Sophie Ralston teams up with 'monster' in bid for Cyprus success

Sophie Ralston has traded the wet and windy weather on offer in Britain for sunnier climes this month and the apprentice hopes to ride her first winner in Cyprus on Sunday.

Victory would cap a remarkable 12 months as Ralston made a very public plea for more rides in a letter to the Racing Post a year ago. The appeal served her well, with the jockey riding a personal best ten winners in 2019 in Britain, while adding a victory in one of the races at the Women Jockey's World Cup at Bro Park in Sweden.

She has already partnered two winners this month and will be back in February, but before then she is aiming to make the most out of her latest foray abroad.

Explaining the choice of destination, Ralston said: "I represented Ireland in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Arabian Racing Festival, and at the finals in Abu Dhabi I met up with two apprentice jockeys from Cyprus. We became friends, they invited me over and I ended up having rides on my first visit.

"It's a working holiday with a little bit of sunshine. I got very busy last season and wanted to take some time away because they only race twice a week here, but I'm exercising horses almost every morning. You can ride as many lots as you like – I rode 17 lots on Wednesday and I'll be coming back fitter, stronger and ready for the season."

Although yet to ride a winner in Cyprus, Ralston has picked up plenty of mounts, with her ability to ride under 8st aiding her cause. On Sunday at Nicosia she has eight rides on a nine-race card, headlined by Kritikos Santi in the 6f Antonis Petris Stakes, a local Group 2.

Kritikos Santi may be a multiple winner at the distance, but Ralston could be in for an interesting experience in the saddle as she added: "The horse has been described as a monster. He's ten years old and of his 13 wins, 12 have been over six furlongs.

"Apparently when he's in the stalls he'll try to bite the horses next to him and the trainer has asked me not to use my whip behind the saddle as he's a grumpy horse and might try and turn around and pull me off his back or something!

Sophie Ralston: winning leg three of the Women Jockeys' World Cup at Bro ParkCredit: Racingfotos.com

"He's massive apparently and I'm very small, so I think he'll enjoy having me on board and might not notice me."

Ralston will also be bringing back more than Duty Free at the end of her spell. She explained: "One of those jockeys I became friends with, Irakillis Irakleous, is coming back with me and he's going to give it a go in England. I'm going to try and give back to him what he's been able to give to me here."

Reflecting on what has been a productive year, Ralston added: "That letter was one of the best things I could've done. Only good things came from that letter, even though there were risks attached. To be doing well now is a great feeling.

"I got a new agent, Anna Wallace, and I moved to Dean Ivory's. He's really supported me and it's all going very well."

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