By Dan Walsh
Last Thursday evening at Leopardstown 18-year-old apprentice jockey Gabriella Hill celebrated the first winner of her career when the Jim Bolger trained Glor Tire (11/8 fav.) won a handicap mile race.
From Monksgrange, Rathnure, the talented teenager was keeping a family tradition going, as she is the great-granddaughter of the late Charmian Hill, owner of the legendary mare Dawn Run, winner of the 1984 Champion Hurdle and 1986 Gold Cup.
Hill had gone close earlier on the card when second on Bolger’s Bold Approach in the 1m5f apprentice handicap but got off the mark on her 14th mount.
Hill, who had her first ride last September, told the racing media; “I started at Coolcullen last year and I asked Mr Bolger (who is a native of Oylegate) to sign me on. I got my licence in late September. I had a couple of rides after that and this year it is really kicking on for me.”
She added; “We always had a couple of horses at home and we’ve a few in training at the minute. I’ve always been riding. I started with a local point-to-point trainer down the road at weekends. I got a taste for it then and got my licence. I’m really enjoying it.”
WexfordLocal.com 