THE AMATEUR JOCKEYS ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN

Category: Jockey News

Ed Bailey wins at Ludlow and Ffos Las!

10-11-2017

23659724_10156040770116318_9128903579009945147_nWe really appreciate the support of so many racecourses programming amateur races both on the Flat and NH, and one of our most loyal supporters is Ludlow. it was here on 26 October that Ed Bailey enjoyed a winning ride aboard GO ON HENRY owned by his parents and trained by Matt Sheppard in the Bob Hagan 70th Birthday Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase (for The Court of Hill Challenge Cup).

Dropping him out in the early stages of the race, Ed bided his time and did not begin to make an impression on the leaders until turning into the home straight for the final time. It was here that he began to close in and take up the running from two out, staying on well to win by 4 lengths from Chester Williams on GRAND COUREUR with Jodie Hughes and SHOW’S OVER 7 lengths back in third.

This success came just 5 days after Ed scored at Ffos Las on 21 October (shortly after Zac Baker had won the Welsh Champion Hurdle!) when again riding for Matt Shepherd, this time against professionals aboard PATRICKS PARK. Well done Ed!

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Photo credits: AJA

Arabian Series concludes in Abu Dhabi

10-11-2017

Tonight sees the finals of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies and Apprentices World Championships in Abu Dhabi.

Many thanks to the Sheikh Mansoor Festival and of course to the driving force that is 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) for the many opportunities given to our own lady amateurs as well as professional lady riders and British apprentice jockeys.

This year Jodie Hughes (Oman), Alice Mills (St Moritz (abandoned) & Stockholm), Emma Todd (Texas), Ellie MacKenzie (Bahrain & Chelmsford), Michelle Edden (Morocco), Emma Sayer (Rome), Poppy Bridgwater (California), Ostend (Rosie Jessop) and Poland (Joanna Mason) all enjoyed riding abroad and representing Great Britain. There were some incredibly close finishes but sadly no amateur victory, although we were hugely proud to have a UK win in Belgium (for the 3rd consecutive year with previous winners Page Fuller and Cath Walton) thanks to Rosie Jessop who rides in tonight’s finale. GOOD LUCK ROSIE!

The following apprentices also rode for the UK: Katherine Glenister (Oman & Copenhagen), Jane Elliott (Rome), Paddy Pilley(Chelmsford and New Jersey), Jonathan Fisher (Poland) and Paula Muir (France). Sadly again no UK victories but Newmarket (Stuart Williams) based Milly Naseb was victorious representing Jordan at Chelmsford which earned her a place in the line-up tonight in the apprentices’ finale. GOOD LUCK MILLY!

Other UK based apprentices represented their respective countries: Manuel Fernandes (Portugal), Jordan Uys (Zimbabwe), Sophie Ralston (Ireland) and Robbie Fitzpatrick (Ireland).

Wishing everyone a great evening’s racing in Abu Dhabi to conclude this year’s Arabian racing under the patronage of the Sheikh Mansoor Festival.

We all send get well soon wishes to Cecily Eaton who was due to represent Australia but had a bad race fall the day before leaving for the Middle East and is currently recuperating with broken bones in her back. Mend soon Cecily!

Aaron Anderson & Bollin Line win Hands & Heels at Ludlow

10-11-2017

To make yesterday even better for amateurs who are so well supported by Ludlow Racecourse’s race programming, the Hands and Heels hurdle saw Aaron Anderson enjoy a 2nd career win aboard BOLLIN LINE for Lucinda Egerton, significantly the horse who gave him his first win back in August in another H&H at Market Rasen.

Aaron held up his mount and produced him with impeccable timing to lead over the last and driven out ran on strongly to win by just over 2 lengths. Its good to see such a partnership, especially with the horse defying a 7 lb penalty for a recent Sedgefield success. Well done Aaron!

We look forward to returning next week to Ludlow for the AJA handicap hurdle on Thursday.

Zac Baker extends lead on gentlemen with Ludlow win

10-11-2017

With the close of the Flat season tomorrow and our own amateur Flat season now put to bed, full focus is on our National Hunt season which is of course well under way.

Many congratulations to Zac Baker who extended his lead in the gentlemen’s championship with a fine win yesterday at Ludlow to make it 4 wins so far this season. Partnering ROBINSHILL (who had dropped Jamie Bargary at the final fence with the race at his mercy on his last run) Zac gave the horse a confident and patient ride and survived a jinx at the last to drive him out for an impressive 5 length victory.

Nigel Twiston-Davies said “The horse was desperately unlucky last time and the handicapper put him up 4 lb for basically getting beaten, which was hardly ideal. He jumped pretty well this time and Zac organised him at the last when seeing a nice stride – so all is well that ends well.”

Well done Zac! 🏆👏

Pat Millman crowned Gentleman Flat Champion

08-11-2017

The withdrawal of 4 declared runners before the start of our last gents Flat race of the season saw leading jockey Pat Millman without a ride but his lead could not be reached by any of his weighing room colleagues and he is our 2017 Gentleman Amateur Flat Jockey. Huge congratulations to Pat on this great achievement. Pat is the first ex-apprentice to revert back to amateur status and become champion.

Interestingly this is the first time in more than a decade that anyone has got past Simon Walker for either of the top 2 slots in the championship, Simon having won this championship no less than 12 times over the past 14 years and been runner-up in the other 2!  Simon first won this championship back in 2003, just 3 years after an amateur called Ryan Moore was crowned Gentleman Amateur Flat Champion Jockey back in 2000.

Many congratulations also to Ben James who managed to go one ahead of Simon and finish the season with 4 wins to give him the runner-up slot. Again this is a real achievement. Ben leaves Newmarket next week for sunnier climes to join Gai Waterhouse for 12 months and we wish him the very best of luck.

Well done to all of our gentleman riders who have enjoyed riding winners this season!🏆🍾🏆🍾🏆🍾🏆🍾

Jay Kendrick enjoys final men’s race win of Flat season

08-11-2017

DOH_p6pW0AIWkuA 2Many congratulations to Jay Kendrick who won the last men’s race of the season tonight at Nottingham with Mick Michael Appleby’s Topamichi to reward the horse’s patient owners The Horse Watchers who have given the horse time to overcome niggling problems and run to his best. Clearly Jay’s recent trip to China and the experience of riding out there put him spot on for this winning ride!

Well done Jay!

Photo credits: AJA

Serena and Joanna share Ladies Flat Championship again

02-11-2017

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It’s tough at the top, and although we all know it’s tougher at the bottom, this season the ladies had a real battle to the line for the Ladies Flat championship.

Huge congratulations to Serena Brotherton and Joanna Mason on a fantastic achievement in winning their 2nd joint championship (having shared it in 2015) and for Serena this is incredibly her 10th ladies title! It has not been plain sailing for either of them this season and Joanna also won the Arabian Ladies Championship, so a tremendous double for her

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Many congratulations also to our trio of talented and valiant runners-up – triple winning past champion Carol Bartley – the only amateur to win against professionals in the 9 race Silk Series this year, 2017 Betfair Champion Abbie Mccain and younger sister, 16 year old Ella Mccain who were all just one win behind the champions with 4 wins each. It was a real achievement for the McCain girls, both having each enjoyed a winner in the Betfair series which cannot be included in the championship tally.

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Well done to all of our lady riders who have enjoyed riding winners this season!🏆🍾🏆🍾🏆🍾🏆🍾

Becky Smith wins final ladies race of season

02-11-2017

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Well done Becky Smith for a fine win at Nottingham last night to close the Flat season for the ladies with the last mixed turf race of 2017. (The gentlemen have their last race there next Wednesday.)

23167659_10155980251976318_8422718934676434966_n15 went to post, with Serena Brotherton denied a last attempt at increasing her tally for the ladies title by a non-runner, and the three other leading ladies hot on Becky’s heels with Ella Mccain 3rd on ROYAL COSMIC for Richard Fahey, Abbie Mccain 4th for Clive Mulhall with BIGBADBOY and joint leader Joanna Mason 5th, and only 4 1/2 lengths between them. Ultimately the final placings for the ladies championship remained unaltered.

2017_12106_0It was a thrilling finish with Becky aboard QUOTELINE DIRECT holding on in a photo by a short head to deny Jamie Brace and ENGLAND EXPECTS and win for boss Micky Hammond.

IMG_4742Well done Becky and a great end to an eventful ladies season! 👏🍾👍🏆🏇

Gentlemen fight out runner-up slot with Pat Millman in lead

31-10-2017

Meanwhile the gentlemen are having their own interesting end to the Flat season. Pat Millman’s firm grip on the lead position was tightened with a fine double at Beverley at the end of September, taking his seasonal tally to 6, well clear of his rivals.

The only other lads to score more than a single win from the 24 times that gentlemen riders have graced the winner’s enclosure this season have been Jamie Brace (2 wins thanks to TAKE TWO) and perennial champion Simon Walker (having a quieter season than usual for him) with 3 wins so far.

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Ben James joined Simon on 3 wins when enjoying a thrilling victory at Windsor last Monday by a short head aboard John Bridger’s BETSALOTTIE, denying Ross Birkett with Jamie Codd a length away back in 3rd. Ben followed this up at Leicester this Monday when partnering CHAMPAGNE BOB for Richard Price to make late headway 2 furlongs from home and storm home to head Simon Walker aboard MY GIRL MAISIE inside the final furlong and win by 2 1/2 lengths. This dramatic result took Ben into runner-up slot with 4 wins, and with 2 remaining races, the final mixed tomorrow at Nottingham and the last men’s race of the season at Nottingham in a week’s time, you can be sure Ben will have Pat in his sights!

Good luck lads!

Emily Easterby scores at Newbury

31-10-2017

Well done to last season’s Betfair Series Champion Emily Easterby who won the final ladies race of the season at Newbury on Saturday when partnering David Simcock’s BYBROOK owned by Qatar Racing. This was Emily’s first win of the season with the current leading ladies and past champions (on 5 wins each), Serena Brotherton and Joanna Lucy Mason, placed 2nd and 3rd respectively.

The field set off at a scorching pace which played into the hands of TAKE TWO ridden by Serena who was very slow leaving the stalls but made relentless headway on the leading group from turning into the straight to be denied victory on the line by just half a length, with Jo and TOGETHERNESS 3/4 length in third. 4th was Ella Mccain who currently sits in the championship runner-up slot on 4 wins alongside sister Abbie Mccain and past triple champion Carol Bartley.Tomorrow sees the final mixed race of the season in the last at Nottingham where the curtain comes down on the ladies. Both Serena and Jo have rides as well as Ella and Abbie, so the possibilities are endless even at this late stage for the ladies championship. We could literally have a single champion, a shared championship of two or even a shared championship of three! Or of course we could have no change at all to the current order with a gentleman rider winning the race.

Good luck girls and well done to all our lady jockeys who have enjoyed riding winners this season!

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