Silk Series celebrating women jockeys on and off the racecourse

Four finalists for the Silk Series best racing picture by a female artist award, chosen from the Society of Equestrian Artists (SEA) Summer Exhibition, have been selected to go forward to a public vote.

The successful artist wins a £1,000 commission to produce a piece of work celebrating the Silk Series and female jockeys, which will be presented to the winner of the series on ladies day at the St Leger Festival next month. The Silk Series, launched this year by Arena Racing Company, consists of nine valuable races restricted to female jockeys between May and September.

The four finalists are Laura Barber-Riley, Jane Braithwaite, Sara Hodson and Glynis Mills.

The commissioned artist will also receive an Arc membership with access to all Arc courses during 2018 and the finished piece will hang at the 38th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Equestrian Artists – Horse in Art.

Voting opens tomorrow and closes on Saturday – click here or follow @SilkSeries for more information.

Conservative MP Antoinette Sandbach (centre) with Laura Bewick and Tom Dascombe

It’s good to see an MP making excellent use of parliament’s summer recess – Antoinette Sandbach (centre), Conservative MP for the Cheshire constituency of Eddisbury, paid a visit to Tom Dascombe and Michael Owen’s Manor House Stables on Tuesday. The visit was organised by the BHA, which aims to provide local MPs with greater insight into the contribution training yards make to the local economy. The regulator’s Laura Bewick (left) was on hand for the visit, which included a tour around the stable’s own veterinary centre, swimming pool and spa.

Arctic on fire to land major eventing title

Great Britain's Gemma Tattersall stamped her dominance on the 2017 Event Rider Master series last week, winning the fifth leg at Gatcombe Park on board ex-racehorse Arctic Soul.

The 14-year-old showed he hadn’t forgotten anything he learned in training when posting the quickest cross-country time of the day. The pair also defied the odds after finishing outside the top five after the dressage, a tough position to rally from.

Tattersall says: “I’m over the moon. I thought the two rails we had in the showjumping was going to cost us, but Arctic Soul gave me the ride of my life around here. I think he is the best cross country horse in the world. It doesn’t matter what the terrain is, he suits any track, he is so versatile and just fabulous.”

News Flash

Amy Starkey, regional director of Jockey Club Racecourses (East Region), has been shortlisted for the leadership category of the Leaders Under 40 Awards 2017. The annual awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of the finest talent in the global sports industry. Starkey is the first member of the Jockey Club team to be nominated for the awards, which will be announced on October 3, at the Natural History Museum.

Amy Starkey: nominated for prestigious awardCredit: Edward Whitaker

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