The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) have provided an update on the inquiry into allegations from an Irish rider that he was racially abused by leading jockey Nico de Boinville prior to a race at the Cheltenham Festival this week. Amateur rider Declan Queally submitted a complaint with the stewards following a confrontation between the two jockeys at the starting line.

De Boinville, who steered Coneygree to Cheltenham Gold Cup glory in 2015, could be observed on ITV Racing’s broadcast engaged in a heated dispute with Queally. The Irish rider has claimed his weighing-room colleague directed “repeated racial” abuse at him during a chaotic start to the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. Queally told ITV Racing as he walked over to the weighing room post-race: “Being abused by an English rider, Nico de Boinville, not very nice. I am an amateur, coming over here and riding in front of my kids. Horrific.”

When informed of Queally’s comments about a difficult start to the race, De Boinville responded: “Maybe he should look in the mirror.”

Tensions escalated as the riders competed for position among the 21-runner field which resulted in the starter declaring two false starts before the runners were allowed to start.

De Boinville, aboard runner-up Act Of Innocence, was observed shouting at Queally on I’ll Sort That. He subsequently appeared to become agitated, calling for Queally to “get back” and turning his mount to claim the spot on the rail that I’ll Sort That was positioned in.

Whilst it remained uncertain precisely what De Boinville stated in the footage, Queally claimed he was subjected to verbal abuse, some of it of a racial nature.

On Thursday, the BHA announced that stewards were still collecting evidence regarding the incident, but the investigation would not be wrapped up before the Cheltenham Festival concludes.

A spokesperson for the BHA stated: “The process of gathering evidence will continue over the course of the coming days and will involve speaking to jockeys and reviewing broadcast footage. This process will take some time and will therefore not be concluded during the Festival.”

Queally, who received a one-day ban for his ‘misconduct’ at the starting line, told the Racing Post he was “boxing for my position down the inside and there was a lot of general bunching going on.”

And it was then that he claimed Nico de Boinville used “repeated racial abuse” with it occurring “a couple of times in front of the ITV camera.”

He added: “I just didn’t talk back to him, thankfully I didn’t open my mouth. He tried to single me out as if I was the one causing the hassle. When he was shouting, he was picking on me when trying to hold his position.”

The stewards’ report referenced a complaint being lodged by Queally without elaborating on its nature. It read: “An inquiry was held into a complaint received from Mr D. Queally regarding an incident at the start. The stewards, having heard the initial evidence from Queally and Nico de Boinville, have adjourned the matter to obtain further evidence.”

Queally was among a handful of riders suspended for their involvement in the Turners start.

The report added: “The starter reported that Jack Kennedy, the rider of Ballyfad, Mr D. Queally, the rider of I’ll Sort That, Danny Gilligan, the rider of Skylight Hustle, and Darragh O’Keeffe, the rider of Walks In June, had not approached the tape at a walk or a jig-jog thereby causing a false start, resulting in a standing start.

“The riders and the starters were interviewed and shown recordings of the incident. Kennedy and Queally were suspended for one day for misconduct at the start. As it was their second offence in 12 months, Gilligan and O’Keefe were suspended for two days.”