LUCY HORNER won the ladies amateur jockey title in 2009 and notable succes were on Tom’s Toybox and Dancing Dik. Lucy has done extremely well and is both stylish and strong in the saddle. The family were always involved in horses and Lucy followed the exploits of her sister, herself a top rider in the pointing field. Lucy’s first winner came at Hexham in a point when riding a very slow schoolmaster. It would be good to say that she conjured the horse to untold of  heights with a McCoy style ride but reality was, the remainder of the field had fallen by the 4th fence and Lucy won in total isolation !

After 2 seasons pointing, a career in the army beckoned and during training, Lucy was riding in the military races at Sandown. Joining the Royal Irish Regiment, Lucy was posted to Northern Ireland as a platoon commander. With few opportunities to race ride, Lucy did well to be the first woman to win one f the military races when partnering Noyan to win the Royal Artillery Cup. She then came 5th on the same horse in the Czech Gold Cup over the Pardubice fences in the Czech Republic.

There next followed three tours of Northern Ireland interspersed with postings on the mainland, Canada and Bosnia. The final tour in Ireland was at the army headquarters in Lisburn and it was there that Lucy rode out for trainer George Stewart who bred and trained Bindaree, who went on to win the Grand National. George also produced many good horses for Tony Martin and Sue and Harvey Smith.

On leaving the army, Lucy stayed a couple of months in Ireland, working in a point yard and riding in the points and hunter chases. Next came Lambourne for a couple of months before Yorkshire beckoned and the chance meeting with Panther – the best thing that happened to Lucy ! – (sorry I made that part up – Anne ). Lucy has also been going out to America each year to ride in the Autumn season – a combination of flat, hurdle and timber races. Not content with just riding, Lucy also has taken horses out with her which upon winning, were sold on to American owners, who in turn asked Lucy to go back out to ride them. And I thought Alan Swinbank was the shrewdest !

Panther had plans afoot with Lucy but a letter received has caused her to put her racing career on hold for the next few months. Having been in the army previous, she has just received a letter saying she may be called up once again. It delays things a bit. Tom’s Toybox whom had been hoped to have been racing for Panther this Summer / Autumn is now likely to be leased to the jockey who rode him in the Southern points last year before returning back to Lucy around Christmas.