NOTE SUB: ADD IN PIC OF LORNA AND HER DAD ARRANGED FOR MONDAY

A SPORTS-mad Ayr woman is celebrating after winning a piece of historic racing history.

Lorna Thomson (23) won the coveted limited edition saddle cloth worn by Douvan, the impressive winner of the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in a competition organised on Twitter for al those who took part in the Racing Post #SupportOurJockeys charity campaign.

The horse was ridden by Ruby Walsh and trained by Willie Mullins.

Lorna is an avid viewer of racing on TV and enjoyed some sporting successes of her own, winning bronze medals in Scottish Championships events with both the Magnum Ice Dance and Figure Skating Club and the Magnum Flyers Figure Skating Club.

She has promised to give the saddle cloth to grandfather Robert Hall for his 83rd birthday next Monday, April 4.

The former Queen Margaret Academy pupil Lorna, who completed an HND In Travel Tourism at Ayrshire College last year could hardly believe her luck and said: “I was totally shocked, I won some events in figure skating and speed skating but this is the first competition I have ever won. My papa is horse racing daft. and I watch it with him all the time whenI go to visit. Every present we get for him is racing-related and this is such a unique and special prize that when I saw the opportunity to win the Douvan saddle cloth, I couldn’t resist."

Douvan was wearing a saddle cloth which included a number of Twitter handles as part of the Racing Post's #SupportOurJockeys charity campaign. The campaign raised more than £2,500 for the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) and Irish Injured Jockeys (IIJ) charities, which provide care, compassion and financial help to injured jockeys across the UK and Ireland.

Victorious jockeyWalsh, chairman of the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund Ltd and winner of last year’s Racing Post Arkle on Un De Sceaux, is just one of the famous names showing his support for the campaign. He said: “The enthusiasm shown for the #SupportOurJockeys initiative just keeps on growing. Funds raised make a big difference to the lives of injured jockeys supported by our charities and we’re pleased to be involved for another year.”

Racing Post editor Bruce Millington said: “Not only is this a fun way to get involved in the Racing Post Arkle, it’s a show of support for the tireless work that the Injured Jockeys Fund and Irish Injured Jockeys do for our sport.”