Vince Smith
Vince Smith was born in London on May 15, 1965. He rode both on the Flat and over jumps, amassing around 250 winners during a 17-year career that included rides at Royal Ascot, in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, and over the Grand National fences in the Topham Trophy.
Vince Smith was born in London on May 15, 1965. He rode both on the Flat and over jumps, amassing around 250 winners during a 17-year career that included rides at Royal Ascot, in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, and over the Grand National fences in the Topham Trophy.
Vince began by taking riding lessons in Richmond Park and then moved to Newmarket, aged 16, to become an apprentice. He had his first ride in public on Tirawa in Round 2 of the Daily Mirror Apprentice Championship at Newmarket on April 14, 1983, finishing eighth of the 12 runners.
Vince began by taking riding lessons in Richmond Park and then moved to Newmarket, aged 16, to become an apprentice. He had his first ride in public on Tirawa in Round 2 of the Daily Mirror Apprentice Championship at Newmarket on April 14, 1983, finishing eighth of the 12 runners.
He was a successful apprentice on the Flat but his dream was to become a jump jockey. He duly fulfilled that ambition, riding from the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. While there were no big ones, he enjoyed a fair measure of success on horses trained by Conrad Allen, Hugh Collingridge, John Ffitch-Heyes and Tim Thomason Jones among others.
He was a successful apprentice on the Flat but his dream was to become a jump jockey. He duly fulfilled that ambition, riding from the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. While there were no big ones, he enjoyed a fair measure of success on horses trained by Conrad Allen, Hugh Collingridge, John Ffitch-Heyes and Tim Thomason Jones among others.
After retiring as a jockey, Vince turned to training and went on to saddle 82 winners in five seasons. His biggest win came when 20/1 shot Blitzkrieg won the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Salisbury on October 8, 2005, in the hands of Seb Sanders.
After retiring as a jockey, Vince turned to training and went on to saddle 82 winners in five seasons. His biggest win came when 20/1 shot Blitzkrieg won the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Salisbury on October 8, 2005, in the hands of Seb Sanders.
However, he had spent his whole career suppressing a big secret – afraid that he would become an outcast in the male-dominated world of racing. He could feel that he was a female in a man’s body and so made himself more aggressive to compensate. Despite his wish to be female, he passed herself off as one of the lads. He’d managed to suppress his feelings of femininity while among his weighing room colleagues but he was effectively leading a double life.
However, he had spent his whole career suppressing a big secret – afraid that he would become an outcast in the male-dominated world of racing. He could feel that he was a female in a man’s body and so made himself more aggressive to compensate. Despite his wish to be female, he passed herself off as one of the lads. He’d managed to suppress his feelings of femininity while among his weighing room colleagues but he was effectively leading a double life.
In 2015 a relationship breakdown forced him to confront his feelings. Though still attracted to women, he decided to switch gender and chose the name Victoria. Over the next year Victoria began speaking to transgender people online. She built up courage to attend an LGBT club night, walking into a hotel room as a man and emerging in women’s clothes.
In 2015 a relationship breakdown forced him to confront his feelings. Though still attracted to women, he decided to switch gender and chose the name Victoria. Over the next year Victoria began speaking to transgender people online. She built up courage to attend an LGBT club night, walking into a hotel room as a man and emerging in women’s clothes.
In May 2018, Victoria became the first transgender rider to compete in a horse race. She took part in a charity race at Warwick, finishing second, beaten a nose, aboard John Berry’s grey gelding Roy Rocket in her first ride as a woman.
In May 2018, Victoria became the first transgender rider to compete in a horse race. She took part in a charity race at Warwick, finishing second, beaten a nose, aboard John Berry’s grey gelding Roy Rocket in her first ride as a woman.
Victoria now works in security for Sheikh Mohammed’s international Godolphin racing operation, where bosses fully support her.
Victoria now works in security for Sheikh Mohammed’s international Godolphin racing operation, where bosses fully support her.