Fiona Storey

Fiona Storey

Article by Alan Trout

Having ridden two winners over jumps and one on the Flat as an amateur, Fiona Julie Storey turned professional and added a fourth. 

The daughter of Consett, Co. Durham trainer Wilf Storey, her first victory came at Sedgefield on November 19, 1985, when Uptown took the lead at the final flight and ran on to beat Vaddagat by six lengths in the Cornforth Novices’ Hurdle, a race for amateur riders. 

She then had a win on the Flat when Fiefdom, trained by her father, beat 17 rivals to land the Ripon Ladies’ Derby Handicap on June 25, 1986. It was only in the last 100 yards that the six-year-old stayed on to catch Sandy Brook’s mount Excavator Lady, to whom she was conceding almost two stone, winning by half a length. 

A few weeks later she had her second win over jumps at Sedgefield when Duke Of Dollis, also trained by her father, led throughout the final mile to land the Glen International Handicap, another race for lady jockeys, by four lengths. 

Fiona turned professional the following season and had what proved to be her final success on her sole Flat winner, Fiefdom, taking the lead after the final flight and having four lengths to spare at the end of the Headley Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby on Whit Monday, May 30, 1988. Fiona had more than 30 rides that season but her cause was not helped by being unable to claim an allowance having reached the age of 25. 

Fiona Storey’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Uptown, Sedgefield, November 19, 1985

2. Fiefdom, Ripon, June 25, 1986

3. Duke Of Dollis, Sedgefield, September 9, 1986

4. Fiefdom, Wetherby, May 30, 1988