First past the post – Khadijah’s amazing success

The 18-year-old sat next to the Duchess of Cornwall at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton for the first showing of ‘Riding a Dream’ which is scheduled to be broadcast on ITV on Saturday the 2^nd of November at 12.15pm, following the World Cup Rugby final.

The documentary tells how Khadijah was ruled out of the Goodwood race after failing her first riding test at the British Racing School but then how she succeeded with her second, just two weeks before Glorious Goodwood.

Khadijah is studying Mechanical Engineering BEng(Hons) at the university’s Moulsecoomb campus in Brighton and her tutors are impressed, describing her as “an intelligent, articulate and polite student”. And Khadijah clearly likes being in Brighton: “I am enjoying my course so far and I love Brighton.”

Khadijah, from Peckham, South London, was first attracted to racing when visiting Newmarket racecourse with her brother. In August this year she made headlines as she rode a 25-1 outsider Haverland to victory in the female-jockey’s Magnolia Cup at Goodwood, beating experienced riders including former Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton.

Khadijah, the first woman to ride competitively on a British track wearing a hijab, said she hoped her success would inspire other Muslim girls and women to follow their dreams and to succeed.

Khadijah Mellah