SHE'S jumped a lot of hurdles and now she's hoping to gallop her way to becoming the first female jockey to win the Grand National.

Sixteen-year-old Jemma Phillips, from New Milton, is one of only 52 people to win a place at the prestigious Newmarket Racing School. And Jemma is certainly ambitious.

"I definitely want to be a National Hunt jockey and within the next 10 years I want to be the first woman to win the Grand National," she said. "And after my racing career is over I would also like to become a top trainer. I've been riding horses since I was three. I absolutely love it - it's my life."

Jemma added: "I'm really proud of getting into the Newmarket Racing School. I had to get through three interviews so it was quite tough and I was really surprised and over the moon when I got in."

Jemma will join the school in October for a nine-week course, where she will learn all there is to know about the horse racing industry.

She will also get the chance to take GNVQ exams at the end of the course.

Jemma is no stranger to working with the very top names in the horse racing world, having already teamed up with top Somerset racing trainer Paul Nicholls.

Now helping her to get in tip-top shape for her course is the Elmers Court Country Club in Lymington.

Gym instructors at the club have designed a fitness programme specially for Jemma, to get her ready for some arduous racing.