Jockey Bryony Frost says she has been left isolated within racing after making allegations of “misogyny and bullying” against a male rider.

The 26-year-old is Britain’s most successful female jockey and has accused Robbie Dunne of a campaign of aggression, bullying and sexism.

“To me, the isolation I have found from speaking out, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” Frost said on the first day of her evidence at a disciplinary hearing at the British Horseracing Authority in London.

She struggled to hold back tears as she explained that she believed the culture within horse racing prevented people from raising complaints.

“It wouldn’t improve anything by going to the stewards apart from aggravating [the situation],” she said.

When asked why other women in racing had not backed up her claims about 36-year-old Dunne, she said the atmosphere within weighing rooms can be intimidating and that many within the sport just want to protect their careers and not speak out.

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“They are protecting themselves, to stay neutral,” Frost said.

Frost alleges that Dunne’s riding became more and more aggressive towards her and that he used explicit and sexist language when speaking to her.

Dunne accepts that he verbally abused Frost but denies the other charges he faces.

“I know what he said,” Frost told the panel when asked about the threats she claims Dunne made towards her.

“He promised me he would hurt me and I believed him. He wanted me to know exactly what he felt about me.”

Yesterday, as the case against Dunne opened, the panel heard how the dispute between the pair began in 2017.

Dunne was accused of emerging from a sauna at a racecourse while naked and behaving inappropriately towards Frost.

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After the two jockeys had ridden against each other in Stratford in July 2020, Dunne is alleged to have said to Frost: “You’re a f****** whore. You’re a dangerous c***. If you ever do that to me again I’ll f****** murder you.”

In horse racing “murder” can also mean riding in the path of another rider in the race

Dunne agrees that he was angry about the race but denies that he used those phrases.

“I would never use the language she suggests,” he said in a statement.

Dunne’s disciplinary hearing is expected to conclude next week.

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