Cheltenham celebrates ladies’ contribution to jump racing
Lady Chicky Oaksey and Ann Saunders have been named joint winners of the award for ‘the outstanding contribution made by a lady to jump racing’.
The winners were announced today, Friday 7 March, and the awards will be presented in a ceremony before racing on Ladies Day at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday, 13 March.
Lady Oaksey is senior almoner of the Injured Jockeys Fund and Ann is company secretary of the Profession Jockeys Association.
Ann said: “I’m honoured and particularly pleased that Chicky will also be recognised, as I know at first hand the great work that she does.”
Lady Oaksey added: “This is a great thrill and lovely recognition for both the Injured Jockeys Fund and the Professional Jockeys Association.”
Ann and Lady Oaksey fought off competition from Jessica Harrington, Nina Carberry, Melanie Langford and Denise Large to take the award.
Edward Gillespie, managing director of Cheltenham Racecourse, said: “I am delighted that both of these ladies who have given so much to our sport will be recognised, in the first dead heat at The Festival since the 1950s!
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“It is fitting, given that it is the horses and their riders who will be thrilling us next week, that Lady Oaksey and Ann Saunders are winning this award for their work with current and former jockeys.”
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.