THE mother of Jan Wilson has told how she was determined to be a jockey from the age of 14 – and nothing was going to stop her.

Margaret Wilson said the racing industry had brought Jan great joy, and this gave the family some comfort in their devastating loss.

Mrs Wilson, speaking to Racing Post in the wake of the tragic blaze at Norton, said Jan had had a “wonderful affinity” with horses.

She said Jan was 14 when she had broken in a shaggy Highland pony and taken him to a show.

“From that moment on, Jan wanted to be a jockey,” she said. “She’d set her heart on it and nothing was going to stop her.”

Jan enrolled in the Racing School at Newmarket, and her first appearance on a racecourse was at Goodwood in June last year on Bed Fellow, a horse that her parents had bought for her to ride in races.

“He reared in the stalls and broke her nose,” she said. “She was covered in blood but completed the race without a problem.

“Frankie Dettori made a remark afterwards about the bloody nose, which amused her.”

She said Jan had become an apprentice jockey when she joined trainer David Barron at Thirsk last December, and won three races on Imperial Sword. “Those wins at Ripon, Haydock and Ayr were so special to Jan,” she said. “Jan would ring us every single day. She’d talk with great excitement of the horses she’d ridden for Mr Barron that morning. Jan was doing a job she adored and, although we are farmers with no previous interest in racing, she managed to transfer that excitement to us.

“The racing industry brought her such joy. She loved the horses and the people involved. That joy was transmitted to us.

“She adored doing what she did, and that does give us some comfort at our devastating loss of a most wonderful daughter.”

Mr Barron said Jan had loved her job with him so much that she never mentioned taking time off for a holiday. He said Jan had had tremendous potential and everything had been coming together for her when the tragedy happened.

“She was very enthusiastic and always so willing to learn. Everyone at the stable is totally heartbroken by what has happened, devastated.”