Category: Jockey News
18-05-2016
This Friday evening 20th May sees the finale of the 2015/2016 amateur jump season kindly hosted as always by Stratford Racecourse.
The gentlemen’s championship has been won by David Noonan (above) on 19 wins – an incredible achievement considering that David turned conditional before Christmas!
Stan Sheppard (above) has put in a great effort at denying David the championship and is currently on 15 wins with the runner-up slot safely secured, having ridden 2 winners last week with Maxi Chop in a Hunterchase at Fontwell for Rose Loxton the day after he scored at Worcester for his father Matt with Modeligo over fences. Stan’s nearest rival is Michael Legg who has had an incredible season and is currently on 11. James King rode no less than 3 winners last week so deserves a mention too in the closing stages of the season:
* David Noonan 19
Mr Stan Sheppard 15
Mr Michael Legg 11
* Sam Coltherd 9
Mr Zac Baker 6
Mr James King 5
Mr Tommie O’Brien 5
The ladies championship is a much closer battle with Bryony Frost (below) currently leading the girls on 7 wins.
Catherine Walton (below) won a Hunterchase at Perth last week on Mister Marker for Nicky Richards which took her to 6 wins and last night Gina Andrews joined her in the runner-up slot following her Hunterchase win at Huntingdon on Hill of Gold for David Kemp.
Brodie Hampson is next in line with 5 wins. Friday night’s racing at Stratford Races could change the final ranking for the ladies so here is wishing good luck to all!
Miss Bryony Frost 7
Ms Gina Andrews 6
Ms Catherine Walton 6
Miss Brodie Hampson 5
Ms Nina Carberry 4
Huge congratulations to all amateur jump jockeys who have ridden winners this season! The new season starts on Saturday.
19-04-2016
Many congratulations to Sam Coltherd who enjoyed a double yesterday at Hexham Racecourse to take his tally of wins for the season to 9.
His first ride of the afternoon was on SUPRISE VENDOR for his trainer father Stuart, comprehensively out jumping his 7 rivals to win the 2 mile Handicap Chase with ease.
By contrast, the 14 year old OCKEY DE NEULLIAC looked to be the comfortable winner of the Hunterchase when jumping the last, only to weaken nearing the line!
He just held on to win by a neck and deny Kit Alexander and WICKLOW LAD.
Sam’s season’s tally of 9 winners so far takes him to join Michael Legg in 3rd place in this season’s rankings for the men’s Jump Championship. Well done Sam!
13-04-2016
Congratulations to amateur jockey Michael Legg who won this afternoon when riding Voix D’Eau against professional jockeys for Harry Fry in the Teenage Cancer Silver Trophy Chase at Cheltenham. A great ride!
Interestingly, 2 years ago today Michael rode Thistlecrack to win the bumper at Wincanton!
Well done Michael!
12-04-2016
Many congratulations to Stan Sheppard who increased his winning total for the season to 12 on Grand National day at Chepstow on Saturday when partnering his father’s HILL FORT riding against professionals in the Handicap Hurdle. Holding his horse up in the early stages of the race, he closed in on the leaders from 5 out to draw upsides 2 hurdles from home and run on strongly, winning by a comfortable margin of 8 lengths.
With 5 weeks of the season remaining, an exciting fight for the title could be on the cards for Stan, the only other gentleman amateur to have hit double figures this season. Here are the current top places:
| * David Noonan |
19
|
| Mr Stan Sheppard |
12
|
| Mr Michael Legg |
8
|
| Mr Sam Coltherd |
7
|
| Mr Zac Baker |
5
|
| Mr Tommie O’Brien |
5
|
| Mr James Nixon |
4
|
| Mr Harry Reed |
4
|
| Mr Ryan Winks |
4
|
Meanwhile the ladies table looks like this:
| Miss Bryony Frost |
7
|
| Ms Gina Andrews |
5
|
| Miss Brodie Hampson |
5
|
| Miss Catherine Walton |
5
|
| Ms Nina Carberry |
4
|
Good luck all!
01-03-2016
The 2015-16 All-Weather Amateur Championship has been somewhat unusual thanks to the introduction mid-season by the BHA of some special conditions to several races within the Racing Calendar, thereby ruling many races out of our usual All-Weather Championship. The idea of these new races was to give more opportunities to novice riders who might not otherwise have the chance of a ride and these training races proved to be useful for that purpose.
A new later finishing date for the season had been considered to coincide with the professional end of season at Lingfield. However, with so much disruption already to our season, the usual date of Wolverhampton’s meeting on 22nd February seemed the obvious and best date for the conclusion.
It was good to see what was to prove to be the last race of the season divided, with Division I won by Will Pettis, fresh from his winner of a novice riders’ race at Lingfield only 3 days earlier. He had enjoyed winning at Lingfield with PAO DE ACUCA for Jose Santos, making all to score by 6 lengths, and the winning partnership maintained their winning ways at Wolverhampton to score again, this time by 3 lengths. Division II was won by Alex Edwards with STORYTALE for Dave Roberts, using completely different tactics in holding up his horse and making steady headway from 3 furlongs out to lead near the finish and score by half a length.
The only jockey to enjoy 3 wins on the All-Weather this season (as well as placed rides) has been multiple winning Champion Jockey Simon Walker and many congratulations go to him for another Championship won with 21 points. His old adversary Serena Brotherton is to be congratulated on her runner-up slot having enjoyed 2 wins this season (as well as placed rides) giving her 13 points. Many congratulations also to Ryan Bird (2 wins), Georgina Friswell (2 wins), and Tom Greatrex, Ross Birkett, Patrick Millman, Chelsea Banham, Aly Deniel, William Easterby, Alex Edwards, Toby Eley, Brodie Hampson, Ellie MacKenzie, Joe Morris, Will Pettis and Frankie Pullar (all with 1 win) who have all enjoyed winning races open to all jockeys. We applaud you!
24-02-2016
Many congratulations to Will Pettis on riding a 66/1 winner on Friday at Lingfield with PAO DE ACUCA for Jose Santos in the novice riders’ race and then following up with the same horse on Monday when riding against the experienced amateurs! What a partnership! Will is current reigning Arabian Novice Jockey Champion and clearly his experience gained over last summer is paying dividends. Well done Will!
24-02-2016
The AJA are delighted to announce that The Arabian Racing Organisation have kindly offered complimentary ARO jockey licences to all amateur jockeys who currently hold a BHA Category A or B licence for 2016.
Current Arabian Champion Jockeys Simon Walker, Page Fuller and Will Pettis are also well known for their successes both under Rules and point-to-pointing.
The AJA really appreciate ARO’s kind gesture and hope that not only will it benefit both organisations by working in closer partnership but that also it will serve to encourage more amateur jockeys to become involved and support Arabian racing which offers a full calendar across many racecourses this summer.
For more information on this year’s ARO fixtures please visit: www.aroracing.co.uk/events/
23-02-2016
A gala ceremony to announce the 2016 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards was hosted by the BHA in partnership with the Racing Post at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London last night with no less than 3 lady amateur jockeys in attendance, Alyson Deniel and Becky Smith having made it through to the shortlist of 3 nominated for the Rider/Groom award and a RoR Special Recognition award being made to Joanna Mason.
The Rider/Groom award was presented by Sir Anthony McCoy to Aly Deniel, Travelling Lass/Rider/Groom to Richard Fahey, who has worked in racing for 25 years having begun her racing career with Jimmy Fitzgerald. She has been based at Mews House since 2010 and recently travelled BIRCHWOOD to Keenland. Aly is a familiar name to us all having ridden both Jump, Flat and Arabian winners, and won for Great Britain in Australia in the 2015 HH Sheikha Fatima bint Murabak Ladies World Series.
Many congratulations also to Becky Smith who joined Aly within the top 3 nominations for this category from 7,000 stable staff nationwide. Becky is Head Girl to Micky Hammond in Middleham and, alongside her sister Gemma Hogg, has been instrumental in the yard’s revival. Becky also won for GB in the ladies Arabian series last year scoring in Texas and finished 2nd in Abu Dhabi’s finale in November (below) – her return to race riding from serious injury has been remarkable. Last night however belonged to her devoted sister with Gemma receiving not only the Leadership Award but also the most coveted prize for British racing industry staff, the Employee of the Year Award – a huge achievement.
Congratulations also to Joanna Mason who broke her back in a point-to-point fall about 12 months ago and received the RoR Special Recognition Award for her rapid return to riding, assisted hugely by her versatile ex-racehorse LIVERPOOL originally trained by her grandfather Mick Easterby.
Many congratulations to all those who made it through to attend last night’s celebrations and well done all!
Picture credits: AJA
22-02-2016
A memorable afternoon was enjoyed at Carlisle today when John Dixon, riding PISTOL for his trainer father John, defied a 14 lbs penalty earned only 12 days ago also at Carlisle when the winning partnership had scored by 26 lengths! Their determined front-running tactics paid dividends , successfully repelling the final flight challenge of odds-on favourite Maxie T to prevail by a length and a quarter. His trainer said “He’s been showing form all of the time and he loves this place. I put him in a better race to keep his weight down on this ground.”
PISTOL is owned by John’s mother Sheila and was led up by his two sisters who cheered on his exciting success in the Watch Racing UK Handicap Hurdle. “My mother Ella was the only one of us who missed it and she is 94! She’ll be the only one who’s backed him.” said John senior. “We have been at it a long time. My late father (also John) was a trainer and Carlisle was his lucky course. He still holds the record here for 8 wins with the same horse – The Last Light.” he added.
Many congratulations to winning connections on a truly remarkable achievement.
19-02-2016
Huge congratulations to Brodie Hampson who fulfilled her ambition this afternoon to ride for her father and make her first ride in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup a winning one at Sandown, scoring on JENNYS SURPRISE trained by Fergal O’Brien.
Brodie looked well beaten turning into the home straight but the pair kept finding and rallied on the long run up the hill. Still five lengths down jumping the last, Brodie kept driving and the horse responded to her urgings to draw clear in the final stages.
This was an emotional and unforgettable victory for all connections with Brodie’s father Mark Hampson unwell. Mr Hampson served in 47 Regiment Royal Artillery for 23 years which allowed his daughter to participate.
Very many congratulations to winning connections on such a great day.
