First British Muslim female jockey to compete in and win race ready for amateur debut
The first British Muslim woman to compete in and win a horse race is set to make her debut as an amateur rider. Six years ago Khadijah Mellah, who is 24, made history when she captured the Magnolia Cup, the charity race run during the Glorious Goodwood meeting.
Mellah, who rode wearing a hijab, was born in Peckham, London and had learned to ride at the Ebony Horse Club in neighbouring Brixton.. Her success was featured in a documentary Riding A Dream, which aired on ITV, and led to the creation of the Riding A Dream Academy to support young people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, disadvantaged communities and urban equestrian centres to become involved in horse racing.
The Academy, co-founded with ITV's Oli Bell and Naomi Lawson, has already supported hundreds of young people from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds into the sport.
Mellah continued to ride out at various stables while completing a mechanical engineering degree at Brighton University and was a full-time member of Adam West's team in Epsom before securing her Category A Amateur licence from the British Horseracing Authority.
She has been booked to ride nine-time winner Uncle Dick in the Gay Kindersley Memorial Amateur Riders Handicap for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton over a mile and one furlong at Goodwood on Friday.
Khadijah said: 'Riding back at Goodwood feels so special – it's where everything began for me. So much has happened in the last six years, but the thrill of race riding has never left me.
'I've been working hard riding out in Epsom, Newmarket and recently Lambourn to prepare for this, and I can't wait to get back out there. I have sacrificed so much to progress as a rider and really want to be known for my achievements as an individual, rather than as a 'hijabi jockey'.
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'It's hard to get rides and I am beyond grateful to Eve who has given me such a huge opportunity and has recognised my efforts. Being an outsider in racing can be really tough but Eve has been so welcoming and supported my progress and I will never forget it.'
To date, some 75% of students have come from a diverse ethnic background and several alumni are now working in the sport and set to take out their own jockey licences shortly as well.
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