New racing series in memory of jockey who died after fall

A series of ladies’ point-to-point races has been set up to commemorate the late Lorna Brooke’s legacy.

Lorna died on 18 April this year, at the age of 37, following a racing fall in a handicap chase at Taunton on 8 April. She was riding Orchestrated, who was trained by her mother, Lady Susan Brooke, when they fell at the third fence. Lorna was airlifted to Bristol Southmead Hospital and was placed into an induced coma on Friday, 16 April, owing to complications while undergoing tests for a suspected spinal injury.

Lorna was a much loved and respected figure on the point-to-point circuit, and she had ridden more than 290 horses between the flags since 2005, including 29 winners. She also rode in more than 400 races under Rules in Britain and Ireland since taking out her amateur licence in the early 2000s, clocking 17 victories in the process.

A chance meeting between Judith Healey, Nickie Sheppard and Lorna’s father, Alistair, during the celebration of her life at Ludlow Racecourse in late May led to the creation of a series of nine ladies’ races, culminating in a final at the Albrighton & Woodland (South) fixture at Chaddesley Corbett on 2 June 2022.

All the events will be held in the newly established West Mercian Area, where every ladies’ open will carry the title “The Lorna Brooke Memorial Qualifying Race”, with Lorna’s family putting up the prize money for the final, plus mementoes.

Entry to the final is open to any horse that started in these qualifying events, and it is hoped they will keep Lorna’s memory alive.

The series is:

28 December 2021: Harkaway Club ladies’ open
20 February 2022: Albrighton & Woodland (North) ladies’ open
13 March 2022: Sir W W Wynn’s & Flint & Denbigh ladies’ conditions
19 March 2022: Croome & West Warwickshire ladies’ open
3 April 2022: Cotswold ladies’ open and ladies’ conditions
10 April 2022: Cotswold Vale Farmers ladies’ open
16 April 2022: Worcestershire ladies’ open
18 April: North Shropshire ladies’ open
23 April 2022: Berkeley ladies’ conditions (level one)
Final – 2 June: Albrighton & Woodland (South)

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Gemma Redrup

H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor

Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.