Event rider Izzy Taylor won the Magnolia Cup at the Goodwood Festival this afternoon in a close fought race.
The charity race was the first time she had met her mount Alketios, a five-year-old trained by Chris Gordon.
The pair came home narrowly in front of the Scott Dixon-trained Armelle, ridden by TalkTalk chief executive Dido Harding, and the Jim Boyle-trained Continuum ridden by Emily Baxendale.
“That was great,” said Ms Taylor, who rode in silks designed by Jasmine Guinness in front of the ladies’ day crowd.
“It’s something I’ve never experienced before – to be in this situation with a chance of winning, and then actually winning, is amazing.”
She said Alketios “travelled really well for me”.
“Dido was upside me so I thought I must be in the right place,” said Miss Taylor.
Ms Harding was filling the runner-up position for the second year in a row.
“It was brilliant to ride in the race again. I would have loved it even more if we had won, but it was a huge thrill,” she said.
Trainer Jim Boyle was delighted with Emily Baxendale’s ride aboard third-placed Continuum (real name Perfect Pastime).
The founder of Emily-London milliners has, like many of the dozen ladies who took part, spent long hours training.
“She rides Perfect Pastime every day when she’s here and he’s become her adopted horse. They get on so well together,” said Mr Boyle.
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Over the last five years the Magnolia Cup has raised over £1m for female-focused charities.
This year Britain’s most successful female jockey Hayley Turner helped the jockeys in her role as ambassador for the Magnolia Cup.
The win for Izzy Taylor came the day before she would have been setting off for Rio, had her ride Allercombe Ellie not been withdrawn as she incurred a slight injury in training
