AN apprentice jockey from Royston is celebrating this week after winning his biggest race to date - the Ayr Bronze Cup.

Lewis Chalkley, 22, won the race on September 20 on the horse Diligent Revdev - who is part-owned by golfer Lee Westwood.

After recovering from a broken back, Lewis is now back racing again and his dad, Ian, said he couldn’t be prouder.

Ian told the Chronicle: “Lewis is from a family of coal miners with his grandfather, great-grandfather and myself all being miners of the local area, and his mum being a nurse for many years at the local hospital.

“After leaving school at the age of 17, he decided he wanted to become a jockey and despite having no previous horse riding experience at all he secured a place at the Northern Racing College at Doncaster.

“After he completed that he secured a job at Tim Easterby - a trainer based in Malton - where he developed his knowledge and skills in care of horses.

“He then moved to Mick and David Easterby’s at Sheriff Hutton.

“After recovering from an unfortunate fall when he was involved in training a horse which resulted in a broken back, through much grit and determination he completed and obtained his jockey licence again at the Northern Racing College.

“He now has regular races at racecourses all over the UK having his first win after only five races.

“This is a story of a local lad chasing his dreams and is on his way to a successful and rewarding profession.”