Gender, age and passion collide when eight female jockeys attempt to go from retirement to the winner's circle in a history-making horse race set to be run on Preakness weekend at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Nina Carberry became the first woman to complete the John Smith’s Grand National on more than one occasion, when finishing seventh in the 2010 renewal of the race, aboard the John Quinn-trained Character Building.

Nina Carberry and Garde Champetre, far right,  taking the double bank in the Cross Country raceat the 2009 Cheltenham Festival which they'd won the previous two years

I’ve fancied Character Building to win the great race for a few weeks now, but I was keeping stakes low whilst John Quinn kept us all guessing about who would ride his classy grey staying chaser. But yesterday he finally announced at the last possible moment that the coveted ride had gone to Nina Carberry, queen of the Cross Country races – of which the varied fences are not unlike Aintree’s unique course.

Hayley Turner's Century of Winners | Words and pictures by Sara Waterson

At a time of year when most racing fans are preoccupied with the big jumping stars’ chances at top Christmas and New Year meetings, the final week of 2008 was brought brilliantly alive on the all-weather by the climax of Hayley Turner’s attempt to become the first woman to ride 100 winners in Britain within a calendar year.

How women won the right to race | Words and pictures by Sara Waterson

The recent media focus on Hayley Turner has turned the spotlight on lady jockeys, and what her growing success and

Can women really make a career from race riding? | Words and pictures by Sara Waterson

It’s hard to believe given the current high profile of women jockeys how very recent is the acceptance now accorded them. Since the Lady Jockeys' Association was formed in 1972 to press for reform, progress has been fitful to say the least. In 1975 women were at last allowed to ride as professionals on the Flat, and girls could apply for Apprentice licences in the same way as stable lads – under this arrangement an aspiring rider works in a racing yard and hopes to ‘earn rides’ - from which the trainer will keep a large percentage of any winnings! Then in 1976 the Jockey Club was forced by the Sex Discrimination Act to permit women to ride professionally over jumps.