Jockey Robbie Dunne 'left female rider Hannah Welch in tears', panel told

Robbie Dunne has denied claims he bullied and harassed Bryony Frost

A second female jockey says she was verbally abused by fellow rider Robbie Dunne and reduced to tears.

"He was shouting and swearing, standing very closely in front of me. I was crying. He did not stop," said Welch.

Dunne is before a disciplinary panel accused of bullying and harassing jockey Bryony Frost.

But Roderick Moore, representing Dunne, said the jockey insisted he was "very calm" towards Welch.

• Dunne 'opened towel' to Frost in changing room
• Frost 'threatened' by Dunne, inquiry told

Dunne has admitted one breach of the rules by behaving in a violent or improper manner towards Frost, 26, at Southwell on 3 September 2020.

He denies similar charges at Stratford on 8 July and Uttoxeter on 17 August 2020, and also denies bullying and harassing her between 12 February and 3 September.

The independent panel, which follows charges from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), has been told Dunne threatened to cause Frost serious physical harm and also used "foul, sexually abusive and misogynistic language" towards her.

The incident at Chepstow happened after Dunne was unhappy with Welch manoeuvring her mount on his inside at the start.

'Mr Dunne placed himself right in front of me and was squaring and mouthing off at me. He swore at me multiple times. This went on for around one minute," said Welch.

"The incident occurred in front of the entire weighing room. I was crying and did not say anything back. When I look back on this, I find it bizarre that none of the other jockeys intervened and said to Mr Dunne he had gone too far."

When Moore indicated Dunne, 36, said he had not seen her in tears, she replied: "That's incredible."

Asked why she did not make a complaint to the BHA, Welch said: "I thought it would not be regarded as a serious incident and it would have retributions for me if I continued riding - that other jockeys might not particularly like the fact that I reported an incident like this."

Southwell clash was 'out of the ordinary'

Earlier, it was alleged Dunne 'spat out' abuse at Frost after a race at Southwell last year in which his mount Cillian's Well suffered a fatal fall.

Describing it as a 'whoa' moment, a fence attendant - who has not been named - told the inquiry: "To me it was quite a long sentence then the volume was raised and the level of aggression was raised and he spat out those words I listed.

"I know what was said, I know the manner in which it was delivered. This was very personal, very aggressive and was very much out of the ordinary."

The panel also heard from valets Graham Piper and his nephew Lewis Piper who had been working in the weighing room at Southwell that day when Dunne was alleged to have told Frost he would "put her through a wing (the side of a fence)".

Graham Piper said the two jockeys had been "bickering" but he had not seen evidence of bullying by any riders.

Lewis Piper said Frost remained in the male changing room after the incident. "If she was distressed surely she would have gone to her own room and hid away?" he said.

The hearing continues.