INSPIRATIVE Ashleigh Wicheard sent a powerful message after winning the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood on Dark Shot.
Wichard wore special ‘black power’ riding gloves as she shot to victory.
2
2
Her fellow riders knelt beside her in the paddock for the charity race and gave her their full support as she gave a ‘black power’ salute.
In the race, Wichard Dark Shot shot away from the start and made everything on the Scott Dixon-trained runner who has to run again at Goodwood tomorrow.
Wichard said: “That was an absolute thrill.
“I thought about the race in my head for so long and this was the dream result.
“I guess it hasn’t quite happened to me yet.”
Wichard hopes her success will encourage others to follow her lead.
Most read in Horse Racing
OFFERS OF THE DAY
William Hill: Bet £10 GET £30 in Free Bets – CLAIM HERE
Betfair – Bet £10 Get £30 – CLAIM HERE
Paddy Power: £40 in free bets when you place a £10 bet on Racing – CLAIM HERE
Sky Bet – Bet everything and get €30 in free bets – CLAIM HERE
Ladbrokes – Bet £5 Get £20 – CLAIM HERE
Coral – Bet £5 Get £20 – CLAIM HERE
William Hill: 18+. Play it safe. New customers using promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, Min odds 1/2, Free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, Free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, Free bets expire 30 days Once the qualifying bet has been placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. Begambleaware.org
Betfair – Place a bet of at least £10 on the Sportsbook at odds of minus 1/2 (1.5), and receive £30 in free bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only card deposits are eligible. General terms and conditions apply. Please gamble responsibly 18+ begambleaware.org
Paddy Power: New customer offer. Place a £10 Sportsbook bet on a horse racing market between 25th and 29th July, at min odds 1/5 (1.2) — receive £40 in free bets on bet settlement, valid for 30 days. Only card deposits are eligible (excluding Apple Pay deposits). General terms and conditions apply. Please gamble responsibly. 18+ Begambleaware.org
Sky Bet: NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY, FIRST SINGLE & E/W BET ONLY, MINIMUM EFFORT 5 pence, 3 x £10 BET TOkens. FREE BETS NOT INCLUDED IN RETURNS. FREE BET EXCLUDES VIRTUALS. FREE BETS ARE NOT COLLECTABLE. NO EXPIRY OF THE FREE BET. ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND FURTHER T&C APPLY. 18+ BEGAMBLEAWARE.ORG
Ladbrokes: 18+ new UK+IRE customers only. Certain deposit methods and bets excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account registration at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £/€5 free bets. Free Bets only available for use on select sportsbook markets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stakes non-refundable. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Coral: eligible players from the UK + IRE. Paypal and some types of deposits and bets excl. Minimum first stake of £5 within 14 days of account registration at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stakes non-refundable. No payout, restrictions and terms and conditions apply. 18+ GTC applies. Begambleaware.org
She said: “If I can be a role model for black women and get more of them into sports, I will be very happy. That is my goal.”
The 36-year-old is a work driver for Bath trainer Neil Mulholland.
But she has also worked in specialized schools to support children with autism and to help rehabilitate young offenders after their release from prison.
And she has worked hard to promote diversity in racing through the Women In Racing program.
Wichard thinks there are signs of change. She said: “This is a sport I have invested in. I’ve worked hard to promote diversity by being a face in the paddock.
“I take horses to the races, so I can be seen in the paddock regularly. That’s a good start and I think things are starting to change.
“When the Magnolia Cup came, I thought it was a really good platform for me to be able to do something on a big stage.
“Winning this race is probably the most impactful thing I can do.
“You can talk about it and read about it, but actions speak louder than words.
“I put a lot of thought into taking the knee. I would like to think that taking the knee will make more people aware and improve things.
“I didn’t want to put any pressure on the other girls in case they weren’t thrilled with the message. But they were so supportive. What a great group of women.”
FREE BETS GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
Commercial Content Notice: Taking any of the bookmaker offers mentioned in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. General terms and conditions apply. Begambleaware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Sets time and money limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Don’t gamble when they are upset, angry or depressed
- Gam care – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Consciously – www.begambleaware.org