irish jockeys who are based in Britain and making their living there.
“There is absolutely no sense of anti-Irish sentiment among riders in the UK,” he said.
“I would point to the leading riders in the UK, the majority are Irish or were riding in Ireland previously. It isn’t an issue. It never has been an issue. I’ve been doing this job for 34 years and I’ve never come across an element of racism.
“We find ourselves in a very heated cauldron that many riders go out to ride in. Riders are over and back [Ireland to Britain and vice versa] all the time and it simply isn’t an issue,” Coonan added.