Ahead of the inaugural race at Lingfield Park on Friday 12 May, Arena Racing Company (“ARC”) are delighted to announce bet365 as the official betting partner of the Silk Series.
The Silk Series is a new initiative that sees female jockeys, both professional and amateur, compete in races hosted on nine Ladies Days across Arena Racing Company (“ARC”) racecourses in 2017.
Lingfield Park plays host to the first race in the series, a seven furlong Class 4 which is worth £10,000. A total of eight horses have been declared, with amateur jockeys Elizabeth Bushe and Ellie Mackenzie booked to ride alongside professional jockeys Georgia Cox, Sammy Jo Bell, Shelley Birkett, Nicola Currie, Isobel Francis and 2016 Champion Apprentice, Josephine Gordon.
The series will culminate with a £20,000 final at Doncaster Racecourse, on Ladies Day of the St Leger Festival on Thursday 14 September. The leading jockey will be awarded ‘The Tufnell Trophy’ in memory of Meriel Tufnell MBE who was Great Britain’s first Female Champion Jockey in 1972, a feat she matched in 1973 along with also becoming European Female Champion Jockey. In addition to her success on the racecourse she also founded the Lady Jockeys’ Association – the first such body in the world.
As part of hosting the Silk Series, ARC is excited to partner with Cancer ReseARCh UK to raise money for the charity’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. From the sale of each ticket sold to Silk Series fixtures, 75 pence will be donated to the charity. Cancer ReseARCh UK will have a presence on racedays with racegoers having the opportunity to engage with and support the charity.
Silk Series ambassador, Hollie Doyle, who will write an exclusive blog throughout the summer, commented, “The Silk Series is a wonderful opportunity for female jockeys to showcase their talents to a wide audience. In the long run, I hope it can help encourage owners and trainers to use female jockeys more often on their horses. I am really looking forward to taking part in the Silk Series.”
Steve Ibberson of bet365 said, “We are delighted to partner with ARC and Cancer ReseARCh UK in supporting this unique initiative and look forward to seeing how this exciting series will unfold during the summer”.
For more information on the Silk Series, please visit www.thesilkseries.com
