ONCE upon a time, the phrase “not a girl’s ride” or needs “strong handling” would often come up in the assessment of a particular horse. It usually meant girl jockeys don’t apply, another reason lady riders often didn’t get a fair chance to get more rides.

The definition of such a horse could be found in mid-week in the Chelmsford winner High End. Except that here was a horse, sent off favourite, owned by Godolphin and with the leading female jockey Josephine Gordon in the saddle.