Sean Levey: Diverse Talent Dominates Royal Ascot 2023
Ascot Racecourse Embraces Diverse Talents as Sean Levey Gears Up for Royal Ascot 2023
As the anticipation builds for the prestigious Royal Ascot 2023 meet, jockey Sean Levey is set to grace the iconic racecourse with a fine book of rides, including the outstanding miler Rosallion, whom he guided to victory in last month’s Irish 2000 Guineas.
Levey’s journey to the top has been defined by his diverse background, having hailed from the small southern African nation of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), where acclaimed actor Richard E Grant also originated. With his early memories including a near-disastrous first encounter with a horse, Levey’s path to becoming one of the best Flat jockeys in the business has been anything but straightforward.
“Once I got the bug, there was no looking back,” he reflects. “Initially I hated the idea of racing. Now? I can’t imagine why I didn’t get into it immediately.”
The 36-year-old’s breakthrough moment came in 2018 when he became the first black jockey to win an English Classic, steering Billesdon Brook to a shock 66-1 triumph in the 1000 Guineas. In a sport striving to appeal to a wider demographic, Levey’s achievements have made him a significant figure.
Embracing the Challenge of Royal Ascot
As Levey prepares for the challenge of the Royal Ascot meet, his excitement is palpable. He has likened his mount, the impressive Rosallion, to Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice – “a gentleman, so mature” – and is relishing the prospect of a rematch with the English and French 2000 Guineas winners, Notable Speech and Metropolitan, in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
“It’s un-believe-able,” Levey says, emphasizing the magnitude of the task at hand. “The challenge of getting a horse to run at Royal Ascot, never mind win, is off the scale. If a trainer is looking around his yard for a horse to go to that meeting, he hasn’t got one. Those Ascot horses shine like stars.”
With his diverse background, unwavering determination, and undeniable talent, Sean Levey is poised to make his mark at the 2023 Royal Ascot, further cementing his status as a trailblazer in the sport of horse racing.
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