FRANCE Galop’s slightly controversial decision at the start of the year to give female riders an allowance of 2 kilos (roughly 4.5lbs) in all races under listed level appears to be a success. During the first quarter of the year female jockeys had more than 300 extra rides compared to the previous period in 2016 and many of these came in the French provinces.

While this allowance evens things up with their supposedly stronger male counterparts, there are certainly several female French riders who are already up to the task, notably Nathalie Desoutter and Delphine Santiago, to name just two.