THE daughter of Simon Sherwood, who rode legendary horse Desert Orchid, will be riding at Ascot next month in a charity race.

Anna Sherwood, who lives with her family in Bromyard, will be competing against 11 other amateur and retired jockeys over a mile in the first Frankel Challenge Trophy.

The race on Wednesday May 2 is being run to raise money for the British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust (BHEST) Racing to School programme, which funds educational vists to race meetings for more than 10,000 children each year, many from deprived and inner city areas.

Anna, aged 18, who has just returned from a three-month to India and South-East Asia and will be going to Oxford Business and Media School in September, is now training and raising funds for the event, her first-ever charity race.

Anna’s father Simon notched up seven Cheltenham Festival winners and famously rode Desert Orchid to victory in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Now the next generation of Sherwoods are saddling up.

Anna regularly rides out for her father and is eventing at novice level.

Her brother Jack, an amateur with Nicky Henderson, is hoping to turn professional in the near future.

Anna said: “I’m really looking forward to taking part in the race at Ascot.

“I’ve been riding since I was three or four, so it’s really cool to take part in something like this.”

Simon Sherwood has great memories of his races at Ascot.

“I have lots of fond memories of riding in the Victor Chandler Handicap Chase when I rode Desert Orchid to beat the top-class Panto Prince by a head,” he said.

“I am sure all the jockeys in the charity race will have just as much fun as long as they make certain they avoid the fences.”

BHEST chairman Rhydian Morgan-Jones said: “We are so grateful to all 12 riders who have generously agreed to take part and raise muchneeded funds for this fantastic programme.”