First all Apprentice Fixture at Goodwood Racecourse

On Friday 3 June, Goodwood Racecourse will launch the racing industry’s first all Apprentice fixture. The exciting six-race card which coincides with Three Friday Nights presented by heycar aims to celebrate emerging talent in the weighing room.

The concept, which creates a unique opportunity for Apprentices, will run on a points-based system with a totaliser deciding who will be crowned William Hill Leading Apprentice Jockey.

Apprentices are young riders aged between 16 and 26 years old, who can claim a weight allowance of between 3lbs and 7lbs to compensate for inexperience. Although they regularly ride in races alongside professional jockeys, Apprentice races provide valuable opportunities to compete against riders of a similar standard.

The Apprentice pathway is an invaluable one to the career of a professional jockey, the likes of Oisin Murphy, Tom Marquand and David Egan have all tasted success at this lower-level before stepping up to become elite sportspeople. 

Each one of Goodwood’s races on 3 June will count towards the Apprentice Jockeys’ Championship which runs throughout the Flat race season beginning in the first weekend of May and concluding at Ascot on British Champions Day in October. 

Edward Arkell, Clerk of the Course at Goodwood commented; “We are delighted to be able to offer six good quality races exclusively to Apprentices; it’s key in helping them showcase their talent, alongside giving them the chance to improve and develop their race riding skills.

“We hope this meeting will become an annual fixture, and what’s more, there are some great prizemoney opportunities to be enjoyed with £65,000 on offer across the evening – there will certainly be some stars of the future on show.”