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!
16-06-2018
The eagerly awaited highlight of the ladies season at York, the Queen Mother’s Cup, did not disappoint with a thrilling finish and Michael Dod’s giving one of his 20-year-old identical twin daughters Sophie her first ever career win aboard MISTER BELVEDERE.
There were many previous winning jockeys in the race with triple winning jockey Serena Brotherton 1999 (Flower O’Cannie), 2003 (Sporting Gesture) & 2014 (Pearl Castle), Emily Easterby 2016 winner (Shoano), last year’s winner Joanna Lucy Mason (Tapis Libre – trained by dual winner 2011 & 2012 Jacqueline Coward (Crackentorp)), 2015 winner Laura Wilson (Apterix) and 2013 winner (Nanton) by a nose Carol Bartley. The Princess Royal also won this race back in 1988 and Francesca Cumani followed her mother’s winning 2004 footsteps by winning in 2005 and again in 2006.
An overjoyed Michael Dods said that watching his daughter win “means as much as winning the Nunthorpe” and Sophie added “It’s unbelievable, I can’t quite take it in.”.
14-06-2018
We wish all the best to both Page Fuller who now looks forward to her professional career as well as Lorcan Williams and several other amateur jockeys who await the conditional course at the end of this month in Newmarket before turning professional.
Good luck all!
It was pleasing to see such great coverage of both champions in the Racing Post following their title successes. Here are the links to their stories which make interesting reading:
https://www.racingpost.com/news/lorcan-williams-looking-to-future-as-conditional-jockey-after-title-victory/334843:
https://www.racingpost.com/news/fuller-turns-professional-after-ending-campaign-with-second-amateur-crown/334518
12-06-2018
The British Racing School Newmarket are hosting an Amateur Rider Development Course from 30th July to 3rd August.
This course is open to anyone holding an Amateur Rider’s Permit.
The cost of the course is £595.00 which includes accommodation, refreshments and all meals.
All jockeys should be below 12 stone dressed. If you are over 12 stone you will not be allowed to proceed with the assessment and your payment will be forfeited.
For enquiries please contact Di Farrell-Thomas at the BRS or e-mail: Di.Farrell-Thomas@brs.org.uk
04-06-2018
Many congratulations Serena Brotherton on making a private invitational ride in Madrid a winning one last Sunday 27 May! Riding for trainer Antonio Sanchez, QUICK ARTIST battled all the way to get up on the line and win by a short head in a thrilling finish.
That’s another victory to add to Serena’s career winning rides to date (47 point-to-points, 1 Hunter Chase, 1 Arab and 122 Flat) which now total 171! Well done Serena!
30-05-2018
We have had an unusual start to this year’s amateur Flat season, with our Clerks of Courses seriously challenged by the atrocious spring weather and the loss of one of our races at Ayr as well as the postponement of our ladies race at Salisbury.
It was brilliant to see a field of 20 gentlemen riders go to post at York on Saturday 26 May for the John Wright Electrical 7f Handicap and even better to see Alex Fielding enjoy not only his first ever ride under Rules but also his first winner aboard MAGIC CITY for Mick Easterby with stable companion IMPERIAL STATE 3/4 length 2nd for Jack Teal.
25-05-2018
The ladies were in action on the Flat at Ayr last Tuesday and whilst Becky Smith is making every effort to close the gap on reigning lady jumps champion Page Fuller for the National Hunt ladies championship, she enjoyed a fine victory on the level for Marjorie Fife when partnering LUV U WHATEVER in the 1m 5f Ladies Handicap to win comfortably.
Many congratulations to winning connections and well done Becky! 
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24-05-2018
Only 16 days until our finale of the amateur jump season on the evening of 8th June at Stratford and there is still all to play for in the amateur championships!
Well done to Lorcan Williams who went one clear of Zac Baker last week with his win aboard MONSIEUR GIBRALTAR at Fontwell’s Hunterchase evening on Thursday which takes him to a tally of 12 for the season so far. Lorcan has 2 rides this afternoon at Warwick and could add to that score. There are plenty of gentlemen stacking up behind him with not only Zac on 11 but also Alex Edwards on 10 wins so this contest is far from over yet!
The ladies battle saw reigning champion Page Fuller make a great bid to reclaim her title with 3 wins in 4 days, following up her Saturday win at Haydock on MONBEG THEATRE with a win at Towcester 2 days later in a match race on OUR THREE SONS (his debut over fences) and ICE TRES rewarding a good ride at Wincanton the next day over hurdles for Chris Down. Congratulations to Page who is now on 15 wins for the season so far, but Becky Smith is giving it her all in a battle to the line, currently on 11. Becky was denied victory aboard OUR KYLIE in a chase at Towcester this Monday by just a nose after 2 1/2 miles and rides tonight at Southwell. Meanwhile, well done to Becky won on the Flat yesterday at Ayr!
Whatever the final scores of either champion, there is never an overall Amateur Champion for either our Flat or National Hunt season. This is simply because we have an unequal number of races for each sex, with several ladies hurdle races featuring in the jumps calendar whilst many ladies races prove popular within Ladies Day racecourses’ events. The scores are taken on wins alone, with no countback, so that if anyone ties, as with the professionals, the title is shared.🏆🍾🏆🍾
GOOD LUCK ALL!!!🍀
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