RIDING A DREAM ACADEMY STUDENT SET TO RIDE IN MARKEL MAGNOLIA CUP

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Sienna Anderson is set to become the second Riding A Dream Academy student to ride in the Markel Magnolia Cup when she lines up in this year’s race on Thursday 31^st July. Sienna currently works at Charlie Fellowes’ yard in Newmarket and was one of the first students to join the Riding A Dream Academy, which was set up to support other young people from diverse ethnic communities into British horse racing after Khadijah Mellah won the race in 2019.

Sienna, from London, first learned to ride at Mottingham Farm Riding Centre and has dreamt of being a jockey since she was little. She was in the first cohort of students to graduate from the Khadijah Mellah Scholarship in 2022 before completing the Foundation Course at the British Racing School in Newmarket and then heading into the workplace.

She said, “The Riding A Dream Academy changed my life and it’s incredible to have the chance to ride in this year’s Markel Magnolia Cup. It has been my dream since I was little to be a jockey and I am so excited to have the opportunity to take part in the race that Khadijah won and that my friend Aamilah (Aswat) took part in last year. Goodwood is such an incredible track and I am sure it will be an unforgettable experience.”

In addition to providing a place for a Riding A Dream Academy student each year in the Magnolia Cup, Goodwood Racecourse is also generously sponsoring a place on this year’s Scholarship programme. 

Khadijah Mellah, one of the co-founders of the Academy said, “We are so excited to have another Riding A Dream Academy student participate in this year’s Magnolia Cup and incredibly grateful to Goodwood for all of their long-standing support. The Scholarship is where Sienna first started her journey within racing and for the team at Goodwood to be supporting another young person through the programme is testament to their commitment and the support they have always shown us. That another of our students has the opportunity to take part in this life-changing race is incredible and I can’t wait to be on track to support Sienna and make sure she has the best time.”

ITV Racing Broadcaster and Academy co-founder Oli Bell said, “Goodwood have been backers of the Riding A Dream Academy story right from the outset and we are so grateful that they continue to support us through the funding of a Scholarship place this year and the chance for students like Sienna to ride in the Magnolia Cup. Their support makes a huge difference to an organisation such as ours and we are hugely appreciative.”

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