Maxine to saddle up in race for title
The 18-year-old has ridden eight winners this year in the gruelling point-to-point horse racing circuit, leaving her tied with experienced rider Liz Lalor in the race for the annual Gain Ladies Champion title.
“All year, this has been my main aim,” says Maxine of her title bid.
The outcome will be decided this Sunday at Inchydoney Island, Clonakilty, Co Cork, and the following weekend at two-day race meetings at Kinsale, Co Cork and Ballingarry, Co Tipperary.
Point-to-point is the breeding ground for Ireland’s many equine and human stars of jump racing. It takes tough horses and jockeys to win over three miles of the Irish countryside – and it’s one of the few sporting activities with three ambulances always standing by in readiness for the inevitable falls, as required by Turf Club safety rules.
Maxine has successfully avoided injury other than a broken collarbone – one of the most common occupational hazards of a jockey.
Having ridden three winners as a 16-year-old, she concentrated on Leaving Cert studies last year, but has set the racing scene alight this year with eight winners from 31 rides – all trained by her father Eugene at Lombardstown, Mallow, Co Cork.
Her title rival Liz Lalor, who shared last year’s Gain Ladies Championship with Jennifer Pugh, also comes from a racing background. Her father, Richard, trains horses at Carrigeen, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
Both girls would love to follow in the tracks of Ireland’s top female jump racing riders, Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh.
Although best known over the past 10 years on the more humble point-to-point racing circuit, Liz Lalor has already tasted success at the highest level on tracks such as Leopardstown and Fairyhouse, riding her family’s star steeplechaser, Carrigeen Kalmia, which graduated from point-to-point to Grade A events, winning more than €100,000 with Liz in the saddle.
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