Fontwell valets refuse to work for Bryony Frost in wake of allegations

Valets who gave evidence at Robbie Dunne’s disciplinary hearing last week allegedly refused to work for Bryony Frost at Fontwell on Tuesday, believing they were portrayed as accepting “bullying behaviour” in the weighing room.

Graham Piper, his nephew Lewis Piper and Mark Sinfield spoke last week during Dunne’s hearing into charges of prejudicial conduct and violent and threatening behaviour towards Frost between February and September last year.

Dunne denies all charges of prejudicial behaviour and two of the three charges of violent and threatening behaviour.

All three valets had been working at Southwell on September 3 when Dunne is alleged to have told Frost he “promised” to hurt her and that he was going to “put her through a wing”, an incident Graham Piper described as “bickering” and that Frost was “not upset or tearful”.

Lewis Piper drew attention to Frost remaining in the male changing room after the altercation, adding that “if she was distressed surely she would have gone to her own room and hid away?”.

Chris Maude, a valet employing all three men, appeared at the hearing on Tuesday and was asked by Louis Weston, representing the BHA, whether he knew his employees had refused to work for Frost at Fontwell.

“I did,” Maude said. “They’re rather upset that it’s been thought, and that it’s been put in the press, that they condone any sort of bullying behaviour.

“I think they’re very upset that their names were in the press and they found the whole thing quite harrowing to be honest, so they said they would rather not work for her today.”

Bryony Frost: had two rides at Fontwell on TuesdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Maude, a friend and former weighing room colleague of Jimmy Frost, Bryony Frost’s father, was also asked about his role in an attempted reconciliation meeting between Bryony Frost and Dunne at Kempton in February which eventually faltered.

Asked by Weston what Jimmy Frost had said to him, Maude said: “He said he wanted me to bang their heads together and to try and get this sorted out. At the time he preferred if I didn’t mention the conversation to Bryony.”

Maude went on to confirm that Bryony Frost did not want to go ahead with the meeting and that she was upset and crying at the prospect of having to speak to Dunne.

The valets could not be reached for comment on Tuesday evening.

Read more on this subject:

'Not a threat, a figure of speech' – Robbie Dunne denies Bryony Frost claims

Current and former riders expected to give evidence as Robbie Dunne case resumes

'Whoa moment' – Stratford attendant says Dunne verbals were out of the ordinary

Bryony Frost: Robbie Dunne 'promised to hurt me and put me through a wing'

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