Eight excited students embarked on a new term this week on a course that could change their lives.
But they are not just any cohort of undergraduates.
The group are the "scholars" in a pioneering scheme designed to open up the horse racing industry to teenagers from underprivileged and diverse backgrounds in Britain.
Seven of the 2022 intake are of non-white British heritage and will benefit directly from the legacy of the astonishing success of Khadijah Mellah.
She is the hijab-wearing Muslim girl from south London who learnt to ride at an inner city stable, and then in 2019 went on to win a race at Goodwood, one of the top meetings in the United Kingdom.
It inspired a film and then the establishment of the Riding A Dream Academy (Rada).
This year’s group gathered on Monday. Uwitonze is one of them. “I want to get the experience to get me ready to succeed in my dream future career, ” she said.
The pilot programme, which began in 2021 saw nine youngsters aged between 14 and 18 graduate this July.
Sienna, 15 was one of the original nine.
“I signed up to the Khadijah Mellah Scholarship because I have always wanted to be a jockey and I really wanted to be part of the Academy but I thought there was no chance,” she said.
“But actually you have every chance and there are so many people at the Riding A Dream Academy who believe in you and want you to do well and help you to get where you want to be.
“I’ve kind of got my life worked out. I’ve used this year to set my head down because I like a plan and I’ve sorted it out and my plan is to be champion flat jockey, hopefully one of the first females, but I think Hollie Doyle might beat me to it!”
Another was Aamilah, 16: “My dream is to be a jump jockey and I’ve also thought of being a flat jockey as well, but I think what I am really going to push for is to be a jump jockey and to win the Grand National.”
She has already enjoyed work experience at the stables of Kim Bailey, one of Britain’s leading National Hunt trainers.
They are ready now to take their first steps in a career in the sport. That could be as a jockey or in any of the myriad associated fields the sport has to offer. Some may continue on to foundation courses at the British Racing School (BRS) in Newmarket or the National Racing College (NRC) in Doncaster.
These are the formal entry point into the industry with 12 or 18 week courses depending on how good an individual’s skills are. They take complete beginners, with attitude, passions and dedication the main prerequisites.
The Riding a Dream Academy is designed to spread the word about opportunities to communities who probably would never have heard of the ‘official’ courses.
Naomi Lawson is a director and co-founder of the Academy.
“If you came from an inner city community you won’t know about the NRC or BRS,” she explained. “That’s where we sit. The scholarship acts as an introduction to the sport to create awareness to make that transition smoother and less daunting.”
The scholarship is funded by the Racing Foundation for the next three years and is the Academy’s flagship programme. It also offers residential courses and from this year introductory courses to equestrian novices. Roadshows are due to be held in local communities in order to be able to offer it to as wide a group as possible.
“It had been hugely rewarding and successful, enterprise,” added Lawson. “Seventy four per cent of our attendees across all our programmes in year one came from a diverse ethnic background compared with 2-3 per cent who are professional jockeys. We had four times as many applicants as available places.
“Lots of youngsters we worked with are going on to Foundation courses.”
O’Shane was one. “I was at the Riding A Dream Academy and then I went on to the Foundation course and now I am at Charlie Fellowes riding real racehorses! My dream is to become a jockey, a champion jockey, one day hopefully.”
This year’s scholars will complete a week’s residential at the British Racing School, then return for monthly sessions until they graduate.
These take place over three days at the weekend and are designed to develop their skills and horse care, fitness and jockey pose as well as trips to a stud, the National horse racing Museum, a point- to- point meeting, a veterinary surgery and to Tattersalls bloodstock sales.
“Not all will make it as jockeys. It would be unrealistic to think that all nine will ride in the Derby. But it might spark an interest in other aspects of the industry,” said Lawson.
“So far we have been blessed with really great young people. It has been an incredibly life-affirming project.
“Our aim is to grow it and make sure we are making a valuable contribution. Fourteen per cent of the population is from a diverse ethnic background. That is not reflected in racing.”
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
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