Baroness Dido Harding will become senior steward of the Jockey Club next year, making her the first woman to hold the role in the organisation’s 273-year history.

The unpaid position is currently held by Sandy Dudgeon, whose term expires in July when Harding will take over, chairing the Jockey Club’s main board, which sets the strategic direction of the organisation and oversees the executive functions.

In 2017, Harding, 56, was appointed to the board of stewards of the Jockey Club, which owns high-profile racecourses such as Epsom, Newmarket, Cheltenham and Aintree, having been a member since 2004.

She is a former chief executive of TalkTalk and initially oversaw the government’s test-and-trace programme during the coronavirus pandemic.

She also rode more than 25 winners as an amateur jockey and owned 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Cool Dawn, the horse she had ridden the previous year to finish second in the Festival hunter chase.

More recently she won the Magnolia Cup in 2017, winning Goodwood’s charity race at the third attempt having previously finished second twice.

She was in the winner’s circle at the end of last month, when the Robert Walford-trained Hipop Des Ongrais won at Hereford.

“As a lifelong racing enthusiast, it is a huge privilege to be appointed senior steward,” said Harding.

“The Jockey Club holds a unique position to both protect the sport’s heritage and tradition and also to innovate to attract and delight racegoers of the future to ensure horseracing can thrive for generations to come.”

Dudgeon added: “Dido has been a terrific asset to the board of stewards since she joined in 2017. She has brought a wealth of experience, deep knowledge of the industry and a lifelong enthusiasm for our sport. I would like to wish her every success as senior steward when she takes up the role in July next year.”

In other Jockey Club news, Grand National-winning rider Sam Waley-Cohen will join the board of stewards from January 1, 2024, while the late Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall has become a member, as has racing presenter Rishi Persad.