The Silk Series, the £150,000 series of races for female jockeys, returns for 2019 with Ascot and Chester Racecourses hosting races for the first time.
Entering its third year, The Silk Series looks to celebrate and promote the achievements of both professional and amateur female jockeys riding in Britain. Jockeys compete for points in a series of fifteen races over the summer at nine ARC racecourses along with races from Goodwood, Hamilton Park, Musselburgh and York Racecourses alongside Chester and Ascot.
The first race in the 2019 Silk Series will take place at Ascot Racecourse this Saturday, shown live on Sky Sports Racing.
ARC’s Group Director of Partnerships, David Leyden Dunbar said, “It was fantastic to collaborate with our partner racecourses outside of our group in 2018 and this year’s further expansion of The Silk Series represents a real opportunity for the racing community to work in partnership to celebrate the achievements of female jockeys”.
The Silk Series Final will take place at Doncaster Racecourse on Thursday 12 September where the overall Champion will receive the Tufnell Trophy. The trophy is named in honour of Meriel Tufnell, the first woman to ride a winner under rules in Britain when winning the Goya Stakes at Kempton Park in 1972.
Jockey Megan Nicholls has been named Silk Series Champion in both 2017 and 2018, receiving her trophy from Elain Mellor at Doncaster in 2018.
The Silk Series is also proud to continue its support for Cancer Research UK, having raised over £52,000 in 2018. £1 is donated from all tickets sold to ARC fixtures taking part in The Silk Series, as well as Cancer Research UK representatives taking part in fund and awareness raising initiatives on course.
Official betting partner bet365 will once again be supporting The Silk Series, with Sky Sports Racing presenter Hayley Moore offering exclusive insight and tips ahead of each leg. bet365 once again will kindly offer Hayley a £100 charity bet for each race, with all of the proceeds going to Cancer Research UK.
