There may well come a time when Hollie Doyle takes a fancied big-race ride and her gender does not rate a mention, but probably not until a few more firsts have been scratched from the list. Britain’s leading female Flat jockey has an obvious chance to nail one of the biggest in the Oaks at Epsom on Friday.
Approximately 250 Classics have been run in Britain in the half-century since Meriel Tufnell became the first woman to ride a winner on a British track, in 1972. Every one has been won by a male jockey, so victory for Nashwa, the 4-1 second-favourite, in the Oaks would be a milestone not only for Doyle, but for all female riders in the only major sport they compete on level terms with male opponents.
