'I can’t wait to get back out there' - Magnolia Cup winner Khadijah Mellah to make amateur debut at Goodwood

Khadijah Mellah, who became the first hijab-wearing jockey to win a race in Britain when landing the 2019 Magnolia Cup, is set to make her competitive return to action at Goodwood on Friday. 

The 24-year-old will partner Uncle Dick in the Gay Kindersley Memorial Amateur Jockeys' Handicap for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton after taking out her amateur licence last summer. 

“Riding back at Goodwood feels so special – it’s where everything began for me," said Mellah. "So much has happened in the last six years, but the thrill of raceriding 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'. 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."

Since winning the Magnolia Cup, Mellah has completed an engineering degree and co-founded the Riding A Dream Academy, designed to create a pathway into the sport for young people from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.

After returning to racing in October 2023, Mellah spent the majority of her time riding out in Epsom before moving to Paul Attwater's yard in Lambourn. Speaking in January, she said of her amateur debut: "I keep fixating on a date or a race but I keep pushing it back. It’s when I’m ready, but I want to make sure my fitness and riding is where it should be. As a jockey you’re under a lot of scrutiny all the time. I’ve already got people watching me so I want my first few runs to go okay."

Read more:

'It would be great to continue my love of Flat racing all-year-round' - Khadijah Mellah part of fact-finding mission for ambitious young syndicate 

'I've been putting the work in' - Magnolia Cup-winning jockey Khadijah Mellah starts amateur career in Lambourn 

'It's a dream come true' - 18-year-old to follow in Khadijah Mellah's footsteps with ride in the Magnolia Cup  

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