04 February 2020

All-female race meeting to be staged at Southwell in March to celebrate International Women's Day

Southwell will celebrate International Women's Day on March 8 with an all-female race meeting.

A landmark Sunday will consists of four flat and four jump races, all of which will be contested by a women's only field.

In an unprecedented 12 months for female jockeys, 2019 saw Hollie Doyle break the record for most wins by a woman jockey in a calendar year, while Bryony Frost won a Grade One over obstacles at Cheltenham Festival, something no other woman had ever done.

Hayley Turner also created her own piece of history as she became the first female to win at Royal Ascot since Gay Kelleway 1987.

And the 37-year-old is thrilled for the all-female event to be held at her 'home' Nottinghamshire race course where she had her first public ride 19 years ago on Markellis.

Turner said: “We ride against and at the same level as men so do not think of ourselves as female jockeys, but this is a great way to celebrate talented women in our sport.

“We are getting more and more recognition so this is a fantastic opportunity to showcase women in racing. I am from Southwell so it is great to have a day’s racing like this close to home."

Organisers are hopeful the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) officials and racecourse executives will be mainly female, as will the rest of the staff at the event.

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