Category: Jockey News
27-05-2015
With only 3 days of the NH season left for amateur jockeys and Friday night’s traditional finale hosted by Stratford Racecourse eagerly anticipated, both of our champions are in unassailable positions with their pole positions safe.
Many congratulations to Harry Bannister on retaining his title for a second year and many congratulations to Bridget Andrews on winning her first ladies title (following in the footsteps of her elder sister Gina) before turning conditional just a few weeks ago. Bridget is already making a great success of her professional career and we wish her all the luck for the future.
The reserve champion for the men is another conditional already, Ciaran Gethings, who rode his biggest winner of his career at Haydock recently with his first professional ride. The lady’s reserve champion is not so safely secured with Brodie Hampson currently holding that position but the champion’s sister Gina is breathing down her neck with only one less winner and looks forward to some interesting rides on Friday night.
Click here for the current rankings ChampionshipsRacecardMay2015
2014/15 NATIONAL HUNT GENTLEMAN AMATEUR JOCKEYS CHAMPIONSHIP
The championship runs from Saturday 31st May 2014 until Friday 29th May 2015
Mr Harry Bannister 13
* Ciaran Gethings 10
2014/15 NATIONAL HUNT LADY AMATEUR JOCKEYS CHAMPIONSHIP
The championship runs from Saturday 31st May 2014 until Friday 29th May 2015
* Bridget Andrews 12
Miss Brodie Hampson 6
Miss Gina Andrews 5
26-05-2015
With no less than 4 of the 7 races this evening being won by amateur jockeys at Hexham, well done to Joey Richards on SCARLET FIRE, Tom Hamilton on NATIVE OPTIMIST, Tommy Dowson on GIN COBBLER and Zac Baker on PEKANHEIM for their victorious rides!
21-05-2015
Well done Becky Smith and Emma Todd who somewhat unusually shared the winning slot today at Wetherby in the Yorkshire Post Lady Riders’ Handicap Hurdle. Mineral Hero (Becky Smith) was giving his rival nearly 2 stone and had to dig really deep on the run-in to achieve a dead heat with Lilly’s Legend (Emma Todd) in a thrilling finish. Well done ladies!
16-05-2015
Following a double in Les Landes, Jersey, last weekend, Freddy Tett travelled over to France to ride in the amateur cross country at the scenic Le Lion d’Angers on Thursday to continue his winning ways! This is where the feature uphill loop into the forest is taken in both directions during the same race! Leading from pillar to post he stormed home, taking the obstacles including the formidable steps in his stride.
Congratulations to Freddy who has now moved on to Paris where he rides in the amateur chase, the Maréchal Foch, tomorrow at Auteuil and we wish him the best of British luck in continuing to kick home the winners!
12-05-2015
Congratulations to Georgina Friswell who enjoyed her first career win when booting home POWER UP in the mytotepool.com amateur riders’ handicap at Southwell this evening. Having only her 3rd start for trainer Jane Chapel-Hyam, the mare saw it out well holding off the challenge of multi-champion amateur Simon Walker and WELD ARAB to win by 2 lengths.
The winning rider said “Power Up had a break at my mum’s over the winter and it has done her the power of good. I can’t believe I have ridden my first winner!” Well done Georgina!
25-04-2015
Congratulations to Rebecca Heptonstall who enjoyed her 1st career winner tonight when partnering INTISAAB for David O’Meara in the first ladies race of the amateur season, the Betdaq.com AJA Handicap, at Doncaster. What a way to start the Flat season! Held up early on in the 7 furlong sprint, Rebecca asked her horse to quicken in the final furlong to stay on strongly with a well timed run and win by half a length.
19-04-2015
Congratulations to 16-year-old Harry Cobden who enjoyed his first career success under Rules when partnering ULCK DU LIN to a smooth victory at Wincanton in the 2m handicap chase for Paul Nicholls. The trainer said “Harry has been riding out at the yard and got his B licence last Friday which was good timing so he took the ride.”
Harry followed up his victory with a quick dash to ride at the Seavington point-to-point where he also enjoyed a winner for Rachael Green!
10-04-2015
Many congratulations to Sam Waley-Cohen who improved on his already incredible Aintree record by winning the Topham this afternoon with his father’s home-bred Radjhani Express.
Sam is now the most successful jockey in modern times to ride over Aintree’s fences. He has now won 6 times over the Grand National fences having won the Topham twice, the Becher Chase and three Fox Hunter Chases as well as being placed in the Grand National. Picking his path through an eventful race with many lose horses, Radjhani Express was never challenged and won by 10 lengths from his nearest rival, Fairy Rath.
25-03-2015
Congratulations to multiple winning champion amateur SIMON WALKER who went into the finale of this season’s amateur All-Weather series in an unassailable position and underlined his all-conquering career record with an emphatic win aboard CAGED LIGHTNING for Steve Gollings at Southwell.
To the delight of JOANNA MASON, currently hospitalised after sustaining concussion and broken vertebrae in a point-to-point fall last weekend and undergoing an operation on her back today, she managed to retain her runner-up place after her best ever All-Weather season.
Many congratulations to both Simon and Jo, and also to all other amateurs who have ridden winners this season.
13-02-2015
Sandown Park plays host today to the Royal Artillery Gold Cup and amongst the 10 military amateur riders taking part is an extraordinary man. Guy Disney lost his right leg from below the knee whilst on active duty in Helmand Province in 2009 and he will make racing history today when riding BALLYALLIA MAN.
Guy’s journey back into the saddle on the racecourse has not been smooth as his jockey licence application was originally declined by the BHA. Since that time he has enjoyed riding in a charity race at Fakenham and has been able to satisfy the authorities that his artificial limb is up to the stresses and strains of race riding. Guy enjoyed 2nd and 3rd placed rides in the Combined Service point-to-point at Larkhill last weekend – a great warm up to today’s race. This afternoon Guy will become the first jockey ever to race ride under Rules with a prosthetic leg within the UK. We wish him every success.
