The other Neil Armstrong - from Kirkby'

The other Neil Armstrong from Kirkby is pursuing a lunar dream after a storied career as a jockey. Kennedy racked up about 200 wins over a 25-year racing spell and even banked £100,000 after a Goodwood victory. He earned his first win at Brighton at age 18, after training with Ginger McCain and rising through the ranks. A restless youth, he recalls being hyperactive, often sneaking out to ride with friends before returning home to sleep for school the next day, and he retired from racing 23 years ago. After Artemis II's April mission, Kennedy has pressed NASA to consider him for Artemis IV, planned for 2028 and intended to land people on the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in December 1972. His mother Brenda, now 82, recalls the hospital moment when a nurse suggested the name Neil Armstrong and sparked his lunar fascination. That connection links a Kirkby jockey's career to a moonbound ambition carried since childhood. The tale places a regional sports figure on the cusp of a space program milestone, highlighting Artemis' reach beyond traditional aerospace circles.