Grassroots: Lucy Mager

The Vale of Taunton and Banwell Harriers meeting at Cothelstone on Wednesday evening saw 28 year-old Lucy Mager ride and train a winner. Winning the Ladies Open aboard the Theresa Clark trained 12 year-old Ninth Wave who was winning between the flags for the 15 the time.

Mager from Weston-Super-Mare was crowned Ladies Novice Champion in the 2016/17 point-to-point season alongside Izzie Hill. A classic case of sliding doors has followed, meaning Mager has never had the opportunities to reflect her ability in the saddle. A quiet and modest character, Mager runs a small yard with the help of her Mum, Anne, training a few pointers whilst finding time to do her ‘proper’ job as a chimney sweep.

Today, Friday, Mager makes the long journey to Aintree racecourse to saddle Handsome Stan in the Point-To-Point bumper. A winner of a bumper at Maisemore in March Mager has on this occasion booked Darren Andrews to ride. She says: “I rode him all wrong the first time at Larkhill, he was travelling so well I went too soon so at Maisemore I held on to him for longer and he won well.” Of tonight’s jockey she says: “Darren is one of the best, I don’t have my amateur license so can’t ride him.”

Mager not holding her license is criminal, but admits: “I don’t have the connections nor the horses to get rides as an amateur so it just isn’t worth it.”

Mager tells me about Handsome Stans owner Richard Prince: “Richard is a wonderful owner, when I was young and wanted to get going I rode his ponies racing. Then he put Francis du Mensil in training with Jack Barber for me to ride. I owe him a lot. He taught me lots.”

Rewinding further back Mager’s family have long been associated with the donkey rides on Weston beach and this continues to make up Mager’s work load during the summer months but she says: “I started riding the donkeys when I was small, then I had a pony who happened to be fast so we went pony-racing. Mum always watched the racing so I got the bug.”

Moscow Prices on whom Mager won ten-races between the flags and helped towards her Novice Ladies title is the one she owes a lot too: “He was a legend, he was half ours and half Kim’s. None of us ever expected him to be so good.”

Magers trained winner on Wednesday was the Ed Kenney-Herbert owned and ridden Beannaigh Do and I asked her to explain the association there. I can remember Kenny-Herbert riding a gorgeous grey horse called Choc in the early 2000’s and was interested to learn more, Mager tells me: “So I met Ed years ago when I went to work for Kim Tripp, he was riding her pointers and helped me learn. I then started to get a few rides for her. He won a couple on Kim’s Duxy Hill Lady, I never managed to win on her!”

Kenny Herbert didn’t ride in point-to-points for 13 seasons and his winner Wednesday was his first in 15! His winning tally is now six winners. Again, keen to know why I spoke to Kenny-Herbert, who also lives in Weston-Super-Mare  and he says: “I stepped away and spent some time in America. I had always remained in touch with kim and the love and adrenaline for race-riding had never gone away. In Autumn of 2024 I decided I wanted a horse so I bought Beannaigh Do out of Sheila Lewis’s yard. Initially he was just to hunt, teamchase and enjoy and he is wonderful at all that. Then I decided I would like to go racing again so Lucy suggested why not run him?”

The partnership have run four times this season and improving on each run winning on Wednesday was much deserved. Mager says: Beanie is a lovely horse to do, his worst thing is he is filthy in his stable! So if that is the worst thing it really isn’t a problem!” She adds: “Ed is away working a lot but hunted him and teamchased him which was brilliant. He comes to ride when he can but is brilliant to train for.” Kenny-Herbert adds: “Lucy and her Mum, Anne do such a wonderful job, the horses are very happy and well done. I must add, all credit to Sheila Lewis and her team, Beanie was a lovely ride when he came, well balanced and educated. It doesn’t always work that way when you buy a horse out of training.”

There is a friendly admission regarding the reason Kenny-Herbert stepped away which made me smile: “I was working for Kim and I had seen this cracking kid out hunting jumping everything, going at the front and remember telling Kim I had seen this superb kid – it was Lucy. So we got her to come in and ride out and that was it she jocked me off!!” he adds: “But it is testament that there was no bad blood because she trains Beanie for me. Lucy is an incredible horsewoman. I have seen her ride horses of all kinds, throwing all the tricks and she just calmly deals with it. She is exceptionally talented and deserves far more rides.”

Kenny-Herbert who has a very ‘proper job’ says: “I am an engineer working on electric car batteries. I work for McMurtry, a company that engineers hypercars. This allows me to have my adrenaline fuelled hobby! I wanted to go fast galloping over fences again- there is nothing quite like it. I am so lucky though to have the help I do. As well as Lucy and Anne I must thank Kate Jupp who has given me loads of jumping lessons with me. There is quite a team behind me!”

Mager tells me about her association with trainer Theresa Clark for whom she rode Ninth Wave: “I rode out for Theresa for a few seasons and she taught me so much. I rode Subtle Sovereign for her, who was a real star. He was such a clever horse, he spent half the time running away with me and half the time thinking he was and we won three races together.”

A happy little team tucked away in Somerset, yet another example of team work making the dream work. Mager concludes: “I would love more rides, it is hard to get them with limited time to go and ride out for people.”

Magers riding is well above average and is a truly likeable character. Seeing her name further up the Woman’s championship table would be heartwarming.”