Smooth Transitions Evident

Following an informative racehorse to riding horse masterclass earlier in the afternoon, “transitions”  remained the theme into the evening event hosted by WINR in partnership with Treo Eile, only this time it was humans rather than horses that took centre stage. A fireside chat, expertly led by Patrick Mullins – making his debut in such a role – introduced Thoroughbred industry participants who had notably made successful transitions from one profession to another.

First up was Anthea Leigh, a champion point-to-point jockey who was notably the first female professional to win over the National fences when making history in the 1991 Topham Trophy at Aintree aboard J-J Henry. After having her son Henry, Leigh made a significant career shift and switched the racing silks for a going stick. Qualifying as a clerk of the course, she embarked upon a successful tenure at all five Scottish racecourses and most recently York Racecourse.  While acknowledging the role of luck and timing in her transition, Leigh also attributes her resilience, honed during her time as a woman in the weighing room, as instrumental in navigating the predominantly male-dominated realm of clerking.

Fellow panellist, Dena Merson shares a similar story of resilience in a male-dominated industry and on encountering barriers to entry in the field of racing journalism, she pivoted to investment banking. It was a good decision it seems, as the Cambridge graduate went on to become Managing Director of Credit Suisse, which ultimately facilitated her return to her passion for breeding and bloodstock. Holding the accolade of breeding both a Royal Ascot and Cheltenham Festival winner, Merson’s success is a tale of determination and alongside her breeding operation she champions initiatives such as the Women In Racing mentoring program in the UK and more recently, she founded Racing Home, aimed at assisting mothers in re-entering the workforce.

Bringing up the trio of panellists was the ever-engaging Johnny Murtagh. His journey began at RACE, characterised by a competitive spirit that has defined his career both as a Champion jockey and now as a trainer. Transitioning from jockey to trainer, Murtagh did not make life easy for himself, juggling both roles for a while but with great success in doing so. Murtagh regularly put his success down to good fortune. Yet, what emerged most prominently throughout the discussion was that, while everyone needs luck on their side along the way, it was passion and determination that made luck happen. Just as racehorses transition into riding horses, people too can navigate career shifts in the thoroughbred industry.

Click here to view photos of the event.