Alex Greaves

Alex Greaves
OccupationJockey, trainer
Born (1968-04-12) 12 April 1968 (age 56)
Northallerton, England
SpouseDavid 'Dandy' Nicholls (m. 1994)
Children3
Height5 ft 1 in (155 cm)[1]
Weight8 st 4 lb (116 lb; 53 kg)[2]
Career wins287
Major racing wins
Major races
Nunthorpe Stakes (1997 (dh))
Racing awards
Ladies Professional Championship Trophy (1990, 1991)
Significant horses
Ya Malak

Alex Greaves (born 12 April 1968) is a British former professional flat jockey. In 1996 she was the first woman to ride in the Epsom Dash in Epsom Derby's 216-year history on filly Portuguese Lil.[3][4] She was the first woman to ride in the 1000 Guineas Stakes also on Portuguese Lil[5][6] and in 1997 became the first woman to ride a Group 1 winner at the Nunthorpe Stakes on Ya Malak.[7][8] She won the Female Jockey of the Year five times.[9]

  1. ^ Lovesey, John (1994). Ready to Ride: Winning Fitness. London, UK: Sporting Types. p. 14. ISBN 0952401002.
  2. ^ Alex Greaves (8 June 1996). "Epsom's first lady comes under orders". The Times. London, UK. p. 42.
  3. ^ "On the right track". Aberdeen Evening Express. Aberdeen, UK. 7 June 1996. p. 59.
  4. ^ Anna Burnside (6 June 1996). "Jockeying for position". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. p. 17.
  5. ^ "Groundbreaking jockey Alex weighs up her future in the saddle". thenorthernecho.co.uk. 31 March 2005. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  6. ^ "15:45 Newmarket". skysports.com. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Alex Greaves, Professional Flat Jockey". Country Life. London, UK. 18 March 1999. p. 67.
  8. ^ Andrew Dietz (18 August 2018). "The race that had it all". racingpost.com. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  9. ^ Sharpe, Graham (2009). Racing's greatest characters. London, UK: JR Books. p. 169. ISBN 9781906779146.