For Oxford’s rugby Blues there has always been Twickenham — and for the Universi- ty’s finest horse-riders, last weekend there was, for the first time ever, Newmarket. True, the result did not go quite as planned — but the fact this event got off the ground, and in such spectacular fashion, is a victory for all involved.
The race took place as part of the Dubai Future Champions Day, a premier event on the racing calendar, which drew in over 12,000 spectators and offers £1.3m prize money — although regrettably not a penny finds its way into the hands of the Oxbridge competitors.
The varsity race being the last of the day’s events — the climax, obviously — Oxford’s jockeys had plenty of time to enjoy the day. They were joined, naturally, by their own fans, with supporters flying in from as far afield as Mos- cow for the event. The jockeys even managed to make some new friends, with one individual putting her Arabic skills to good use in convincing the right-hand-man of a ‘Sheikh Mohammed’ to extend a personal invitation to the races in Dubai.
Oxford’s jockeys had walked the course with their coach John Reid, a racing legend who has ridden over 2500 winners. Little could be more valuable, than his last-minute tactical tips.
There was even time to face the press, with captain Lizzy Hamilton interviewed by Channel 4. If our jockeys didn’t win, then, at least they got the next best thing: TV celebrity status.
The stage was set for a spectacle, and that is precisely what the race offered. The jockeys set off at lightning pace. Oxford emerged in front, with Hamilton and Lindesay-Bethune leading the charge. Only at the very final furlong did two Cambridge jockeys, mounted on the two best-rated horses, fight back and overtake the Oxford duo. Ultimately, the Oxford team lost by 45 points to 56. Nevertheless, all five Oxford participants rode brilliantly, despite having lower- rated horses – spectators, having seen a day full of top-class racing, admitted they could barely distinguish the student amateurs from their professional counterparts.
After a long process gruelling and scintillating in equal measure, it’s now time for the team to take a well-earned rest. Come Trinity, however, they’ll be looking for a new team to carry this new varsity event into what will no doubt be a glorious future.
