Category: Jockey News
09-08-2009
Fresh from the first Flat victory of her prolific point-to-pointing career when scoring in a ladies Fegentri race in Sweden on 24th July, Claire Allen was victorious again on the Flat in Deauville in the ladies Fegentri there on 9th August. Claire is no stranger to scoring in France, having won 3 times over jumps there – twice when working for top French trainer Guillaume Macaire and once when becoming the first lady jockey ever to win the cross-country race in Nuilly-sur-Vicoin. This victory was especially significant as the top scoring points pushed Claire into the lead in the race for the Fegentri Ladies World Championship!
The strains of the National Anthem were played whilst Claire received her prizes from Nathalie Belinguier, President of Fegentri.
The Fegentri World Cup of Nations featured later in the day and another British amateur jockey’s success was enjoyed when David Dunsdon rode as part of Team Europe and enjoyed a comfortable victory.
06-08-2009
The inaugural running of Rina Tairo Jewellery Brighton Belle Lady Riders’ Handicap was a welcome return to Brighton Racecourse for lady amateur jockeys after an absence of a few years.The race got off to a dramatic start when Lucy Horner, more familiar to us over jumps as reigning National Hunt amateur lady champion jockey, was unshipped from GRANNY MCPHEE.
Early on several rides pulled hard on this undulating track with a fast pace being set but it was those held up at the rear who came through to feature in the finish, with local lady jockey HAYLEY MOORE staying on well on David Simcock’s THEOCRITUS to win by 3/4 of a length from Emily Jones on Gay Kelleway’s EASTERN GIFT with Amy Hutchinson and Julia Feilden’s STRIKE FORCE a further 3 3/4 lengths away in third.
01-08-2009
25-07-2009
The husband and wife team of Richard and Vicki Fahey claimed the opener on Ascot’s big late July Saturday card with easy winner CASTLES IN THE AIR.
The Longines Handicap is one of the major ladies’ races of the year and it was smooth sailing for Vicki to land the third winner of her career as she cruised into the lead at the furlong marker and surged four and a half lengths clear.
Golden Desert, the 5-1 favourite and mount of Katie Walsh, was second. “Amazingly it all went to plan” said the jockey. “I spoke to Jim McGrath (owner) this morning and he just said ride him as you find him. That’s my third winner, and the second since I was married. I said to Richard if I win this and the ladies’ race at York, I’ll retire!”
Vicki is enjoying a fine season. She rode her first winner at Brighton 6 years ago, and since then she has had her daughter Niamh. Vicki rode her second winner at Beverley in early July when THE LAST ALZAO scored in determined style to justify her position as favourite. (Vicki pictured below giving her husband’s charge ROSE BLOSSOM a welcome drink after her victory at Hamilton earlier this season.)
24-07-2009
Not to be outdone by her Fegentri male counterpart Ian Chanin, who rode his first Flat winner in Norway at the beginning of this month, our British amateur lady jockey Claire Allen has now ridden her first Flat winner under Rules in Sweden today! Many congratulations to Claire! A great achievement – this Fegentri season is certainly proving to be exciting for Great Britain!
Claire Allen receiving her winning trophy from Nathalie Belinguier, President Fegentri, and Hans Engblom, President of Amatorryttarkluben (ARK), the Swedish Amateur Jockeys Association.
04-07-2009
Ladies Night at Nottingham on 4th July provided a great stage for a thrilling Fegentri ladies flat race with the finish fought out by GB representative Claire Allen and Germany’s Nadine Gratz, with Nadine getting the upper hand as the post drew close to win by a neck.
The British team, made up of this year’s GB Fegentri representative Claire Allen as well as Serena Brotherton, Alyson Deniel and Lorraine Ellison, rode against Fegentri lady jockeys representing France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, The Netherlands and Switzerland in a field of 10 runners. Ireland was third with Clare MacMahon and all the lady jockeys agreed that Nottingham is a great course with a crowd who gave them a wonderful welcome.
Left to right: (Sarah Oliver), Melanie Plat (France), Alyson Deniel, Serena Brotherton, Claire Allen (Great Britain), Nadine Gratz (Germany), Emily Jones, Paula Wolters-Flierman (Netherlands), Lorraine Ellison, Catherine Burri (Switzerland) and Cathrine Engebretsen (Norway).
02-07-2009
A delighted Ian Chanin, our Fegentri gentleman representative for Great Britain this year, experienced a first when riding the winner of the gentlemen’s Flat race in Norway today.
More familiar to the point-to-point winner’s enclosure with over 60 wins so far in his career, Ian has not only had to acquaint himself with the starting stalls but also adjust to a shorter riding style to get the most from his rides. Many congratulations to him!
26-06-2009
Current leading lady flat jockey Wendy Gibson, heading the amateur tables on 3 wins already this season including the Ladies Derby at Ripon (photoed above on DIMASHQ), is being treated for injuries to her back, liver and ribs in Leicester Royal Infirmary following a dramatic fall at Leicester on Thursday night, 25th June.
Soon after the starting stalls opened, NOMOREBLONDES appeared to stumble and as the mare dropped her head, her jockey was thrown onto the firm ground where she was also subjected to a kicking. Racing was delayed for half an hour whilst two doctors accompanied Wendy to hospital.
Peter Midgley, the trainer who has supplied Wendy with her winning rides so far this season, remains hopeful that she will make a swift recovery so that she can aim for a tilt at this year’s Ladies Amateur Flat Championship. Hopes for Wendy to be released from hospital this weekend have not come to fruition as she took a kick directly on her stomach and has severe bruising.
Wendy enjoyed representing Great Britain in Baden-Baden earlier this summer and also rode a winner in Malaysia last year. We all wish her well again very soon and look forward to seeing her hopefully back in the saddle before too long.
23-06-2009
The evening of 23rd June gave Hannah Grissell compensation for having broken her wrist back in November 2008 in a fall in the Irish leg of the Limerick/Newton Abbot lady jump jockeys hurdle challenge. Thankfully Hannah has better memories of the return match at Newton Abbot when she enjoyed victory aboard HAREEM for the English team (made up of Georgina Andrews, Jenny Carr, Hannah Grissell, Lucy Jones, Isabel Tompsett and Clare Wills) and trainer Martin Keighley.
13-06-2009
KATIE COOPER enjoyed a champagne moment when winning the first race of her career by bringing Mull Of Dubai with a sweeping late run to land the Queen Mother’s Cup today at York. Katie is trainer’s secretary to Tom Tate and was having only her 9th ride under Rules. As tradition dictates, Katie receives her weight in champagne as part of her winning prize thanks to the generosity of Pol Roger.
Serena Brotherton rode a perfectly timed race on Gifted Leader to hit the front 2 furlongs from home but was denied victory by three-quarters of a length, with Hillview Boy and Carol Bartley back in third, having tried to steal a march on their rivals and staying on well to finish four lengths behind the second.
Katie said “My first winner and not a bad day to do it on. I just kept him out the back and then he came through. I knew they would go quick and it played into my hands.”
