End of season produces nail-biting finish for ladies

08-10-2013

With reigning champion lady jockey Serena Brotherton stealing a march on the ladies championship and until recently leading with 4 wins, last week’s surprise win by Catherine Walton at Nottingham was her 3rd win of the season and she was able to follow up with another today at Catterick Bridge.  The two girls now lead the ladies with only 3 races left!  (18th: Ladies @ Redcar; 25th: Mixed @ Doncaster; 26th Ladies finale @ Newbury).  Good luck girls!

Meanwhile the gentlemen’s tables are led by reigning champion Simon Walker along with Jamie Hamilton on 3 winners each. As well as the mixed race at Doncaster, 4 gentlemen’s races remain: 13th @ Goodwood, 21st @ Windsor, 28th @ Leicester and the finale @ Nottingham on 6th November.

Freddie retains lead in Fegentri Gentlemen’s World Flat Championship

06-10-2013

This Fegentri season has seen mixed fortunes for our two GB representatives with Emma Sayer sustaining broken vertebrae when falling in a chase in Dieppe on 2nd June.  Very disappointingly, this knocked her out of the 2013 Fegentri Series as the doctor stood her down until mid-October but the good news is that Emma has healed well and will soon be back in the saddle.  We all look forward to seeing her back in action on the racecourse again soon.

Our gentleman representative, Freddie Mitchell, has managed to stay injury free but has also had his own share of bad luck, having won the Marechal Foch in Auteuil on 19th May.  Following the race, with no Stewards’ Enquiry called, the French lady rider Barbara Guenet who finished 3rd (on the near side of the track) objected to Freddie (on the far side of the track) and following the subsequent enquiry (all in French so that Freddie was unable to defend himself) Freddie was demoted to 3rd place.  Barbara, Assistant to Guillaume Macaire, has gone on to win the Fegentri Jump Championship.

Freddie Mitchell (centre) and Chris Martin (3rd from right) in Maienfeld today

Meanwhile Freddie’s rides on the Flat have been less eventful and he is currently in pole position on 144  points (from Alexandre Lemarie of France on 103 points) having finished 2nd to Fabrizio Perego of Italy in Maienfeld, Switzerland today.  (Chris Martin also got a last minute spare ride!)  Details of the men’s finale is yet to be confirmed but Nottingham host their next race on 30th October.  Good luck Freddie!

CHELTENHAM CHRISTMAS AJA CHAMPIONS BALL

02-10-2013

Champions Christmas Dance for the INJURED JOCKEYS FUND

SATURDAY 14TH DECEMBER 2013

CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE GOLD CUP SUITE

HUNTERS LODGE HOTEL CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE

STABLE LADS ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE WALKING DISTANCE FROM GOLD CUP SUITE!!  CURRENT TARIFF:  SINGLE £25; TWIN £45; TRIPLE £64; QUAD £70. PLEASE CALL 01242 513345 OR 500822 TO BOOK.

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL CHARITY RACE 2014

02-10-2013

Applications are invited for next year’s Cheltenham Festival charity race which takes place as the last of the day on St Patrick’s Thursday 13th March.

This race has grown into one of the principal fundraisers for Cancer Research UK and it is hoped that the 2014 running will take the total amount raised to over £1 million since its inaugural running in 2009.

With a maximum field of 12 runners, the race over a mile and five furlongs is open to any competent rider (other than a professional jockey) who feels they can raise the required amount of at least £5,000 in sponsorship and provide their own horse.

To apply please ask for an application form by e-mailing sph.oliver@btinternet.com   Please note:  Applications close on Wednesday 20th November 2013

NORTHERN DANCE POSTPONED TO 2014

24-09-2013

AJA NORTHERN DANCE

AT

HOLIDAY INN DARLINGTON A1 SCOTCH CORNER

in support of THE INJURED JOCKEYS FUND

WILL BE RESCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN THE SPRING OF 2014

DETAILS TO FOLLOW

Jack Gilligan enjoys JRL Group Newbury winner in only second ride

04-08-2013

Many congratulations to Jack Gilligan who enjoyed success in the saddle today at Newbury winning the second race in the JRL Group Series with his grandmother’s horse SHAHRAZAD trained by his father Patrick.

This was only the second ride under Rules for 16 year old Jack, who made virtually all on the 33-1 shock outsider to win by a short head.  Jack spent a month under the masterly tuition of Sir Mark Prescott immediately after completing his exams and leaving school in early July.  He said “My ambition is to be a jockey but Dad reckoned I should start off as an amateur rather than an apprentice because it would give me time to strengthen up.  I’m light enough and I’ll turn apprentice at some stage.  The time with Sir Mark was invaluable and I’m very grateful to him.  Dad reckoned that experience improved my riding by 10 lbs.”

Picture credits: AJA

Betfair gives Seb Spencer thrilling win at Redcar

31-07-2013

Many congratulations to Seb Spencer who enjoyed a thrilling winner today at Redcar in the 3rd of the 6 race Betfair series for amateur jockeys who at the start of the season have ridden no more than 3 career winners.

Riding EENY MAC for his trainer grandfather Neville Bycroft,  Seb patiently tracked the leaders until the final furlong when he kicked on to snatch victory in the final strides from Dandy Nicholls’s front running RIO CABOLO ridden by Darren Costello.  In a thrilling finish he won by a short head!

Picture credit: AJA

JRL Group series kicks off at Salisbury

27-07-2013

Many congratulations to James Hughes who made all and just managed to hold on and ride only the second win of his fledgling career in fine style for his mother trainer Jo Hughes this evening in torrential rain on HARBOUR CAPTAIN.  Making all, James was able to maintain his lead to hold on by a head from multiple Champion Amateur Simon Walker and WORDISMYBOND.

The race was not without incident, with one runner walking down to the start 10 minutes early and a further two runners refusing to go down without plenty of jinxing and reluctance, Marcus Price being dropped along the way and having to resort to kicking his feet out of the irons.  Unfortunately sponsor John Reddington who also rode in the race suffered from a stirrup leather breaking in the early stages and did miraculously well to maintain his position in the saddle.

The series (made up of 4 races) moves on to Newbury on Sunday 4th August for its second race.

Picture credit: AJA

Michelle Mullineaux romps home at Ascot in Ladies Longines

27-07-2013

Many congratulations to Michelle Mullineaux who won the Ascot Ladies Longines today for her trainer father Mick with LORD OF THE DANCE, sweeping clear on the far side of the course to win by 7 lengths from Aly Deniel and KARAKA JACK.

After the race Michelle said “He’s a star – a lovely horse.  I was second in this a few years ago and its great to go one better.  This is my first win of the season.  I’ve been struggling for one up to now.  That was my tenth winner in total so I have lost my 3 lb claim now, and it was a good way to go out.  He travelled all the way and picked up when I needed him to and carried on going.  I didn’t realise I had won by so far.  Its great for the owners.”