Lizzie Kelly© Photo Healy Racing
Lizzie Kelly is no stranger to breaking down barriers in the male-dominated world of National Hunt racing and creates another little piece of history in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup today.
Kelly, who became the first female rider to win a Grade One over jumps in Britain when Tea For Two claimed the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton last season, will now become the first jockey of her sex to ride in the Gold Cup since Linda Sheedy partnered 500-1 chance Foxbury in 1984.
She will team up with Tea For Two once more, trained by step-father Nick and owned by her mother Jane, and while they are among the outsiders, they are certainly no 500-1 shots.
Kelly said: "I'm really excited about it and can't wait for the race, to be honest.
"It's a privilege to ride in the race and I'm delighted to be riding for my mum.
"I'm going into the race confident. It's a very open race and they're all much of a muchness.
"I'm just hoping our horse is on his best on the day and we'll see where that takes us.
"I'd take top six, top four would be a dream and anything beyond that is fairytale land."
