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"For the same reason you can’t refuse to give a contract to a black contractor, on the grounds of their race"

Yes, you can, except in the field of public procurement. You may be a despicable apology for a human being if you do, but you can. You can't advertise the intention, that's why Robert Relf went to prison and rightly so, but a private party can choose to enter into a contract, or not to, with another private party, on any grounds s/he likes.

Discrimination is only illegal in certain wide but umlimited fields, which include the provison of services to the public but not the procurement of services. Just imagine a world in which every time you arraged for a new roof or repairs to your car or window cleaning you could be sued by someone of another race or gender who did not get the work!