Gender allowance could pave way for first female champion jockey

Whether the introduction from March of a 2kg (4.5lb) allowance for female jockeys in most French races is a welcome initiative, or sexist and insulting, is not something I feel qualified to comment on given I've never held a riding licence.

But I am keen to respond to a request from a reader curious to know what the effect might have been if female jockeys had received 4lb in races in Britain and Ireland in recent seasons. Flat jockeys come under the microscope here, while the focus will switch to jump jockeys in the next column.

Any attempt to answer this intriguing question is just an educated stab in the dark given the factors at play, so estimates could prove inaccurate should a female allowance ever be introduced.