Ebony Horse Club: where it all began for history maker Khadijah Mellah

Inner-city London is certainly not somewhere one would associate with the fine-tuning of prospective careers in racing. But Magnolia Cup winner Khadijah Mellah’s beloved Ebony Horse Club defies normal convention.

Established in 1996 in Brixton, south London, the charity’s aim is to promote the bond between man and horse by offering those from all walks of life the opportunity to tend to their equine counterparts, teaching invaluable lessons about care and respect.

The positive energy in the club's headquarters is tangible to visitors; when a £5 note fell from the back pocket of one of the club’s young riders during a schooling session, it was gathered, protected and returned by a member at the end. Little things like that breed a strong sense of community.

An instructor sitting to the side holding a small glass of Coca-Cola was coordinating the session, providing constructive feedback to riders in a calm, jovial manner which clearly resonates well with kids. Nothing overly serious.

Khadijah Mellah at the Ebony Racing Club in south London

Although she is part of the furniture at Ebony, it is hard to believe that Mellah – who made headlines around the world at Glorious Goodwood when becoming the first person to ride in a race, let alone win, wearing a hijab – began her race-riding journey in Newmarket just four months ago.

In beating the likes of professional event rider Sophie van der Merwe and Olympian-turned amateur jockey Victoria Pendleton on the Charlie Fellowes-trained Haverland, the 18-year-old student demonstrated her talent in the saddle and proved that inexperience is no barrier to success.

Reflecting on the victory, Mellah says: “It’s been a bit busy, crazy in fact. I sat in the middle of the pack for quite a while, peeled up the outside and realised, wow, I could actually win this."

Khadijah Mellah pictured in Brixton, south London

Turning to the place where the fairytale began, she adds: “The Ebony Horse Club means the world to me, I love that place. I spent a lot of my childhood and time growing up there. It’s a wonderful place and a lot of the friends I’ve made there I’ve made for life. It’s helped me gain a lot of connections and opportunities.”

Ebony's engagement manager David Fleming has a background steeped in racing. He has worked in bloodstock for almost 20 years and his previous roles include an eight-year stint at Coolmore, where he foaled supersire Montjeu, before spending time working at the Racing Post.

Fleming was offered the opportunity to walk a slightly different path a couple of years ago when he was tasked with running the club with business partner Naomi Howgate.

“I was approached to come here and run the place and found the opportunity intriguing and exciting,” he says. “It’s a little bit of a change in my career to take the reins at Ebony Horse Club, and I’d never really worked with kids before so I was a bit sceptical about working here.

“My initial thoughts were that I could come here, run the yard and look after the horses. After being here for a few years, you quickly realise it really is all about the kids and the fun they get from being here. It’s all about helping them grow as people and, if they want, to help them start careers working with horses as well.”

Peckham-based Mellah was interested in horses at a young age but was thwarted by a lack of riding opportunities. Ebony only came to her attention when her mother noticed a leaflet at a nearby mosque.

The catalyst for the Magnolia Cup assignment was club patron and ITV Racing presenter Oli Bell’s ambition to have a representative in the race with a view to commissioning an accompanying documentary. Bell required a female participant who was willing, able and at least 18 years of age. Fleming and Howgate decided Mellah was the perfect fit.

“We have a load of kids here who are very talented, Khadijah is just one of them,” explains Fleming. “When we were approached by Oli Bell about the Magnolia Cup, Naomi and I sat down and looked at whom we could use and, being a youth club, we didn’t have too many to fit that criteria. We looked at Khadijah and she was keen and said, ‘No problem’.”

Mellah’s groundbreaking achievement at Goodwood should not be underestimated. It conveys an integral message that racing embraces participants from all walks of life, regardless of gender, race or religion. The triumph has led to the student considering taking out an amateur jockey’s licence, something she never contemplated beforehand.

“The whole race has thrown a spanner in the works as I never expected to be deliberating whether I’d want to take up a horseriding career, because I’ve always been set on getting a degree and a job as an engineer," adds Mellah.

“I’m now genuinely deliberating whether to get my licence. But, realistically speaking, I’m probably going to end up focusing on my degree, with race-riding a hobby.”

Mellah's heroics have had a profound effect on Ebony, with her story receiving coverage across major multimedia channels, and Fleming anticipates a bright future for the club.

He says: “People in the local area know who we are anyway, and they are very proud of the work we’re doing here. We have great kids and volunteers. We’re getting people coming up to us and congratulating us, including the Lord Mayor and various councillors, but I think we just need to let the dust to settle a bit.

“We’ll keep doing what we’re doing. These days are obviously great when we’ve got kids riding in races and doing well but the day-to-day running of the club doesn’t change."

Mellah is not the only youngster to have been heavily influenced by Ebony. Sixteen-year-old member Andrew Smith has been drawn to the world of equestrianism and revealed plans to embark on an equine studies college course to further develop his skills.

Smith says: "I gave it a chance here and realised I was naturally talented. I love the people and it's a really positive place. I want to be an eventer, doing showjumping, dressage and cross-country so [the course] will help me learn more about that."

That aspiration is no doubt music to Fleming's ears, who adds: "We’ve got 160 kids here as members and it’s really important we make sure it’s not just about one person, and we look at everyone else coming up through the ranks. We’re very keen on getting more kids into racing, and indeed other aspects of horsemanship such as eventing.

"If they want to take it further then that's fantastic, but everyone here has one thing in common, they all love horses."

The pioneering Mellah recalls time spent with horses as being among some of her happiest moments growing up and encourages anyone to follow suit.

Khadijah Mellah: the first women to ride in a race in Britain wearing a hijabCredit: Edward Whitaker

“I say give it a go because a lot of people are scared about the idea of working with horses,” says Mellah. “They are genuinely amazing creatures and you can learn so much indirectly working with them. A lot of my favourite memories are on a horse and they are one of the best parts of my life.”

Club membership is clearly sought-after, with Mellah required to spend two years on a waiting list before joining, raising the question whether there is not greater scope for more Ebony-style initiatives?

One of racing’s greatest flaws was once its esoteric nature and inability to be fully inclusive. The work of all those involved with the club pours cold water on this now outdated perception and should be championed. Racing is reliant on engaging new blood and grassroots projects like Ebony are crucial to the sport's long-term welfare.

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