Gemma Owen finished fourth in her jockey debut at the Markel Magnolia Cup charity race at Goodwood on Thursday. The ex-Love Islander and international dressage rider is the daughter of former England footballer Michael Owen.
Owen was one of a dozen women chosen for the annual event. She prepared at her father's Manor House racing stables in Cheshire under former jockey Franny Norton. Her mount Turbo Trotter was supplied by trainer Hugo Palmer.
A Poor Start Costs Owen
Owen was left behind at the start and got boxed in, leaving her with too much ground to make up as she finished fourth. "It was an amazing experience from start to finish," she said. "He was an angel and he really looked after me, but that flag start is different as everyone's bunched together and cutting each other up. My start wasn't great; I got boxed in, but he travelled well, made up some good ground and finished strong. If I'd have a better start, it'd have been a different result."
She added: "I think I'll go again. I want to win now, and I'll probably end up doing another race so I can get that first place. Dressage is very concise and slow, and that was the complete opposite. Everything happened so quick, but I don't know which one I prefer. I've loved the training and riding out, and seeing what goes on behind the scenes makes you appreciate the hard work that goes into it. I've a new found respect for jockeys, and I appreciate the sport a lot more since doing it. I'm never happy not winning, so you'll see me back."
Super Sub Wins the Race
Victory was claimed by Imaam Rasul-Healer on Khor Al Adaid, trained by Scott Dixon. The 26-year-old, who works at Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing yard in Newmarket, only got a place in the race six days earlier after Molly Hunter, a reporter for the Press Association, was ruled out by illness.
"I had not done too much prep, got on him for the first time last Friday," she said. "I've been in the process the whole way but at every single fitness test I seemed to be ill, or something was wrong. Then I fell off a two-year-old filly, hit my head, got a concussion and wasn't allowed to do my final fitness test. I got the call last week and thankfully was fit to step in." The race has raised more than £75,000 for Education Above All Foundation. She added: "I'm only the second Muslim to win this and charity is a huge focal point of our religion."
