Derby meeting jockey excited to make Epsom debut against role model Hollie Doyle
A teenage jockey is making her debut at Epsom's Derby meeting after taking every piece of advice from record-breaker Hollie Doyle.Isobelle Chalmers has her first ride around the famous track on Peter Crate-saddled Sandscreendeliverd in the Betfred 3YO Dash tomorrow.
Run over what is considered to be the fastest five furlongs in the world, the event takes place just over an hour before the £1.5million Betfred Derby. Riding off 7st 9lb, her lowest in the last 12 months, 18-year-old Chalmers will come up against Doyle, who partners Kevin Ryan trainee Cape Sovereign.
In May, Doyle claimed the record for the most winners ridden by a female jockey in Britain on Brindavan at Ascot. The 28-year-old's triumph was number 1,023 in a career which saw her make a Royal Ascot breakthrough in 2020 and in a Classic on Nashwa two years later.
"Hollie is my role model and I've known her for a long time through my job as an apprentice at Andrew Balding's," said Chalmers. "She has watched some of my races back and helped me improve on little things, as well as in the gym as I'm light and a similar size to her.
"She's so down to earth and it's great to have such a successful jockey to learn from."
Chalmers kicked off her career in November 2024 by stunning the Lingfield opposition at 125-1 on Ashford Hill, a horse owned by her mother. The longshot lines up in the BetGoodwin Best Odds Guaranteed Fillies' Handicap at Goodwood this evening, on an all-apprentice racecard.
"She's in form and back at six furlongs, so should have a chance," added Chalmers, a graduate of pony racing. Among her opponents on the night is Jack Doughty, who has a chance in each of the six races as he seeks his 100th career winner.
Five of them, including Port Erin in the opening Bet Clever BetGoodwin Apprentice Handicap, are for his main employer Tony Carroll. Doughty rode out his claim on the trainer's sprinter Pop Dancer at Brighton on May 27 and he hopes to hit another milestone in West Sussex.
"It would be great to reach 100 winners," he said. "At my age I feel very lucky to be doing this job and Tony has been very supportive."
The raceday which first began in 2022 was created to give apprentices opportunities and celebrate emerging talent in the weighing room.
It runs on a points-based system with a totaliser to decide who will be crowned Goodwood's leading apprentice, before DJ act Groove Armada takes to the stage after the thoroughbred action has concluded.
Senior Racing Executive at the Professional Jockeys Association, Adam McNamara, said: "It cannot be understated how beneficial it is to our apprentice jockeys to have the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of a big crowd on a premier track."
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