Cheltenham Festival 2019: Lizzie Kelly leads a ‘golden era’ of female jockeys looking to make history

Exclusive: Kelly reveals how she handles the pressure of riding at Cheltenham and carrying the torch for female jockeys

“We are in a golden era for female jockeys,” says Lizzie Kelly with little hesitation, as she finalises her preparations for the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.

Kelly became the first professional female rider to win a race at the Festival last year when she guided Coo Star Sivola to victory in the Ultima Handicap Chase. It was a flawless ride during a record-breaking Festival that saw four female jockeys win on racing’s biggest stage.

But Kelly is no stranger to making a little bit of history. In 2017, she became the first female jockey to ride in the Gold Cup for 33 years. And a year later she rode in it again, finishing seventh on board Tea For Two, an improvement after falling at the second two years ago.

To mark International Women’s Day, Great British Racing is celebrating the rise in female competition in racing, with Bryony Frost, Kelly, and Rachael Blackmore expected to push for winners at Prestbury Park next week to improve on last year's four female victories.

“I feel we are in a golden era with female jockeys at the moment and we’ve got girls that are achieving above and beyond and I think the fact we have four separated girls riding winners at the festival last year,” she tells The Independent.

“The fact that we are in a position where there is a group of girls ready and able to take on the roles they had and propel the girls forward in the sport, it’s a really good thing.

“The nature of the sport would not have it any other way,” she said of the equal standing that male and female jockeys share. “The fact that we do compete with them is a point forward in terms of sport. We get the same prize money and the same riding fee, that’s way ahead of some of the top sports in the country.”

Coo Star Sivola stands as one of Kelly’s best chances of a second Festival victory in the same race she won last year. “It was slightly terrifying,” she recalls.

Harriet Tucker [L], Lizzie Kelly and Bridget Andrews [R] were three of the four female jockeys to win a race at the Festival last year (Great British Racing)

“Desperation would be the word that I would use and you’re rowing away on top of them as hard as you possibly can and the relief when I got to the top last year was huge.

“There’s not really a lot more you can do than you are already doing, other than getting off and carrying the bloody thing up the hill. It’s a desperate act but rewarding when you get to the top.

The Festival attracts more viewers and racegoers in a single week than some racecourses accumulate over an entire season, which places a unique pressure on the jockeys to deliver.

Lizzie Kelly guided Coo Star Sivola to victory in the Ultima Handicap Chase last year (Getty)

“The pressure comes from the fact that the festival itself has such respect in the racing community and also owners and trainers want to have winners at the festival,” explains Kelly.

“There’s quite a lot of pressure in order to perform. I’ve always felt that I can’t change the result but I can give the horse the best ride that I can. Realistically if you go there and personally perform at the best of your ability and give it the best ride you can’t really put in a lot more than that.

“I would be very disappointed if I finished second and I felt that I had given the horse a below-par ride, but I think I’m very lucky the fact that I thrive off the pressure.

Lizzie Kelly says she thrives under pressure (Getty)

“I’m able to handle it and it comes from a lot of experience in big races, probably before my time when I was riding in big races when I really probably shouldn’t’ have been. The fact I was riding mum’s horse meant that I got the opportunity. There is pressure but I always think you’re best off trying to get rid of that and turning it into positive energy.”

Great British Racing are showcasing women in racing for International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March. See extraordinary women in action at The Cheltenham Festival from 12-15 March or visit gbraci.ng/IWD