Last weekend was an experience I never anticipated, and certainly one I didn’t expect to share in a national publication. I found myself participating in a hobby horse race at Lingfield Park Racecourse, accompanied by the talented Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden and the well-known Naked Attraction presenter Anna Richardson. Picture this: sprinting on a grassy track while wearing a long dress and sandals, all with a toy horse firmly between your legs—it’s far from straightforward.
In 2023, Amy Dowden faced a daunting challenge when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After discovering a lump, she went through chemotherapy followed by a double mastectomy. Despite these trials, Amy has become a passionate advocate for CoppaFeel, a charity dedicated to encouraging breast self-examinations and raising awareness about breast cancer.
As a journalist, I was invited to cover the races without any inkling that I’d end up joining in the fun. There were 15 women all together, participating for various reasons—some were contestants in a Pink Lady competition, others were influencers, and a few were there just for the thrill of it.
Before the race, we gathered at the starting line, where we posed for a photoshoot alongside the ever-charming Amy. Before long, Channel 4’s Anna Richardson spontaneously decided to join us, kicking off her heels to run barefoot across the grass.
Anna knew how to get us energised, urging volunteers to perform a “comedy fall” to entertain the audience. As the clock struck 4:10pm, before the main events of horse racing slated for 5:30, we enthusiastically lined up, ready to embrace this whimsical race.
After a string of school sports day failures as a child, I was ready to finish last; but lo and behold, I actually surprised myself and ended up placing 4th out of 15. Not bad for a hobby horse novice!
Amy didn’t end up running the race, but was at the podium to congratulate the winner, while Anna ended up somewhere behind me.
Strictly pro Amy said afterwards: “Seeing the ladies throw themselves into the Pink Lady hobby horse race, cheer each other on and completely let go was brilliant. It was a reminder to not take yourself too seriously.”