Category: Jockey News
07-11-2018
Many congratulations to our 2018 Lady Flat Champion Amateur Jockey Becky Smith who stamped her authority on this year’s championship by concluding the season with another winning ride, emulating her male counterpart Simon Walker who did just that one week ago with the Gentleman’s Championship.
Partnering DEBATABLE for Mick Appleby, the partnership were always prominent and tracked Amie Waugh and MR CARBONATOR until ridden out to take up the lead a furlong from home. They went on to win by 1 1/2 lengths, with MR CARBONATOR 2nd and Emily Easterby 5 1/4 lengths 3rd on her father’s SILVERY MOON.
Emily Easterby, Betfair Novice Champion Jockey in 2016, has enjoyed her best season to date with 7 winners, pipping multiple Champion Jockey Serena Brotherton by one win. This was another remarkable achievement. Well done Emily!
To put into perspective the enormity of Becky’s triumph, there has never been a Lady Flat Amateur Champion before who has enjoyed so many wins in a season. Most championships have been won with 5 or 6 wins and Serena Brotherton came closest to Becky’s total with her best season of 10 wins in 2014. In addition, there has never been a Lady Flat Amateur Champion in the past who has simultaneously enjoyed pole position in the National Hunt league tables which was the case a few weeks ago. Becky currently lies in 2nd place to Aine O’Connor with most of the season ahead.
Many congratulations to our new Lady Champion and to our Runner-Up and well done to today’s winning connections. And of course congratulations to all of our lady riders who have enjoyed winners this season.
Picture credits: AJA
06-11-2018
We look forward to seeing 15 runners sign off the ladies Flat season at Nottingham tomorrow evening to close the card as the nights draw in.
Becky Smith has been in an unassailable position for a few weeks now to claim her first Lady Flat Amateur Jockey Championship and extended her lead to double figures when winning the sprint at Musselburgh on 15th October. Becky has battled hard this season with reigning joint champion Serena Brotherton putting up a serious challenge as well as Emily Easterby who is currently in runner-up slot on 7 wins.
Becky goes into the women’s finale at Nottingham tomorrow at the top of the leaderboard on 10 wins for the season. Considering that Becky is also reigning National Hunt Runner-Up (to Page Fuller) for the Ladies Championship 2017/18 and currently lies in 2nd place in the current NH season to leading lady Aine O’Connor, this is a serious and unique achievement. Well done Becky!
Emily Easterby holds the runner-up slot on 7 wins but there is a chance she could be joined by multiple Champion Jockey Serena Brotherton, currently on 6 wins.
Presentations will be made to the Champion Jockey and to the Runner-Up following winning connections’ presentations after the race.
06-11-2018
The penultimate ladies Flat race of the season held at Newbury on Saturday 28 October with 16 runners provided a dramatic result. A Stewards Enquiry was called after this season’s leading jumps lady Aine O’Connor was first past the post with Harry Fry’s PRESS GANG a short head in front of Brodie Hampson and Ian Williams’s WAR BRIGADE, which resulted in a photo finish. (Joanna Mason finished 2 1/4 lengths back in third with Hughie Morrison’s AFFAIR.)
The Stewards concluded their enquiry by reversing the placings, awarding the race to Brodie Hampson, having viewed Press Gang edge to his left under a right handed drive which carried War Brigade to the left. Unfortunately Aine was suspended for 2 days for careless riding and a shocked Harry Fry said “We’ve lost a few stewards’ enquiries now, so I thought one would go our way, but the longer it went on the more nervous I was getting.”
Nothing however should detract from the great achievement of the winning rider Brodie Hampson who has made a remarkable recovery back to full fitness following her horror fall at Newton Abbot at the end of June when she sustained multiple fractures to her spine and severe concussion. Many congratulations to Brodie and also to winning connections.
Brodie went on to prove she is back with a vengeance after enjoying another visit to the winner’s enclosure just 6 days later on Friday at Uttoxeter. Partnering KNIGHT CRUSADER for John O’Shea in the pro/am bumper over a mile and 7, Brodie held her horse up until half a mile from home when she began to drive her horse forward to lead a furlong out and win by 1 3/4 lengths.
Well done Brodie on a great ride!
06-11-2018
This Friday 9 November sees the finales of both the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) and also the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Apprentices World Championship (IFAHR) in Abu Dhabi.
10 jockeys ride in each race as follows:
Ladies: Belgium’s Sara Vermeersch (winner in Stockholm), France’s Marie Lemartinel (winner in Morocco) and Mégane Peslier (winner in Toulouse), Germany’s Rebecca Danz (winner in St Moritz), Ireland’s Evanna McCutcheon (winner in Oman), Italy’s Ilaria Saggiomo Ilaria (winner in Netherlands), Morocco’s Zineb Briouil, Netherlands Nadia Ibrahim, Sweden’s Tina Henriksson (winner in Houston USA) and UK’s Antonia Peck.
Apprentices: Belgium’s Sanne De Ceulaer (winner in Seville) and Jurico Bogaerts (winner in Ostend), Germany’s Esther Weißmeier, Ireland’s Eoin Walsh (winner in Copenhagen), Oman’s Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (winner in Morocco), Poland’s Joanna Grzybowska, Russia’s Anna Makarova, Spain’s Alejandra Gutierrez Baeza (winner in Tarbes), Sweden’s Andreas Tapia Dalbark (winner in Oman) and UK’s Patrick Pilley.
Many thanks as always to Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairman of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairman of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), and thanks also to our hosts in Abu Dhabi – Pat Buckley and Sam Shinsky – for their kind and generous support.
Good luck all!
05-11-2018
The international ladies race so kindly organised by France’s top lady jockey Barbara Guenet took place on Sunday 28 October.
After a fantastic few days on the magical island of Mauritius, 3 UK lady jockeys – Lorna Brooke, Jodie Hughes and Charly Prichard – rode there alongside fellow ladies representing France, Spain, Switzerland and Czech Republic.
Many congratulations to Charly Prichard on riding the winner for UK with Jodie Hughes 4th and Lorna Brooke 5th in a close finish! What a great end to a wonderful few days in the sun. Many thanks to Barbara for organising this unique trip.
You can watch the thrilling closing stages of the race here:
https://www.facebook.com/jodie.hughes.18/videos/a.10215311058763170/10215331115184568/?type=3&theater
04-11-2018
We owe a debt of gratitude to our friends at the Wuhan Jockey Club in China – Kit Wu and Coco Yao – for hosting such an amazing trip for our amateur jockeys representing Ireland and the UK recently, Ciaran Jones and George Eddery.
Although both jockeys were unplaced in the race which took place on 27th October, they relished the experience of race riding in China as well as the Chinese culture.
We really appreciate the kind hospitality and wonderful opportunity extended to our members to ride in the Far East. Thank you Wuhan Jockey Club!
01-11-2018
Huge congratulations to our 2018 Gentleman Flat Champion Jockey, Simon Walker, for yet another championship to add to the 11 already credited to his name. Simon in fact won his first championship back in 2003, just 3 years after Ryan Moore claimed the title, and has dominated the gentleman’s championships ever since alongside a hugely successful career as a regular champion jockey of Arabians.
The Amateur Jockeys Association Handicap over a mile and a quarter at Nottingham last night saw 13 runners go to post in the fading light. Leaving no doubt and stamping his authority on the 2018 championship, Simon gave a copybook ride to Steve Golling’s striking grey NEVADA to win by a neck from Kaine Wood and MR CARBONATOR for Philip Kirby, with Fergus Fillard 2 1/2 lengths third on David Pipe’s DREAM FREE.
The victory extended Simon’s lead to conclude the season with 5 wins, with last year’s Champion Pat Millman a valiant runner-up with 3 wins. Very many congratulations to Simon on yet another fantastic achievement and to winning connections on a fine win.
Well done to all our gentleman riders who have enjoyed winning rides this season and here’s hoping we can add more races to the calendar to look forward to for 2019!
30-10-2018
Many congratulations to Betfair winning jockey Charlie Todd who enjoyed a second career winning ride at Leicester yesterday when storming clear in the Fosse Way Handicap over 7 furlongs to win by 6 lengths on Mike Murphy’s Young John.
The well supported penultimate gentleman amateur riders’ race saw a field of 15 take part, with Alex Fielding 2nd on Mick Easterby’s Desert Dream and Ben Furnival 3 1/4 lengths 3rd on David Loughnane’s Berlios.
Well done Charlie on a great ride.
30-10-2018
Many congratulations to Simon Walker on a smooth performance at Doncaster on Friday when winning the final mixed race of the amateur Flat season, the Amateur Jockeys Association Handicap run over 1 mile and 2.
Holding up TRALEE HILLS in the early stages, the pair made steady headway on the outer from 3 furlongs out and under Simon’s driving Tralee Hills responded to keep on well to hold on by a neck from Matt Ennis aboard Alistair Whillans trained ZEALOUS by Peter Hedger . Ella McCain was 3rd on MEARING for Iain Jardine.
This win elevates Simon one ahead of reigning champion Pat Millman to go into the men’s finale at Nottingham tomorrow at the top of the leader board on 4 wins for the season and secure him an incredible 11th Gentleman’s Flat Championship over the last 14 years.
Pat Millman currently holds the runner-up slot but, without a ride himself, there is a chance he could be joined by 2014’s Joint Champion Jockey Ross Birkett who is one of 4 jockeys having ridden 2 wins this season, the others (without a ride tomorrow) being George Eddery, James Harding and Dr Misha Voikhansky.
We look forward to seeing a full field of 16 runners sign off the gentlemen’s season before the ladies enjoy their finale at Nottingham next Wednesday. Good luck all! Presentations will be made on each occasion to the Champion Jockey and to the Runner-Up following winning connections’ presentations after the race.
09-10-2018
Many congratulations to Nell McCann who enjoyed success on her first ever ride when partnering SOCIAL BUTTERFLY for Mick Channon at Windsor in the 6 furlong finale of the Betfair 8 race series for novice riders.
Always handy, the partnership joined the leaders at the half way stage and led inside the final furlong to keep on and win by half a length from series winning jockey Tom Midgley who came from a long way back on COASTAL DRIVE, with Sarah Bowen and WHITECREST a further length and 3/4 3rd.
Following the race Nell said “Social Butterfly took me through the whole race by herself – it was absolutely brilliant. She travelled so perfectly and picked up exactly when I asked.” Well done Nell on a great start to your career – and a worthy win for a real hard worker according to your boss which makes it even more rewarding. Congratulations to all winning connections!
Congratulations to Tom Midgley, series winning jockey, together with all other winning jockeys who have enjoyed success in this series – Dylan McDonagh, Ellie MacKenzie, Amy Collier, Charlie Todd and Jessica Gillam – and all other participating jockeys who have ridden so well.
Many thanks to all supporting racecourses as well as Jockey Coach Tim Reed and all trainers who have given so many novice riders race riding opportunities that they may have otherwise been denied. Importantly, huge thanks must also go to our loyal sponsors Betfair for yet another great series.
Planning now starts for 2019 for another great series to look forward to next summer!
Photos: (c) Francesca Altoft
