Search Over For Britain’s Filly Factor

A nationwide competition launched by Lovetheraces.com, to find Britain’s first female racing commentator, culminated at Ascot Racecourse on Sunday with Hayley Moore, 23, winning via a text vote.

Hayley, from West Sussex, fought off strong competition from the other finalist; London based Rachel Casey, 26, to win herself a place on the racing industry’s prestigious commentary training course as well as a cash prize of £2,500.

The ‘Filly Factor’ search was launched back in April by the racing website to find a suitable female ‘voice of racing’ to describe the in-race action to racegoers, betting shop punters and TV viewers.

Hayley and Rachel took it in turns to commentate on four live races at Ascot, in front of a crowd of 20,000 who, along with satellite viewers on ‘At The Races’, chose the winner via a text vote.

Hayley will start the commentary training course in January 2012 and, on completion in September 2012, be interviewed by the Race Commentator Management Committee who will decide if she is worthy of a place on the professional commentators roster for 2013.

Hayley is daughter of racehorse trainer Gary Moore, while her older brother is former champion jockey Ryan, winner of the 2010 Epsom Derby.

Having previously embarked on a career in broadcasting, Hayley reverted back to horses a year ago and now works full time for her father at Cisswood House Stables, near Horsham.

While she is the only one of her siblings not pursuing a career as a professional jockey, she competes regularly on the amateur jockey circuit and even won a race at Ascot on Saturday.

On winning The Filly Factor, Hayley said: ‘Rachel was a fantastic opponent, so I’m absolutely delighted to have won! I’m really looking forward to joining the commentary training course and, if it all goes well, I hope to be back here at Ascot calling races as a professional one day’.

Professional racing commentator, Lee McKenzie added: ‘There is absolutely no reason why women can’t commentate professionally and this competition has been a breakthrough for female race callers. I sincerely hope that we’ll see a professional female commentator in the future’.

Amy Sherman, spokesperson for Lovetheraces.com, concluded: ‘Hayley and Rachel were both excellent competitors, so many congratulations to them both’.

‘We’ve had a really positive response to the competition, which has shown that there is female race calling talent out there, who we hope to hear at racecourses in the years to come’.