Champion Chase first benefits from Majborough howlers
Irish rider Queally accuses De Boinville of ‘horrific’ abuse
Il Etait Temps survived a slip after jumping the last to land an incident-packed renewal of the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday, on an afternoon when the drama was not confined to the closing stages and Nico de Boinville, one of the sport’s top jockeys, was accused of “horrific” abuse before the start of the opening race by an Irish amateur having his first ride at the meeting.
De Boinville, who was riding the well-fancied Act Of Innocence, and Declan Queally, who is both the trainer and rider of the Grade One-winning I’ll Sort That, could be seen exchanging words as a tightly packed field of 21 runners jostled for position before the start of the Turners Novice Hurdle.
De Boinville also appeared to tell Queally to “get back” before turning his mount to take a spot on the rail where I’ll Sort That had been positioned. There was subsequently a false start, with Queally one of three riders held responsible by the stewards along with Jack Kennedy and Darragh O’Keeffe, and the race eventually got underway following a standing start, with Willie Mullins’s King Rasko Grey taking the spoils.
