TRAILBLAZING jockey Khadijah Mellah has teamed up with ITV presenter Oli Bell to get behind a new racing academy.
Mellah made history by becoming the first British Muslim woman to win a horse race in 2019.
She claimed the Magnolia Cup aboard Haverland at Glorious Goodwood that year.
Now the Riding A Dream Academy, named after a film about her inspirational story, will inspire others to give racing a go.
The goal is to help young people from urban areas pursue a career in the sport.
Mellah said: “I’m nothing but proud and excited for the future.
“This is a catalyst to help diversity and change the narrative.”
Two programmes will run for those aged 14 to 18, with the Khadijah Mellah Scholarship putting eight riders in a year-long programme.
A week at the British Racing School will be followed by 11 sessions with a mentor and work experience at a top trainer’s yard.
Mellah, 20, said: “I am beyond certain there are going to be incredible young people eager to try out racing.
Thank you for all the kind comments about the @Riding_A_Dream Academy, and to all the media that have covered the story. The response has blown us away with loads of applications already which is so cool. Now the work begins….
@NaomiALawson @KhadijahMellah @pwwbell
— Oli Bell (@olibellracing) May 20, 2021
“It’s important to offer that opportunity. You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take.
“In my mind, the best case scenario, there’s a group of young people who make it to get their jockey licences.
“Hopefully one day I will be racing against them, or watching them.”
You can register your interest with the academy here.
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