Kirsty glad of a second chance to find fame

But a seven-day ban (January 21-28) for being one of four jockeys who failed to pull up after the false start in an earlier race on the Southwell card was a harsh reminder for the rider, who is trying to be the first female apprentice to finish top in the November to March all-weather season, that those whose feet aren't kept firmly on the ground can be quickly tripped up.

Eye on the future: Milczarek aims for top honours

Not that there's much chance of Milczarek, five clear of nearest rival (19-14) Andrew Elliott, also banned at Southwell, getting carried away.

She may be only 23 but she has already experienced the fickle nature of sport when a promising career as a showjumper that she built before she started secondary school was prised from her grip.

With 22 horses in her Essex stable at one stage, Milczarek could have been planning for the Beijing Olympics this summer rather than trips to Bath, Beverley and Brighton.

A junior international at eight, she made the England team when she was 14 and was a Great Britain representative at 19 as well as being coached by Harvey and Stephen Smith.

But Milczarek's ambitions were blown away by a commercial calamity. Milczarek said: 'Showjumping lost televised coverage and everybody lost a lot of sponsorship. I had 22 horses and we were really successful but gradually my string got smaller and smaller and I was left with just two of my own.

'The money just ran out and then I lost my best mare with a brain tumour and that disheartened me. I dreamed of being an Olympian but it was just not feasible. I'm not from a rich family.'

The switch to racing was unintentional, a suggestion from younger brother Jonjo, then working in Newmarket but now a conditional jockey for Carl Llewellyn, who saw his sister searching for a new direction.

A week working for Jeff Pearce in Newmarket opened up an unexpected avenue of opportunity down which she has steadily gathered momentum. But the transition was not seamless for the rider whose Polish grandfather came to Britain during the Second World War.

Milczarek, nicknamed Milkshake by linguistically-challenged colleagues, added: 'To come from being at the top of the game in showjumping to be at the very, very bottom was hard. I can't deny that there were days that were frustrating when I couldn't get rides.

'I had a sharp learning curve with the different techniques like using the whip, but knowing about how to get a horse balanced, getting it breathing right and how it moves were an advantage.

'I had a really good grounding. I've seen some kids canter down to the start on horses that are clearly lame and they haven't a clue, but that's just inexperience. They are people who haven't sat on a horse until they are 18 or 19. I can't imagine that.'

Her agent Neil Allen believes that Milczarek's success could propel his client in the same way that it did for William Buick last year. A decision to turn down a working holiday in Dubai so that she could cement valuable contacts has paid a massive dividend.

Gay Kelleway, Emma O'Gorman, Alex Greaves, Joanna Badger and Lisa Jones helped break down barriers for female riders but struggled to be perceived as more than novelties.

But the continued impact of Hayley Turner, joint apprentice champion in the 2005 turf season, has further advanced the cause of the increasing number of girl jockeys.

Milczarek said: 'I think that the gender issue is getting smaller. It's hard for any jockey to get rides if you are unfashionable. That's why when you are in fashion you've got to grab every ride and make the best of it.'

Nobody can accuse Kirsty of not doing that despite Thursday's lapse.