Hope Regan, a 20-year-old jockey from Warwickshire, said she "couldn't stop smiling" after securing the biggest win of her career on August 9. Riding Arnaz at 9/1 odds at Chepstow, the 5ft 3ins rider claimed her first victory as a professional apprentice.
First Win at Chepstow
Regan, who trains at Rock Farm in Kidderminster for DML Racing, told BirminghamLive that the win came after around 30 attempts. "It was brilliant, I couldn't believe it. I had been chasing a win and it's something I really wanted," she said.
"I was shocked to begin with, I looked around and realised no-one had passed me at the last minute. It was a really good feeling, I couldn't stop smiling for about ten minutes."
Training and Daily Routine
Regan has ridden horses for most of her life, with her career progressing after a season with yearlings. She obtained a professional apprentice licence earlier this year. Her average day starts at 5.45am, arriving at the yard at 6.10am to help with tasks such as putting horses on walkers and mucking out stables.
From 7am until 11.30am, she rides horses an average of six times and helps maintain their fitness, aiming to finish before noon. In the afternoon, from 3pm to 5pm, she returns to muck out, provide food, and put rugs on the horses.
Fitness and Future Goals
Regan's next target is to become a professional jockey, and she emphasised the importance of fitness in the sport. "I always did a lot of sports so I was fairly fit. But when I moved into the yard at Rock Farm, that's when I really got into my fitness," she said.
"Maintaining your fitness, outside of riding, is quite difficult because you've got to be dedicated and consistent. Horses take a lot of work and it can be quite draining if you need to ride five or six which are difficult to ride."
"I realised, if I wanted to do this, I would have to do it properly and follow it through. I go the gym three times a week after work in Kidderminster and go on runs outside of that. I think it's good for your mental health to be away from the yard."
She added: "Hours can be quite unsociable and you've got to keep your head in the game and know where you want to get to, there isn't enough hours in the day to do other things."
