Three Wantage-based riders are among the contenders for the first lady jockeys’ title, which has been launched with the backing of Oxfordshire firm Prolinx.

Cathy Gannon, who lives at Wantage, Nicole Nordblad, who is attached to Hans Adielsson’s Kingston Lisle yard, and Amy Scott, apprenticed to Kingston Warren trainer Henry Candy, will all be going for glory.

With sponsorship from the Great Milton information technology business, the title will be divided into three sections.

The gold award will go to jockeys riding more than 30 winners, silver to those partnering ten to 29 winners, and bronze to those clocking up nine or less victories.

The prizes will be £5,000, £3,000 and £1,000 for each respective level, and the winners will be decided by the best winners-to-rides ratio in each section.

Hayley Turner, Britain’s top female jockey, welcomed the introduction of the new competition, which begins at Doncaster on March 31.

She said: “This is excellent news and it will create a great deal of interest – and make us even more competitive – in the weighing room.”

Prolinx are also backing the Lady Jockey of the Year title at the Stobart Lesters on Thursday, April 5.