Khadijah Mellah triumph showcases racing as 'inclusive and open' says BHA chief

The groundbreaking victory of Khadijah Mellah at Goodwood showcased racing as a sport that is “inclusive and open to all” according to BHA chief executive Nick Rust.

Mellah’s win in the Magnolia Cup charity race, when she became the first woman to race-ride in a hijab, catapulted racing on to the front pages of the national press and into television and radio news bulletins.

The front page of The Times carried a large picture of Mellah, similar to the image the newspaper used of Bryony Frost following her success at the Cheltenham Festival, while Racecourse Media Group provided race footage and reaction to broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 5, Network 10 in Australia, Al Jazeera and Reuters.

Rust said: "It is terrific to see the response to this wonderful story. For racing to be on the front page of The Times with such a positive story is great news for the sport.

"The message is a clear one – this is a sport that is inclusive and open to all and one that can appeal to varied and diverse audiences. Our congratulations and thanks go again to Khadijah for her remarkable achievement.”

Racing has been making efforts to increase diversity and inclusivity, with a diversity in racing steering group established along with the appointment of Rose Grissell as head of diversity.

Last year the group launched an action plan to help promote the sport in different areas, which included increasing opportunities for female riders, engaging with minority communities and investigating how to get the sport to appeal to young people in urban areas.

One such organisation offering exposure to horses to inner-city children is the Ebony Horse Club in Brixton in south London, where Mellah learned to ride.

Grissell said: “Ebony Horse Club opens racing up to those from an urban environment who otherwise may not have come into contact with the sport and it’s brilliant to see the success of that work.

“Central to the diversity in racing steering group’s action plan is a focus on reaching new, culturally and ethnically diverse audiences and it’s great to see positive steps being made in this area.”

Khadijah Mellah enters Goodwood's winner's enclosure with an arm aloft aboard HaverlandCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The work of the Ebony Horse Club was also praised by Mark Johnston, although the trainer was keen to emphasise racing is open to anyone whatever their circumstances.

“The Ebony Horse Club is a tremendous thing and we want to see more similar schemes,” he said. “Khadijah came through it and to be able to come out and have the opportunity to showcase what she’s learned and worked for is a wonderful thing; it’s fantastic that racing can give something to these kids.

“There’s always a lot of talk about diversity and there not being enough black and Asian people in racing but that’s not because we’ve closed the door to them. It’s more the situation that’s presented to them that they aren’t given the option and it doesn’t present itself to them in the same way it does with other people.

“Yes, more needs to be done to get more people into the sport, watching the sport and working in the sport, but it’s not the fault of racing saying they can’t come in.”

There is the potential for a broader audience to be engaged with racing as a result of Mellah's success and the positive reaction to it, according to leading trainer William Haggas.

He said: “Those of us who are engrossed in the sport day to day don’t necessarily see it from the outside and how it is viewed by other people. Hopefully people’s attitudes will open up and they will be able to engage and be interested in the sport as a result of Khadijah's brilliant win.”

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