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Well done to all of the riders who took part in this year's Macmillan Ride Of Their Lives at York and raised over £114,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Becky Mason represented Mick and David Easterby with Lever Up, finishing seventh and raising over £10,000 in sponsorship.
The race winner was Roya Nikkhah on Epictetus. She had an eventful start, parting company with the horse before the flag went up, but she remounted, gathered herself, and once the field was sent on its way she settled Epictetus along the inside rail. Roya later admitted she "didn't enjoy the start" but felt the horse was simply testing her, and from that point she rode with growing confidence.
The twelve riders were all keen to get a good early position and raced without the aid of whips. Nikkhah held her nerve on the rail, waited until the two‑furlong pole, then asked Epictetus to lengthen. The pair quickened clear inside the final furlong, drawing cheers from the stands as the horse powered away to give her what she described as "one of the best feelings I have ever experienced."
For Nikkhah, the victory carried an extra layer of drama and humour. As the royal editor of The Sunday Times, she had skipped covering Trooping the Colour to take part in the race, joking afterwards that she hoped the King and Queen would forgive her for choosing the Knavesmire over the Mall. The win also marked redemption of sorts: she had previously ridden in the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood, missing the break and finishing sixth, and was delighted to "make amends" for trainer Jamie Osborne by delivering a polished, winning ride this time.
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