From Kim Bailey’s blog this morning…(worth reading to the end to see some of the names involved in The Ebony Horse Club)
“Plus 5 and raining when driving in.
We had to wait until late in the afternoon for our winner, but it was worth every second. Guchen, owned by the Friends of Ebony HorseClub, won his first race over hurdles at Kempton, brilliantly ridden by Aamilah Aswat.
It was Aamilah’s first ever winner on just her fourth ride. An extraordinary achievement and one we are immensely proud of. She’s been riding out here since she was about 14, full-time for the last four years, works incredibly hard, schools beautifully, and is always tidy and professional.
With the help of her riding coach, Will Kennedy, she has now achieved something truly special by becoming the first black girl to win a race over hurdles. A remarkable milestone. Many, many congratulations.
As we all know, so much in life is about being in the right place at the right time. And how hard is it to get going in this sport? How hard is it to get going as a jockey? Unless your father is a racehorse trainer, or your parents are wealthy owners with horses in training, opportunities are incredibly hard to come by.
That is why credit must go to Sir Frances Brooke, who put together this syndicate of very like-minded people to support the charity. I grabbed the opportunity by leasing Guchen to them, which in turn allowed Aamilah to have her chance in the saddle. She has repaid their patience in the very best way.
The Friends of Ebony Horse Club are Emma Banks, Gyles & Michele Brandreth, Guy & Lucy Davison, James & Astrid Findlay, Richard & Henrietta Pilkington, Stuart & Bianca Roden, Tim & Charlotte Syder, Caroline Tisdall, Arthur & Martha Vestey, William & Violet Vestey, Robert, Felicity, Sam & Annabel Waley-Cohen, George Waud, Charles & Anna Karin Yarborough, and Francis Brooke and Katharine Brooke.
Her Majesty The Queen, who is President of the Ebony Horse Club, kindly allowed the friends to Ebony Horse Club to run their horse in her colours.”