Declan Queally and Nico de Boinville have resolved their conflict following Queally’s claim that De Boinville made a racially offensive remark to him at the Cheltenham Festival. The incident occurred during the Turners Novices’ Hurdle race, where both riders were involved in a tense situation due to multiple false starts before the race commenced. De Boinville finished second on Act Of Innocence, while Queally crossed the finish line in fifth on I’ll Sort That.
After the race, Queally expressed his displeasure with De Boinville’s behavior, labeling it as abusive and unkind. He later reported the incident to the BHA stewards, alleging racial undertones in De Boinville’s comments. In response, De Boinville declined to provide a comment on the matter.
However, the two jockeys have now reconciled their differences. In an interview with ITV following The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, Queally and De Boinville shook hands, confirming that the situation had been resolved. Queally acknowledged the incident as a momentary clash and extended his best wishes to De Boinville. De Boinville reciprocated the sentiment, expressing appreciation for Queally and thanking Davy Russell for helping to resolve the issue.
The exchange concluded with a handshake between the two jockeys before they prepared for the next race. Former Champion Jockey AP McCoy commended the resolution, deeming it the right course of action.