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Penny Ann Dominque Ffitch-Heyes was born on October 27, 1963. She was a junior international show-jumper before graduating to race riding, representing England in show-jumping competitions in Belgium.
Penny Ann Dominque Ffitch-Heyes was born on October 27, 1963. She was a junior international show-jumper before graduating to race riding, representing England in show-jumping competitions in Belgium.
She made the transition into racing and served her racing apprenticeship as assistant trainer to her father, John Ffitch-Heyes, whose stables were located on the old Lewes racecourse in East Sussex.
She made the transition into racing and served her racing apprenticeship as assistant trainer to her father, John Ffitch-Heyes, whose stables were located on the old Lewes racecourse in East Sussex.
Penny took out an amateur rider’s licence at the start of 1984 and rode her first winner on Katmandu, trained by her father, in a 2m 3f amateur riders’ handicap chase at Plumpton on Easter Saturday, April 21, 1984, making all the running and breaking the course record by 1.7 seconds. The pair returned to Plumpton later that year, on August Bank Holiday Monday, to win the two-mile ‘Plum Jam’ Handicap Chase by 10 lengths.
Penny took out an amateur rider’s licence at the start of 1984 and rode her first winner on Katmandu, trained by her father, in a 2m 3f amateur riders’ handicap chase at Plumpton on Easter Saturday, April 21, 1984, making all the running and breaking the course record by 1.7 seconds. The pair returned to Plumpton later that year, on August Bank Holiday Monday, to win the two-mile ‘Plum Jam’ Handicap Chase by 10 lengths.
Plumpton was not just her local course but also her lucky one. In March 1986 she rode Tinoco to victory in a 19-runner selling hurdle. But it was another selling hurdler on whom she enjoyed the most success at the East Sussex venue, namely Manhattan Boy. She won twice on him in August 1986, the second occasion, in the Peacehaven Selling Hurdle on Bank Holiday Monday, being the first leg of a double, completed by Fast Flight in the ‘Plum Jam’ Handicap Chase.
Plumpton was not just her local course but also her lucky one. In March 1986 she rode Tinoco to victory in a 19-runner selling hurdle. But it was another selling hurdler on whom she enjoyed the most success at the East Sussex venue, namely Manhattan Boy. She won twice on him in August 1986, the second occasion, in the Peacehaven Selling Hurdle on Bank Holiday Monday, being the first leg of a double, completed by Fast Flight in the ‘Plum Jam’ Handicap Chase.
A piece of racing history was made on that same Plumpton 1986 August Bank Holiday card. It saw the running of the first-ever ‘girls only’ race over jumps. It was the first of a series of six such hurdle races sponsored by Terry Ramsden’s Glen International company. Penny was one of five riders to take part but her mount trailed in last, the winner being Zoe Davison on Mr Caractacus.
A piece of racing history was made on that same Plumpton 1986 August Bank Holiday card. It saw the running of the first-ever ‘girls only’ race over jumps. It was the first of a series of six such hurdle races sponsored by Terry Ramsden’s Glen International company. Penny was one of five riders to take part but her mount trailed in last, the winner being Zoe Davison on Mr Caractacus.
Penny turned professional the following month and, on October 2, achieved her first victory in the paid ranks when, riding First Flight, she beat the Peter Scudamore-ridden Tarn by a head in the Nickel Coin Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at Fontwell.
Penny turned professional the following month and, on October 2, achieved her first victory in the paid ranks when, riding First Flight, she beat the Peter Scudamore-ridden Tarn by a head in the Nickel Coin Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at Fontwell.
Reunited with Manhattan Boy, she won two more Plumpton selling hurdles on December 30, 1986 and February 16, 1987. She finished that 1986/87 season with a score of 14 winners.
Reunited with Manhattan Boy, she won two more Plumpton selling hurdles on December 30, 1986 and February 16, 1987. She finished that 1986/87 season with a score of 14 winners.
On August Bank Holiday Monday 1987 Penny and Manhattan Boy repeated their success of the previous year in Plumpton’s Peacehaven Selling Hurdle. Back at Plumpton in November she won a novices’ chase on Hettinger. She later rode Hettinger in an ambitious tilt at the 1988 Grand National but failed to get beyond the first fence.
On August Bank Holiday Monday 1987 Penny and Manhattan Boy repeated their success of the previous year in Plumpton’s Peacehaven Selling Hurdle. Back at Plumpton in November she won a novices’ chase on Hettinger. She later rode Hettinger in an ambitious tilt at the 1988 Grand National but failed to get beyond the first fence.
Back in the more regular surroundings of Plumpton, Penny notched another double there on August 12, 1988, landing a novices’ hurdle on Hettinger and a two-mile handicap chase on Four Sport. The following month she registered a notable victory for Jenny Pitman, riding Point Made to win the Couture Marketing Lady Riders Championship Hurdle at Stratford.
Back in the more regular surroundings of Plumpton, Penny notched another double there on August 12, 1988, landing a novices’ hurdle on Hettinger and a two-mile handicap chase on Four Sport. The following month she registered a notable victory for Jenny Pitman, riding Point Made to win the Couture Marketing Lady Riders Championship Hurdle at Stratford.
Plumpton’s traditional Bank Holiday Monday fixture on August 28, 1989 saw Penny win for a sixth time on Manhattan Boy, again in the Peacehaven Selling Hurdle. However, having lost her right to claim an allowance on reaching her 25th birthday, she found success hard to come by thereafter. She rode mainly for her father but struggled for outside mounts. She announced her retirement at the end of that season, aged 26, having ridden a total of 30 winners.
Plumpton’s traditional Bank Holiday Monday fixture on August 28, 1989 saw Penny win for a sixth time on Manhattan Boy, again in the Peacehaven Selling Hurdle. However, having lost her right to claim an allowance on reaching her 25th birthday, she found success hard to come by thereafter. She rode mainly for her father but struggled for outside mounts. She announced her retirement at the end of that season, aged 26, having ridden a total of 30 winners.
Manhattan Boy, meanwhile, went on to become the ultimate Plumpton course specialist. In a career involving 88 hurdle races, Manhattan boy ran 64 times at Plumpton. He won 14 times there, all in selling hurdles, and never won at any other course. He contested the Peacehaven Selling Hurdle, on the August Bank Holiday card, on seven occasions, winning it five times.
Manhattan Boy, meanwhile, went on to become the ultimate Plumpton course specialist. In a career involving 88 hurdle races, Manhattan boy ran 64 times at Plumpton. He won 14 times there, all in selling hurdles, and never won at any other course. He contested the Peacehaven Selling Hurdle, on the August Bank Holiday card, on seven occasions, winning it five times.
Penny became a jockeys’ agent, eventually emigrating to America, where she is now a jockeys’ agent in Chicago.
Penny became a jockeys’ agent, eventually emigrating to America, where she is now a jockeys’ agent in Chicago.
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