Racing TV published this video item, entitled “Alex Greaves makes history – YA MALAK and COASTAL BLUFF dead-heat for the 1997 Nunthorpe Stakes” – below is their description.
See the moment Alex Greaves found out she had made British racing history as the first female jockey to ride a Group One winner as Ya Malak shared first place in the 1997 Nunthorpe Stakes.
Greaves was married to Ya Malak’s trainer, Dandy Nicholls. Dubbed the ‘Queen of the Sands’ by the racing press after a raft of early successes on the All-weather tracks in the late 80s, Greaves rode out her claim in 1991 and was also the first female jockey to ride in the Epsom Derby.
Coastal Bluff’s bridle snapped during the race, meaning he had little control over his mount in the sprint to the line, but his champion jockey Kevin Darley was happy enough with the dead-heat.
On Greaves’ retirement with nearly 300 winners in the bag later in the 1990s, Darley said: “Alex proved that with the right ammunition they can be every bit as good as the men. It’s a male-dominated sport and she never really got the breaks she deserved.
“How could I forget this race? I rode half the race without a bridle! But take nothing away from Alex, she rode a fantastic finish and she paved the way for a lot of the female riders out there today.”
#horseracing #sportinghistory #sports #horse
Racing TV YouTube Channel
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