Absolutely atrocious weather conditions could not dampen the spirits of racegoers at Ffos Las last night when the AJA sponsored a race for Isabel Tompsett to celebrate her remarkable and on-going recovery from her bad fall a year ago.

Lady Amateur NH Champion 2009/10 Isabel was there herself together with family and friends including a party of nurses from nearby Neath Port Talbot Hospital who worked with Issy last year.

With changing ground conditions under a deluge of heavy rain only 6 went to post from 9 declared but nevertheless a thrilling finish ensued, with Michael  Nolan getting up by a short head on KILMORE WEST for John Flint from Craig Dowson on Richard Lee’s RIFLEMAN in ground which resembled a paddy field in places.

Congratulations to Sam Waley-Cohen who enjoyed third place yesterday in the Maryland Hunt Cup on BON CADDO.  Having been introduced to connections by Richard Pitman, Sam was one of only 6 runners and riders to complete from a field of 12 with the race including 22 formidable vertical four or five rail fences run over 4 miles.

The third fence stands at 4′ 9″ and the 16th is 4′ 10″.  Unlike Aintree, the course has remained essentially unchanged since 1922 other than new posts and rails being replaced as necessary.  ”The Grand National compares in terms of size” said Sam, “but there’s such a difference technique required and its a different type of race.”

A charity race is to take place on The July Course at Newmarket on Horsemen and Heroes Day on Saturday 18th August in aid of

 RACING WELFARE and

 THE HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY OPERATIONAL CASUALTIES FUND.

If you are interested in taking part, please e-mail Sarah Oliver sph.oliver@btinternet.com for an application form and race details.

Applications close on 15th May.

Rachel King represented Great Britain in Abu Dhabi at a Press Conference and Exhibition during Aintree week when it was announced that The Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival’s Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies IFAHR Cup will now be run as a world championship with invited professional lady jockeys also participating.  Rachel won a race in this Arab racing series in 2011 in Oman.

Points will be awarded for participation and Lara Sawaya, Festival Director, also announced an additional £50,000 is now added to the championship, which will be distributed between the top 3 point winning amateur clubs at the end of the series (€25,000, €15,000 and €10,000) in appreciation of their support and encouragement of lady jockeys.

The winning lady jockeys of each of the 9 races of 2012 will automatically get an entry into the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship final race in Abu Dhabi on 4th November.  The winner of the final championship race will also win a Mercedes car!

The AJA are very grateful to Lara Sawaya for producing so many unique race riding opportunities around the world to so many lady jockeys.  So far this year Helen Cuthbert (Oman), Pip Tutty (Australia) and Adele Mulrennan (Texas)  have taken part.  Nicola Dumelow travels to Morocco for the 4th race of the series on 4th May.  Newbury hosts the next race on 19th May when Anna Wallace will represent Great Britain.

The series then moves to Berlin (10th June), Stockholm (10th July), Warsaw (26th August), and Craon (3rd September) before the finale in Abu Dhabi.

Would YOU like to develop and improve your riding technique and jockey skills?

The British Racing School in Newmarket are holding an amateur rider development course from 14th - 18th May with just 4 places left as of today so don’t miss it!  You must hold a Category A licence or a point-to-point licence, be fully fit and not be carrying any injuries.  The course offers:

Riding out with video reviews; a school session with Olympic coach Yogi Breisner;  dietary and nutritional advice; sports science; simulator training using state of the art Dartfish Technology to improve pushing technique and use of the whip; fitness assessment and review; fall training using the Equichute; sports psychology.

This fully residential course is for 4.5 days and costs £500 which includes tuition, accommodation, meals and refreshments.  

For further information please contact CLARE HIGGINS on 01638 675907.  Clare’s full contact details are:

Clare Higgins

Courses Co-Ordinator

The British Racing School

Newmarket

Suffolk  CB8 7NU

Tel:  01638 675907

Fax:  01638 560929

E-mail: clare@brs.org.uk

Huge congratulations to Katie Walsh on making the Aintree record books by becoming the most successful lady jockey to ride in the history of the Grand National when she finished third today to Neptune Collonges and Sunnyhillboy on her trainer father Ted’s SEABASS.

A thrilled Katie said after the race “I had an unbelievable spin.  It was a fantastic experience.  It was great to get round.  I can’t believe its all over and I can’t wait to do it again.  At the third last I was going okay.  I pulled down my googles turning in and Barry (Geraghty) said to me “You’re not going too bad” but I knew then I wasn’t going to win.  I was just delighted to be placed.”  SEABASS was going well in the closing stages of the race but was beaten as the first two fought out a thrilling finish.

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/walsh-one-day-a-woman-will-win-national-547517.html#ixzz1s2LBu6sY“

Many congratulations to top Irish amateur Richie Harding who had a thrilling win today at Aintree in the Fox Hunters for trainer Donald McCain and owner Trevor Hemmings with CLOUDY LANE in an incident packed race which saw 13 runners and riders complete from a line up of 26.  Richie’s ride outstayed long time leader ROULEZ COOL and Sam Waley-Cohen with HERONS WELL taking third place and KEENAN’S FUTURE finishing fourth.

Richie said “He’s been round here before and it was a brilliant spin.  He jumped and travelled well and he was just idling in front.  He jumped for fun and he loved it.  Everything went to plan and I’ve always wanted to win this race.”  This was a courageous run from the winner who finished with a twisted hind shoe and the winning trainer added “Aintree is special to us and to repay people like Mr Hemmings is nice.”

Many congratulations on a fantastically patient ride by Colman Sweeney today when he came literally from last to first to take the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase in fine style on SALSIFY owned by his mother and trained by his father.

The partnership were content to lie 20 lengths off the pace in the early stages and waited well into the home straight before Colman even thought about delivering his challenge.

After the race Colman said “I’ll take any ban they want to give me! I was 13 stone 10 lbs in December but the family and the wife put some huge pressure on me to lose it so that I could ride this fella and I’m glad I did - this is such a sweet win.”

12 jockeys took part in what has now become a hugely oversubscribed event that has raised over £400,000 since it was first run in 2010 and has raised over half as much again this year.  Other jockeys taking part were Trainer’s wife Candida Baker, ATR presenter Gina Bryce, Welsh opera singer and tv personality Shan Cothi, Irish Field journalist Niall Cronin, RUK presenter Niall Hannity (who lost over 3 stone to participate!), scrap metal specialist James Hughes, Cancer nurse Lindsey Hunting, Trainer’s daughter and sister Jo McCain, Coolmore Stud’s assistant Wendy Normile, local trainer’s wife Jelly O’Brien and Greater Manchester firefighter Stuart Parr.

If you would like to support this event, please visit www.justgiving.com/festival and donate now!