The 18-year-old student is believed to be the first person in the UK to appear in a competitive horse race while wearing a hijab.

Ms Mellah is set to study mechanical engineering at university in September and learnt to ride at the Ebony Horse Club charity in Brixton.

She claimed a tight victory after making her move in the final furlong of the amateur charity race, with the blanket finish tensely going to the judges.

Four months ago Khadijah Mellah had not even sat on a racehorse, but on Thursday she made history by winning the Magnolia Cup at Glorious Goodwood.

The amateur rider from Peckham, in south London, won the five-and-a-half-furlong charity race aboard Charlie Fellowes-trained 25-1 outsider Haverland, beating the likes of Olympic cycling champion turned jockey Victoria Pendleton.

“There are no words to describe this – I’m lost for words,” Mellah said.

“When I passed the post I couldn’t believe it, and then I saw all my family and friends and started crying. I am quite competitive, so I wanted to win this race, but I never expected to.

“Horses bring me immeasurable amounts of happiness. I’ve always loved them and always will and I hope to carry on and keep riding.”