Serena Brotherton wins Bathwick Tyres Ladies Derby at Newbury – the richest ladies race in the world

17-08-2008

Serena Brotherton’s initiative was rewarded when she steered Alan King’s Aypeeyes to victory at Newbury to take the richest ladies race in the world, the Bathwick Tyres Ladies Derby. Having studied the entries, Serena sent off a fax to the trainer earlier in the week asking if she could be considered for the ride.  

In a race where nobody seemed to want to go on and make the running, the closely bunched field did not quicken until they hit the home straight.  Always going well within himself and wearing a visor for the first time, Aypeeyes held off The King And I ridden by Claire Allen to win by 1 1/2 lengths with Hayley Moore and Guardian of Truth 1/2 a length away in 3rd and Katherine Hobbs holding 4th on Oldrik.

The series, extended for the first time this year to include 8 races in all, continues with 2 races left to be held at Salisbury on 29th August and 1st October before returning to Newbury for the finale on 25th October, when the winning series rider will collect her prize of a holiday worth £1,500 kindly donated by Wayne and Sarah Clifford of Bathwick Tyres.  This Derby victory takes Serena Brotherton into the lead with 20 points, whilst Gemma Gracey-Davison and Amy Ryan have 17 points each and Emily Jones has 15 points.  The complete table appears within the Tables section of this website.

Pictured above are winning connections – trainer Alan King, Aypeeyes’s lass, Serena Brotherton, Sarah Clifford of Bathwick Tyres and trainer’s wife Rachel King. 

AMY ENJOYS MULTITASKED TREBLE IN CARLISLE

04-08-2008

AMY RYAN, who won the opening lady amateur riders’ handicap 12 months ago at Carlisle, maintained her 100 per cent record with a repeat performance on Emirate Isle owned and bred by John Wade.  Amy produced the Chris Grant-trained four-year-old with a strong late run to get the better of favourite Emperor’s Well by a neck. “I’m thrilled,” said Amy, who was riding her 12th winner in her career to date and her third of this season. “I thought he had a chance of winning and he’s done it well in the end.” Chris Grant was full of praise for the winning rider, who had won the corresponding race last year on the David Nicholls-trained Kabis Amigos. “Amy has given him a good ride,” said Grant. The stewards took a close look at the race and suspended Amy for careless riding and Jacqueline Coward, rider of the runner-up, for using her whip with excessive frequency.  Both bans span two days and will be served on days to be notified.   Amy went on to saddle 2 winners for her trainer father Kevin, making a unique treble for her on the night .