History-making jockey Kelly retires after ‘dream’ career

LONDON: Lizzie Kelly announced on Thursday she was retiring ater “a dream” career when she became the first woman jockey to win a Grade One race over fences in Britain.

The 27-year-old is expecting a baby with her husband Ed and said it was highly unlikely she will return to ride competitively.

Kelly made history when she rode Tea For Two to victory in the Grade One Kauto Star Novices Chase at Kempton on Dec.26, 2015. Tea For Two -- trained by her stepfather Nick Williams -- was also to provide her with another high profile victory at Aintree.

Alesspleasantexperiencewaswhenheunseated her in the 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup -- she was the first woman in 33 years to ride in the blue riband race of steeplechasing.

However, Kelly -- who said she overcame sexism and “trainer’s daughter syndrome” to earn the respect of her rivals -- enjoyed two successes at jump racing’s most prestigious Festival.

“I will not be returning to the weighing room this season and in all likelihood not at all,” she said.

“I hope to continue working within the racing media, something I’ve always enjoyed and am passionate about,” she said.

“I’ll really miss race riding but won’t miss those saunas. It’s been a dream. Thanks to all.”

Bookmakers were more circumspect about where her future lay. Ladbrokes offered 3/1 she would return to the saddle and ride a winner before January 2022, though she is also 8/1 to train a winner before then as well.

Meanwhile, a prominent Kentucky horse owner and breeder has been banned from racing and sales at Keeneland Race Course ater his racist post on social media.

Keeneland said Wednesday it was banning Tom Vanmeter from the premises, including participation by his sales company, while the Lexington track further reviews circumstances related to the recent “reprehensible comments” he made online.

In Facebook post last weekend on Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers’ Club president Donnie Snellings’ page that called on followers to “Re-postifyouarestillboycotingthenfl.”vanmeter, who is white, responded with a post that used an abbreviation of the N-word. He later posted, “Put em back in their cage!!!”

“Over the weekend, comments I made on a private page of a social media plaform surfaced which have since come under scrutiny due to their racist nature,” Vanmeter wrote in a statement to the Thoroughbred Daily News.