Transgender jockey who rode more than 250 winners as a man makes history with first race as a woman 

Victoria Smith will today become the first jockey to have competed as both male and female

A transgender jockey will today become the first person in the sport to compete in male and female categories.

When Victoria Smith identified as Vince, the horse-racer topped more than 250 races.

But during a 37-year career working first as a jockey and later as a trainer, the sports personality secretly hoped to switch gender with recognition from the NHS.

After announcing she was living as a woman in February this year, Victoria will today race at the Jockey Club Challenge.

She told Mirror Online she’s looking forward to the charity event at Warwick Racecourse despite the criticism she’s received over her career. 

‘I received plenty of stick from other jockeys over the years but I gave as good as I got,’ the 53-year-old said. 

‘Had I been born in a female body, I wouldn’t have had the career I did. 

‘But I always knew my true gender, so riding as a woman will complete my life.’

Today Victoria will ride Roy Rocket, a horse that has won six races and is eight years old. 

Vince Smith (pictured) rode more than 250 winners during a 37-year career comprised of both racing and training 

Vince Smith (pictured) rode more than 250 winners during a 37-year career comprised of both racing and training 

Vince Smith (pictured with a partner) changed her name to Victoria in January 2017 and began hormone therapy 

Vince Smith (pictured with a partner) changed her name to Victoria in January 2017 and began hormone therapy 

Since going public with her identity, Victoria started training so she’d be fit to compete with her new name. The one-mile races starts at 5.45pm and Victoria says she’s aiming for first place.  

‘I rode 250 winners as a man – and now I’ll win as a woman,’ she said. But the racer added that the most important thing was for her to be able to ride at least once as a female. 

The jockey today becomes the first to race as both a man and a woman at a charity event in Warwick 

The jockey today becomes the first to race as both a man and a woman at a charity event in Warwick 

Victoria told the BBC how she felt that she'd been born in the wrong body after she started living as a woman 

Victoria told the BBC how she felt that she’d been born in the wrong body after she started living as a woman 

Victoria (pictured on a BBC programme) says the main thing about today is that she finally gets to compete as a woman

Victoria (pictured on a BBC programme) says the main thing about today is that she finally gets to compete as a woman

Since going public that she was living as a woman, Victoria has received messages of solidarity from racing stars including from champion jockey Richard Dunwoody and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Graham Bradley.

When she went public last month, she had already been living as a woman for more than a year after starting to take hormones and having electrolysis to remove her facial hair in January 2017.

Victoria hopes to attain a Gender Recognition Certificate from the NHS, for which candidates must live as the gender with which they identify for two years.

In February she told the Mirror that she is worried at the prospect of sex change surgery and said she is unsure about undergoing it. 

 



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