Tiverton jockey Shannon Holmes celebrated a momentous victory at the recent Larkhill Point to Point in Hampshire.
Riding Diligent, a horse known for consistent success, 17-year-old Holmes secured her first win on the well-regarded racehorse.
Owned by the Devon Diamond Friends syndicate and trained by Mary Sanderson from Calverleigh, Diligent has enjoyed a dominant run over the past four years, excelling in both National Hunt and Point to Point races. This recent win marks another feather in the cap of the already impressive horse.
Holmes, a work rider at the racing yard of former Grand National winner Nigel Hawke, of Thorne Farm Racing at Stoodleigh, is following in the footsteps of her accomplished grandmother, Mary, a local trainer and former Point to Point jockey.
Diligent's training with Hawke during the 2021-22 season proved fruitful, resulting in a string of eight victories under National Hunt rules.
Mary Sanderson expressed her pride in Shannon's talent and dedication.
She said: “Shannon is rising through the racing ranks really well and how proud I am of her riding skills, her bravery and how she’s got the kind of enthusiasm and dedication that will take her far. The partnership of Shannon riding our beloved Diligent to victory as her first win on such a special horse to the whole family and syndicate who were all there to witness this was a moment I’ll always treasure.”
