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Make Me a Jockey

Young horse riders from under-represented communities take the reins to pursue their dreams of being top jockeys at a new academy inspired by Magnolia Cup winner, Khadijah Mellah.

Khadijah Mellah was just 18 years old when she became the first British Muslim woman in the UK to win a competitive horse race, at Goodwood in 2019. Growing up in London, Khadijah had always wanted to ride horses, but didn鈥檛 find an inner-city riding school until she was a teenager. Now she is determined that other young aspiring jockeys from diverse backgrounds take the reins and get access to opportunities she never had.

She helps launch week one of a year-long scholarship named after Khadijah at the Riding A Dream academy, at the prestigious British Racing School in Newmarket. We meet Grace and Eesa from Leicester - two of the talented young riders selected for the programme - who currently train at a social enterprise urban riding school. It鈥檚 an exciting and intense first week, with the young riders handling racehorses for the first time. Like many of the students, 14-year-old Eesa has never lived away from home. It鈥檚 daunting, but being a jockey is his dream and his sights are firmly set on becoming the next Frankie Dettori.

29 minutes

Last on

Mon 14 Mar 2022 20:30

Credits

Role Contributor
Executive Producer Nisha Lilia Diu
Executive Producer Sarah Trigg
Commissioning Editor Aisling O'Connor
Director Harriet Morter

Broadcast