Historic victory for amateur jockey in Newmarket Town Plate

Months of hard work have paid off for amateur jockey Laura Gibson-Brabazon from Rathconrath, Mullingar, who won the historic Newmarket Town Plate “by a neck” on Goldencard.

The steely 31-year-old was greeted with rapturous applause from friends and colleagues after steering her mount to glory in the 352nd renewal of the race on August 27.

Laura is the daughter of John and Helen Gibson-Brabazon and partnerships account manager for The Jockey Club at Newmarket Racecourses.

Riding racehorses is nothing new to Laura who, for the last six years, has ridden out for Newmarket-based trainer Charlie Fellowes each morning before work. She admits, however, it was only over the last 12 months that she aspired to ride in the Town Plate.

She met trainer Christian Williams at Cheltenham this year through Matt Hall, bloodstock sales auctioneer, who has been acting as her agent. He set her up with the Williams-trained gelding, Goldencard and the pair hit it off straight away.

Home for a short break, Laura told the Westmeath Examiner she had to check the result with security guards on the track to realise that she had actually won the historic race. She knew it was a close finish, but it was only when the security guards gave her the “thumbs up” that the reality sunk in and she started celebrating.

Laura described Goldencard as a brilliant horse for her first race. They got off to a good start and as they rounded the bend with a mile to go, Laura knew she had plenty left in her tank and so did he. As she looked to her right, she could see someone coming upside of her, but the pair pressed on to victory.

For the last two and a half months, Laura has been training at the Peter O’Sullevan House, the Injured Jockeys Fund’s rehabilitation and fitness centre in Newmarket, and getting jockey coaching lessons from retired British flat racing jockey, Michael Hills.

Her lunchtimes have been devoted to personal training classes before she returns to the office to help deliver race days at the weekends. “I don’t know how I’m still going,” a jubilant Laura confessed.

Since going to work at the Jockey Club last October, Laura has found huge job satisfaction and tremendous support, and her win is the perfect end to a wonderful summer season, she declared.

“I’m so grateful to everyone that helped me as I really pushed myself to do this as well. Working here, racing at weekends then finding time to get this done has been tough, but this is fabulous.”

Laura joined the Westmeath Hunt Pony Club when she was eight. She competed in mounted games, minimus, show jumping, tetrathlon and eventing as well as hunting with the Westmeath Foxhounds. She is the 61st woman to win the amateur race in its 352 year history.

Having received a taste of victory and proudly sporting the Golding Perpetual Challenge Plate, a silver photo frame, a £125 Golding voucher and a box of celebrated Newmarket sausages, Laura is already looking forward to defending her title next year. And she has set her sights on the amateur ladies charity race at York, where you can win “your weight in champagne”.

The Newmarket Town Plate was instigated by King Charles 11, who became the first and only reigning monarch to win a race, in 1666.