January 24 will be an historic day for racing in Ballina
Sunday will mark an historic day for racing in Ballina when the Ballina Jockey Club will establish a national Lady Jockeys Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame establishment comes in conjunction with the $50,000 Iris Nielsen Ladies Invitation Race to be held on Sunday, January 24.
The first inductees into the Hall of Fame will be announced at the Coolmore Iris Nielsen Ladies Invitation race meeting.
The club wants to further develop the Hall of Fame concept to include a museum and resource centre.
Ballina Jockey Club CEO Sarah Wills said Derby-winning Adelaide jockey Clare Lindop will ride in this year’s Ladies Invitation race.
“We are all very excited that Clare has accepted our invitation to ride at Ballina on this very important day.
“She had hoped to ride in last year’s event but other commitments meant that she could not come.”
Other lady jockeys who have accepted invitations are Samantha Spratt (highest stakes earning jockey in NZ for the 2008/2009 season) and Tasha Collett from New Zealand, Libby Hopwood, Tracy O’Hara, Kristy Banks, Alison Threadwell, Sheree Drake, Laura Cheshire, Rhonda Seymour (one of the oldest lady jockeys in Australia still competing at the age of 59), Lorna Cook and Emily Kehoe.
Prizemoney for this year’s Ladies Invitation, an Open Handicap race over 1400 metres, has been increased to $50,000, making it one of the richest races in country NSW.
The club has a number of special events planned for the day including a special supporting appearance by Takeover Target and Joe Janiak.
Ms Wills said the establishment of a National Hall of Fame recognises the tremendous contribution by women to the Australian racing scene.
