Ex-Chelsea star has dazzling jockey cousin who’s about to take on Frankie Dettori

On Jan 29, 2023

Ex-Chelsea and Barcelona star Marcos Alonso has a cousin who will take on racing royalty Frankie Dettori during a prestigious horse racing meeting next month.

Victoria Alonso has been selected to compete in the International Jockeys’ Challenge on February 24. The race is on the undercard of the the world’s richest race – the Saudi Cup worth £16.2million. Talented jockey Alonso has 55 winners to her name and finished sixth in the Spanish jockey rankings last year.

The Alonso family has a rich sporting heritage with six members across three generations playing professional football – three of them starring for Spain. Her cousin Marco played 154 times for Chelsea and is now playing for Barcelona.

Victoria’s father Cesar Alonso played football for Rayo Vallecano and then turned his hand to racing as an amateur jockey and then trainer.

“I am very proud to be continuing my family’s involvement in top-level sport,” said Victoria Alonso. “Not only are most of them professional footballers but they are all big fans of horse racing and proud of me. I follow their achievements, as they do mine.

“All my family are aware of what I do in horse racing and I have their full support. Both my parents will be there [at The Saudi Cup].”

Victoria Alonso says it will be a ‘dream come true’ to compete in the International Jockeys’ Challenge next month
(Image: Salva Maroto/The Saudi Cup)

Spanish jockey Victoria Alonso has 55 winners to her name
(Image: INSTAGRAM@https://www.instagram.com/p/CjVzApkLzjb/)

The talented Spanish jockey says it will be “a dream come true” to take part in the Riyadh meeting next month. The International Jockeys Challenge features four handicap races, each run for £320,000, with a further £80,000 prize fund for the challenge itself.

“I really want to savour this great experience riding against the world’s best jockeys and am ready to give it everything that I have,” Victoria added. “The experience is going to be very exciting and totally unique on a professional and personal level, and I hope that it will launch me and give me some great international exposure.”

Victoria Alonso is the cousin of football star Marcos Alonso
(Image: INSTAGRAM@https://www.instagram.com/p/CjVzApkLzjb/)

Victoria Alonso will take on racing legend Frankie Dettori in the International Jockeys’ Challenge
(Image: Getty Images)

With over 3,000 victories to his name Dettori stunned the racing world last month when he announced his retirement at the end of the 2023 season. The Italian jockey has been British flat racing Champion Jockey three times.

Despite ending his career this year Dettori plans to ride in as many races as possible over the next year saying his farewell across the racing calendar.