Aamilah Aswat made history as the first female Black jump jockey to win a first-class horse race in the UK.
The 20-year-old, who, in November, became the first Black British female jump jockey to ride in Britain, earned her first win on 9-1 chance Guchen in a handicap hurdle at Kempton Park. After the win, a jubilant Aamilah said: “I felt amazing to get my first win, in what was only my fourth race riding for trainers Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls.
"He gave me a great feeling all the way round and always felt like he had plenty left," she said.
"My dream is to ride as many winners as I can, and to just get on with it. The message I hopefully give out to other people is that if you want to do it, you definitely can and I will be following you every step of the way."
She went on to say: "Words can't express what it feels like to have achieved this win so soon. I have to thank everyone who has supported me every step of the way and to Kim and Mat and the owners for giving me this opportunity.
“I just feel really happy and hopefully it's just the beginning for me and there'll be many more wins to come in my career." Aswat completed the inaugural Riding A Dream Academy scholarship programme in 2021-22, after which she competed in the Magnolia Cup on the flat at Goodwood this year - following a spell at the British Racing School and took out her jockey license last autumn.
She found it hard growing up in Gloucester as she would be the subject of racial abuse but got into racing after her father's friend gave her a ride. But her gritty determination and overwhelming ‘will-to-win’ saw her eventually getting her jockey's license only last year.
