Winona Costin inaugural female jockey champion

Winona Costin has triumphed at the first Australian Female Jockey Championship in Launceston.

The NSW rider accumulated the most points from the four races organised for the inaugural event in Tasmania on Thursday night.

The 23-year-old finished clear of Tasmanian ex-pat Raquel Clark, now based in South Australia, while local Sigrid Carr and Queensland’s Bridget Grylls tied for third.

“This is a fantastic concept and I’m so privileged to have won,” Costin told Tasracing.com.au.

“I was thrilled when told I was coming down to ride in the event and to take out the very first series is just fantastic and a real feather in my cap”.

The former star apprentice was told to find another career after a spate of injuries kept her off the track for a year.

“I was on top of the world early in my career but then I had a bad fall and suffered head injuries that forced me out for a long time,” Costin said.

Eleven of Australia’s best female jockeys competed in the event.

Costin steered home outsider The Grey Crusader ($28) in the third heat after finishing second in the opening heat.

A fifth-place finish in the final heat was enough to edge out South Australian-based Clark.

AFJC POINTS TALLY-

* Winona Costin (NSW) – 45

* Raquel Clark (SA) – 37

* Siggy Carr (TAS), Bridget Grylls (QLD) – 34

* Rachael Murray (NSW) – 31