Category: Jockey News
06-07-2018
What a horse! What a ride! Many congratulations Joanna Mason on a great ride aboard the legendary TAPIS LIBRE who seems to have made the Ladies Derby at Epsom his own!
Victorious now in this unique race no less than four times, last night being his third in succession, Joanna began urging her horse along before they turned for home. Under strong and patient driving, Tapis Libre steadily closed to stay on strongly and take up the lead inside the last 75 yards.
No stranger to adversity herself, having come back from a serious spinal injury following a point-to-point fall in 2015, Joanna’s sister Laura survived hospital blunders and a serious illness last year. Tapis Libre runs in the colours of The Laura Mason Syndicate which was formed to boost Laura’s recovery and it looks like the best medicine!
Clearly Joanna has formed a great partnership with Tapis Libre – this was their ninth victory in all so far! Many congratulations to horse, jockey and cousin trainer Jacqueline Coward.
Enjoy watching the closes of the race here:
04-07-2018
The Amateur Jockeys Association are delighted to announce the return of the popular Betfair Novice Flat Amateur Series now in its sixth year. The Series is open to amateur jockeys who are members of the AJA and who at 1st April 2018 have ridden no more than 3 winners under the Rules of Racing (both Jump and Flat). (This excludes Point-to-Point and Arab race wins.)
The Amateur Jockeys Association manages the series in consultation with the British Horseracing Authority. In addition Tim Reed, BHA Jockey Coach, walks the course with all participating jockeys together with a full de-brief afterwards.
Points are awarded to riders as follows: 10 points for winner, 6 for second, 4 for third and 2 for fourth. Also-rans awarded 1 point.
Winning connections are presented with Betfair trophies after each race and the winning series jockey is presented with the Betfair Novice Flat Amateur Series Trophy.
Races are programmed as follows:
18th July Catterick Bridge
25th July Leicester
1st August Redcar
12th August Royal Windsor
14th August Thirsk
17th August Nottingham
22nd August Carlisle
27th August Ripon
Harry Phillips, Head of Sponsorship at Betfair, said “Betfair is delighted to be able to support the development of aspiring jockeys through this series which has been really successful since its inception.”
Tim Reed, BHA Jockey Coach, said “It’s great to have Betfair continuing their support for this novice riders series which offers such a valued opportunity for inexperienced riders to not only get a start but also learn so much without feeling they are being judged.”
Sarah Oliver, CEO of the AJA, said “This training series is eagerly awaited every summer, offering our novice riders invaluable race riding opportunities and tutelage. Betfair’s loyal and generous support is highly valued by us all and we look forward to seeing our novice riders flourish as a direct result.”
25-06-2018
The opener at Hexham on Sunday 24 June saw reigning ladies NH champion runner-up Becky Smith enjoy her first win of the new season over obstacles when she partnered Micky Hammond’s RUSSIAN ROYALE to victory over hurdles.
Always prominent, Becky urged her horse into the lead before the last and the partnership stayed on strongly to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
Becky is in fine form having already ridden 2 winners on the Flat this season to give her pole position for the championship, and this is her second visit to the winner’s enclosure within a week. Well done Becks!
25-06-2018
The AM Media Group Handicap opened the evening card at Ayr on Friday 22nd June with 14 going to post for this race over 1m 2f.
Having got off the mark for the season less than 24 hours before at Ripon, Serena Brotherton enjoyed another success after biding her time aboard THORNTOUN CARE for Iain Jardine and making steady headway from 2f out to lead inside the final furlong.
Despite a determined challenge from Carol Bartley aboard last year’s winner HAYMARKET, the partnership held on by a head in a photo finish, with Catherine Walton a short head third.
24-06-2018
An important highlight of the ladies season is their Northern Derby held at Ripon and on 21st June Serena Brotherton enjoyed her fifth victory in this race aboard Mick Easterby’s 12-year-old ITLAAQ who was winning for the first time in 2 years!
Benefiting from first-time blinkers and a tongue-tie, Serena tucked ITLAAQ in behind the leaders and sent him on 3 furlongs from home to stay on well and win by just over a length from TRAUTMANN and Joanna Mason.
Following the race, Serena said “He’s been a star and I’ve been lucky enough to be the person to ride him. He travelled brilliantly and I thought we were getting there a bit soon, but it worked out well. It’s a lovely race and one that’s great for amateur racing – long may it continue!” Congratulations Serena! 🏆👏👌
23-06-2018
Emma Todd enjoyed a golden spell towards the end of last season with wins for her trainer Mark Walfordaboard OLIVER’S GOLD in a chase at Southwell on 15th May (below), over hurdles on MR SNOOZY (by a neck) at Hexham on 22nd May and over hurdles with BENTONS LAD on 23rd May!
Before then Emma started the Flat winning our first race of the season at Doncaster with CAPE HIDEAWAY by a neck.
But it was back over hurdles for Emma’s latest win at Uttoxeter on 20th June with MARTHA’S BENEFIT,the mare having her first run for Mark Walford.
23-06-2018
As a prelude to Royal Ascot, 8 of our lady jockeys headed to Ayr on Monday 18 June for a 6f sprint.
Congratulations to Becky Smith on her second victory of the Flat season that day with a decisive victory aboard Becky Bastiman’s BERLIOS. This was a welcome victory for the horse being his first win in over 2 years, and he really seemed to enjoy pulling away from his rivals once hitting the front to win comfortably.
This win also took Becky into the lead for the ladies. Well done to her and to winning connections!
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22-06-2018
Last Thursday 14th June welcomed Wiser Academy’s Handicap at Newbury with 14 runners taking part over a mile and 2f.
A strong early pace was set but it was notably the two runners who came from off the pace and featured in the close finish, with Tony Carroll’s WINDSORLOT ridden by Sarah Bowen on the outer getting up on the line to win by a neck from Serena Brotherton aboard LOVING YOUR WORK with Simon Walker a length and 3/4 3rd.
A keen point-to-point rider who finished 2nd recently in a Hunterchase at Worcester, this was a first career win for Sarah under Rules and a day she will surely never forget! “I’m delighted and can’t believe it” she said.
21-06-2018
Following a period of consultation with industry stakeholders, the BHA Board has approved changes to the Rules of Racing regarding safety vests which come into force from 1st October 2018:
- Level 1 safety vests to be replaced by Level 2 safety vests EN 13158:2009 or 2018
- Weight allowance: an extra 1 lb in addition to the current 2 lbs making a total of 3 lbs allowance for the vest
The amended rules are as follows:
For implementation from October 1st 2018
Schedule (D)2 – Equipment PART 1
Design of safety vests
6. A safety vest is approved by the Authority if it meets (BS) EN 13158: 2009 or 2018.
7. The minimum acceptable standard for a safety vest is Level 2
8. A safety vest must not be
8.1 modified in any way, or
8.2 attached to the horse or any equipment carried by the horse.
Rule (B)22 – Weighing out procedure
22.6 The Clerk of the Scales will not allow a Rider to be weighed out for any race unless he is wearing a safety vest which conforms to a standard approved by the Authority (see Rule (D)36 (safety vests, skull caps and saddles)).
22.7 Rule (D)42 (weighing out) specifies requirements applying to a Rider on weighing out, including the items he must include in the scale.
22.8 Overweight will be rounded down to the nearest 1lb unit.
22.9 Subject to Paragraph 22.10, to compensate for being required to wear a safety vest, the weight of a Rider on weighing out will automatically be allowed at 3lbs less than the weight that is registered on the scale (factored into the calibration of the Weighing Room scales).
22.10 During the months of December, January and February, to compensate for wearing a safety vest and extra clothing, the weight of the Rider on weighing out for a flat race will automatically be allowed at 4lbs less than the weight that is registered on the scale (factored into the calibration of the Weighing Room scales).
21-06-2018
What might ordinarily have been seen as a normal week for amateur jockeys riding on the Flat last week proved to be an extraordinary one for some of our lady riders, with Hamilton on Wednesday evening the first port of call of the week.
No less than 15 runners went to post for the racinguk.com 6f sprint with 4 of them finishing in a line, Karen Tutty’s GAELIC WIZARD under Amy Collier getting up by a head (despite missing the break) from a dead heat 2nd MY VALENTINO (Emma Sayer) and VALLARTA (Emily Bullock) with BERLIOS (Serena Brotherton) only a nose away in 4th. What a finish!
