The trio from Ebony Horse Club were given an early Christmas present with a visit to Warren Greatrex's yard and a tour around Ascot racecourse
THREE aspiring riders from Ebony Horse Club in Brixton have been given a once-in-a-lifetime racing experience.
The trio were treated to a tour of Ascot racecourse, a meeting with stars of the racing world and a visit to Uplands Stables in Lambourn.
Youngsters Oshane, Grace and Abdus were given the opportunity by Great British Racing thanks to their membership of Ebony Horse Club, a community riding centre in Brixton.
The club teaches life skills and provides opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to experience a racing environment.
Few experiences in the racing world are as enlightening as a trip around Ascot, and during their day at the Berkshire track the trio were given exclusive access to the course.
On arrival, the budding riders were greeted by jockey coach Nick Bentley and met ITV Racing guru Rishi Persad, trainer Warren Greatrex and top pilot Gavin Sheehan.
Abdus, a member of Ebony Horse Club for six years, was particularly taken by Sheehan.
He said: “Meeting jockey Gavin Sheehan gave me a good insight into a potential career for me in the future. He explained a lot about daily life and what it takes to be a professional jockey.”
Afterwards, the group were taken around the weighing room by Clerk of the Scales, Ollie Mann.
Grace, whose aspirations in the industry are more media-based, said: “Today has taught me that you don’t have to be a jockey to be in the racing industry, you could be a presenter like Rishi or a Clerk of the Scales.”
The youngsters spent the second day of their racing experience at Upland Stables, the home of Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Warren Greatrex.
Grace, fifteen, was thrilled at meeting some of the staff, including head groom Ian Yeats as well as Greatrex himself.
She said: “Seeing the racing yard is an amazing experience. There’s so much work being put in from the office to the yard manager – it’s really, really amazing.”
Jockey coach Nick Bentley, who gave the trio a free riding lesson, was delighted with the potential on show.
He said: “Grace, Oshane and Abdus are three tremendously aspirational young riders and are a credit to the number of young men and women that are helped everyday by Ebony Horse Club.
"It was a real pleasure to host them at both the yard and Ascot Racecourse, and I was particularly impressed by their skills on the equisizer in the jockey lesson!
";This series is a fantastic example of how horse racing can make a huge difference to the lives of young disadvantaged people and can make those dreams come true!”
ITV Racing presenter Oli Bell, who's a patron of Ebony Racing Club, was full of praise for the programme: “Having seen first-hand the superb work at Ebony it became apparent very quickly that this is a really special place.
"The club has a monumental impact on the lives of young men and women from the inner city of London and through the relationship with horses these young men and women are able to learn so many important characteristics such as respect, discipline, kindness, team spirit and community.
"That is the beauty of Ebony. Everyone is in it together.”
The experience was organised by Great British Racing. Ebony Horse Club's website can be found .
