AHEAD of Tuesday’s historic Melbourne Cup victory for a female jockey, four lady riders got on the point-to-point scoreboard over the weekend with two of them, Aileen O’Sullivan and Jody Townend, recording their first successes between the flags.

Midleton-based Townend actually struck on her first ride in a point when landing the older horses’ maiden for novice riders at Grennan on King Willie. The seven-year-old Desert King gelding is owned and trained by the rider’s proud and delighted father, Tim.