Racing’s Leading Ladies: Female Racing Presenters

Lucy Verasamy (Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock)

Once a male-oriented pursuit, horse racing has progressed to become one of the UK’s most gender-balanced sports. With Rachael Blackmore, Hayley Turner, and Hollie Doyle leading the way, female jockeys have proven a match for their male counterparts. In the training ranks, Jessica Harrington, Venetia Williams, Lucinda Russell, and Emma Lavelle have regularly hit the target at Britain’s biggest meetings.

With so much success in the saddle and training yards, it is only fitting that the ladies also help bring the sport into homes up and down the country. Encouragingly, the make-up of the presenting, commentary, and pundit teams has added to this golden era of inclusivity. The three major UK Racing broadcasters all have a healthy female contingent, but who can we expect to see when tuning in to ITV Racing, Sky Sports Racing, or Racing TV?

ITV Racing Female Presenters and Pundits

Francesca Cumani – One of the most familiar faces on ITV Racing, Francesca Cumani is the daughter of Classic-winning trainer Luca Cumani. Whether anchoring the show or providing expert paddock analysis, Francesca exudes effortless class.
Alice Plunkett – The only woman to ride over the Grand National fences and at the Badminton Horse Trials. Formerly a key member of the Channel 4 Racing team, Alice moved to ITV Racing in 2017.
Megan Nicholls – Bringing youthful enthusiasm and knowledge to the team, Megan is a former professional jockey and the daughter of 14-time British Champion Trainer, Paul Nicholls.
Adele Mulrennan – Another former jockey, Adele achieved her biggest success in the 2008 edition of the Scottish Sprint Cup. A huge advocate of horse welfare, Adele is married to Group 1-winning jockey Paul Mulrennan.
Charlotte Hawkins – Best known as a presenter on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Charlotte focuses on the lifestyle and fashion elements at Britain’s biggest meetings – most notably Royal Ascot.
Lucy Verasamy – ITV weather girl and a keen racing fan, Lucy provides weather updates and discusses the likely going implications of the latest forecasts.
Sally Anne Grassick – A former amateur jockey from a renowned Irish racing family, the always cheerful Sally Anne is best known for her post-race interviews with trainers and jockeys.
Hayley Turner – One of Britain’s greatest ever female jockeys, Hayley became the first female to ride 100 winners in a single season and the first female to ride a British Group 1 winner. Earning an OBE for her services to horse racing, she is a popular member of the ITV punditry team.
Natalie Green – A freelance racing presenter since 2008, Natalie covers both flat and National Hunt racing as part of the ITV on-course reporting team.
Leonna Mayor – Once labelled the “world’s sexiest jockey”, an ankle injury prompted Leonna to retire from the saddle in 2013. She now brings her extensive knowledge and experience to ITV Racing.
Michelle Payne – The first woman to win the Melbourne Cup, Aussie Michelle provides international insight at the biggest meetings as an occasional guest presenter.
Sam Quek – An Olympic hockey legend, Sam won gold as part of the Great Britain team at the 2016 Olympic Games. Joining the ITV squad in 2024, she helps portray the social element of a day at the races

Sky Sports Racing (Formerly At The Races)

Alex Hammond – One of the longest-serving female racing presenters, Alex joined At The Races in 2003 and remains a key player in the Sky Sports Racing team. With no background in racing, she has reached the top courtesy of hard work, a winning personality, and her obvious love of the sport.
Gina Bryce – Keen to work in racing from an early age, Cambridge graduate Gina subsequently completed the renowned Darley Flying Start training course. An expert in bloodstock, she has written for the Racing Post in addition to her Sky Sports presenting duties.
Vanessa Ryle – Having ridden out for UK trainers, Vanessa boasts hands-on racing experience. Starting as an intern at At The Races, she has progressed to present race day coverage and insightful features for Sky Sports.
Kate Tracey – A former stable hand at the yard of Philip Hobbs, Kate rode as an amateur in the point-to-point sphere. A fully qualified journalist, she mixes studio presenting with on-course reporting.
Hayley Moore – As a daughter of trainer Gary Moore, Hayley is the sister of jockeys Jamie, Josh, and, most famously, Ryan Moore. A former amateur jockey herself, she excels in her role as on-course presenter and reporter.
Zoey Bird – Hailing from a family heavily involved in the equine world, Zoey Bird started her media career in local BBC radio. Subsequently working for ITN and Channel 5 News, she joined the At The Races team in 2002 and became a key member of the on-course reporting and presenting team.
Aly Vance – A former international athlete and Oxford graduate, Aly represented Great Britain in the modern pentathlon. Now a freelance sports presenter with experience working with ITV, CNN, BBC, and TNT Sports, she regularly appears as a studio presenter on Sky Sports Racing.

Racing TV

Lydia Hislop – A former racing correspondent for the Evening Standard, Lydia has also written about the sport for The Times and The Guardian. Joining Racing TV in 2004, she has become one of racing’s most prominent and eloquent voices. Lydia is four-time winner of the Horserace Writers’ and Photographers’ Association (HWPA) Broadcaster of the Year award.
Jess Stafford – Born into racing, Jess Stafford is from the family behind Thurloe Thoroughbreds racing syndicates. A winner of the Alan Lee Award for Emerging talent at the 2021 HWPA awards, she has covered British racing for FanDuel TV in the US in addition to her role at Racing TV.
Ella McNeill – Ella McNeill is the daughter of Ultima Business Solutions founder and prominent racehorse owner Max McNeill. Previously working as racing manager for Chelsea Thoroughbreds, she joined the Racing TV team in 2025. Ella’s lifelong love of racing shines through in her presenting slots and racecourse interviews.
Rachel Candelora – New Jersey native Rachel previously worked as the betting PR manager at Churchill Downs. Later moving to the UK, she joined Racing TV in 2013, initially as an American Racing specialist but branching out to provide insightful analysis of UK racing.