As the most successful British female jockey Hayley Turner says farewell to the weighing room, we celebrate the 32-year-old’s colourful 15-year career with some interesting facts:
1. Her final ride in Britain was on 7 November at Doncaster, she finished second aboard Buonarrati. She heads to South Africa this week for her last ever as a jockey in the International Jockeys Challenge.
2. She has ridden all over the world, in countries including Germany, France, Italy, Japan, USA, Mauritius, South Africa and Dubai.
3. She was a member of the winning Girls team at this year’s Shergar Cup at Ascot (pictured below).
4. She is a boxing fan and also enjoys going to watch the snooker and darts.
5. She was the first female jockey to ride an outright Group One winner aboard David Simock’s Dream Ahead in the July Cup at Newmarket in 2011.
6. She grew up in Nottinghamshire.
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7. She first decided she wanted to be a jockey after attending a day at the Northern Racing College.
8. She has a dog called Dave.
9. She was taught to ride by her mother who is a riding instructor and started off showjumping.
10. Her jockey career started as apprentice to Michael Bell in Newmarket.
11. Her first ride was 27 March 2000 on a horse called Markellis at Southwell.
12. Her first win came three months later at Pontefract riding Generate — it was only her eighth ride of her career.
13. In 2005, she experienced her first Royal Ascot ride aboard 100-1 shot Partnered finishing fifth — she was the only female jockey riding that week.
14. She was the first woman to ride 100 winners in a year in Britain.
15. She was the first lady jockey to be crowned champion apprentice in 2005 — sharing the title with Saleem Golam.
16. She was only the fourth woman to ride out her claim after Alex Greaves, Emma O’Gorman and Lisa Jones (pictured below with Alex).
17. In March 2009, an accident on the gallops left her with a serious head injury. She was suspended on medical grounds for a year — later reduced after a successful appeal.
18. She became the first female jockey to ride a winner for The Queen, passing the post first on Tactician at Newbury in April 2010.
19. At 5ft3in, she rode Robert Oliver’s 17.2hh heavyweight hunter Loughkeen Dancing Lord for H&H’s gift rides. She described him as “one in a million, an absolute star”.
