- Line-up for the 2025 Markel Magnolia Cup announced.
- Money raised from the race will go to The King’s Trust International’s Project Lehar.
- Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar takes place Tuesday 29 July - Saturday 2 August.
- Tickets and hospitality available at Goodwood.com.
A compelling line-up of riders has been announced for the 2025 Markel Magnolia Cup in support of The King’s Trust International’s Project Lehar, with RIXO set to design the racing silks.
On Thursday 31 July, 12 inspirational women will become jockeys for the day as they come under starters’ orders at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, presented by Visit Qatar.
The Markel Magnolia Cup has raised more than £2.7 million for charitable causes since its inception in 2011. This year, the race will support The King’s Trust International’s Project Lehar.
The initiative operates in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with a focus on empowering adolescent girls through vocational training, skills development and promoting gender equality within their communities.
Currently, 15 riders are in the running to race down Goodwood’s home straight, with the final 12 to be finalised after the British Racing School standard riding and fitness assessments, which will take place in May.
The race was conceived to overcome the boundaries within sport and, more specifically, horse racing, creating an inclusive community in support of women, their abilities and well-being.
The majority of this year’s line-up began as novice riders, with some never having ridden a racehorse until beginning their training. To pass the British Racing School’s fitness assessments requires total commitment, in addition to sheer determination and skill to compete and hopefully win.
In the tradition of the race and its values, Goodwood selects a female-led fashion brand to create a collection of bespoke silks for the riders to wear, and in the past has worked with Lisou, Alice Temperley, and Vivienne Westwood.
This year’s vintage-inspired designs have been curated by London-based fashion house RIXO, which is also Goodwood’s 2025 Talent in Fashion Award winner.
Goodwood Racecourse Director, James Crespi, said: “For over two hundred years, Goodwood has been synonymous with horseracing, much in the same way as Wimbledon is with tennis and Lord’s with cricket. Every year the inspirational women who take part in the Markel Magnolia Cup become part of our incredible story and it’s something we’re immensely proud of. Their grit and determination are rewarded with due glory and we’re already looking forward to seeing the line-up flying down the Goodwood straight in July.”
The jockeys set to contest the five-and-a-half-furlong race down Goodwood Racecourse’s straight are:
Charlotte Emery - Chief Marketing Officer at Entain Group (Coral)
Christy Cashman - Author, writer and actor
Elizabeth Hiscox - Owner of sustainable fashion brand E.STOTT and part of Hiscox insurance company
Jaimee Broadley - Police officer
Jasmine Watts - Construction loss adjuster in the insurance world
Kate Hutchins - Social media and fashion influencer
Lauren Griffiths - Cool Ridings Equestrian member and nurse
Lois Logan – Up and coming Show jumper
Madeleine Bunbury - Equine artist, Bunbury Equine Art
Matilda Alexander - Graduate lawyer based in Melbourne
Nina Barbour - Managing director at Bolesworth Country Estate
Philippa Hartrick-Morris - New mother and HR business partner at Markel International
Sabaya Verger - Partner at Tedworth Property
Sienna Anderson - Riding A Dream Academy graduate
Sophie Forsyth - Underwriter at Markel International
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Notes to Editors:
A maximum of 12 riders will line up in the race. There are currently 15 riders in the process allowing for three reserves.
Markel Magnolia Cup takes place on Thursday 31 July at Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar.
Tickets
Tickets, dining, and hospitality are now on sale for Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar. Visit Goodwood.com or call +44 (0)1243 755055 to find out more.
Contact
For more information about Goodwood Racecourse events, please contact Louise Gould, Press Officer: Louise.Gould@Goodwood.com
For all other press enquiries please contact: Media@goodwood.com
Imagery and news from Goodwood are available from our Press & Media site.
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About the Markel Magnolia Cup
On Thursday 31 July, 12 dedicated amateur jockeys will ride in the Markel Magnolia Cup following months of intensive training. In 2019, the race captured the eyes of the world when Khadijah Mellah galloped to glory up Goodwood’s home straight. Mellah was 18 years old when she won in spectacular style just months after sitting on a horse for the first time. Previous jockeys have included doctors, Olympians, CEOs, journalists, students, models, and presenters, among them Edie Campbell, Sara Cox, Rosie Tapner, and Vogue Williams. Last year’s winner was Australian-based TV presenter, Lizzie Jelfs.
Fundraising takes place through race and horse sponsorship, as well as at the Regency Ball, a stunning themed evening held at Goodwood House after the Markel Magnolia Cup.
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About the Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar
The Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar is one of the undisputed highlights of the British flat racing season. Affectionately known as ‘Glorious Goodwood,’ the world-famous five-day festival is a sporting and social occasion like no other, unrivalled style, superb racing, and hospitality experiences to savour mean it’s not to be missed. The 2025 event takes place from Tuesday 29 July to Saturday 2 August. The week is headed by three Group 1 races, including the £500,000 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, the £1 million Qatar Sussex Stakes, and the £600,000 Qatar Nassau Stakes.
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About Markel Insurance
We are Markel Insurance, a leading global specialty insurer with a truly people-first approach. As the insurance operations within the Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), we leverage a broad array of capabilities and expertise to create intelligent solutions for the most complex specialty insurance needs. However, it is our people – and the deep, valued relationships they develop with colleagues, brokers and clients – that differentiates us worldwide.
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About The King’s Trust International
King’s Trust International, formerly Prince’s Trust International, has been supporting young people worldwide since 2015. Founded by H.M. King Charles to address the global youth unemployment crisis, it builds on nearly five decades of experience in the UK. The organisation’s mission is to empower young people to learn, earn, and thrive by providing opportunities to develop skills and confidence for success, delivering tangible employment outcomes. The Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard and Goodwood Revival will also be supporting the incredible work of The King’s Trust International as part of its tenth Anniversary Campaign in 2025.
As it approaches its 10-year anniversary, King’s Trust International remains committed to amplifying the voices of young people on the global stage and putting their needs at the core of its work. Its programmes and interventions are present in 20 countries across the Commonwealth and beyond, including Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Europe.
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About Project Lehar
Project Lehar is a King’s Trust International initiative focused on empowering adolescent girls through vocational training, skills development, and promoting gender equality within their communities. The project takes a holistic approach, offering a series of complementary learning modules that help girls enhance their earning potential, build self-confidence, and plan for a brighter future.
