Category: Jockey News
09-11-2018
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF
THE AMATEUR JOCKEYS ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN LIMITED
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2017 Annual General meeting of the AJA will be held on Monday 3 December 2018 at 12:00 noon at Premier Yew Lodge Hotel, Kegworth in the Laurent Perrier Suite when the following ordinary business will be considered:
- to receive apologies for absence
- to consider and if thought fit to approve and confirm the Minutes of the previous AGM and to authorise the President to sign them
- to receive and consider the report of the directors
- to receive and consider the report of the Chief Executive
- to receive and consider and if thought fit to pass a resolution adopting the accounts for twelve months ending 31 December 2017. The accounts are now completed and copies will be available at the AGM. Alternatively, on receipt of a stamped addressed envelope, copies will be sent to members on written request
- The following director retires at the AGM in accordance with Regulations 26.1 and 26.2 and offers himself for re-election: Richard Dunwoody (nominated by Anthea Morshead and seconded by Bob Davies).
- to re-appoint Andrew Winterburn Chartered Accountants as auditors and to authorise the directors to fix their remuneration
Dated: 9 November 2018
By order of the board
08-11-2018
Congratulations on a great ride to victorious David Maxwell today when partnering his Ecu De La Noverie trained by Philip Hobbs in the Agetur novice hurdle over 2 miles at Newbury and winning by a short head in a photo finish, denying James Bowen!
An entertaining interview followed with Alex Steedman with David’s passion and enthusiasm for the sport in evidence. Many congratulations to him and to winning connections!👏👏👏👏👏
https://www.facebook.com/sarah.oliver.967/videos/10157072643741318/
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.
