France's champion jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot and weighing-room colleague Pierre Bazire were arrested on Monday in Chantilly following an allegation of rape, according to reports in the French media.
The jockeys have been stood down from their riding commitments at Chantilly today (Tuesday), where Boudot, three-time winner of France's Cravache d'Or as leading rider, was set to have five rides and Bazire three.
This is the second time that Boudot, 28, has been connected to an allegation of rape. In 2018, a complaint was made against him by a female amateur rider for an assault which was alleged to have taken place in 2015. The jockey strongly refuted the claims in a statement released through his lawyer in January 2020.
The latest accusation is reported to have stemmed from an incident at a party at Cagnes-sur-Mer in February of this year. According to a report in March in the newspaper Le Parisien, a complaint was filed against Boudot on Feb. 19. The report also stated that Boudot's lawyer said the jockey had been receiving threats for a year.
In a tweet on March 1, Boudot said, “I'm not surprised. I was threatened by the complainant's family. Those who testified for me were harassed. Others lobbied for a new complaint to be brought against me. I have absolutely nothing to reproach myself with.”
Winner of of the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in 2019, Boudot's most recent big-race success came aboard Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) for Andre Fabre in the G1 Prix Ganay on May 2. The second forfeit stage for this Sunday's French Guineas is on Wednesday.
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