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‘On TV you see the glamorous side of things, but it’s a gruelling sport’: watch top jockey explain her career in racing

Gemma Redrup Gemma Redrup

    • Hayley Turner, a successful Flat jockey, continues to forge out a winning riding career, with hundreds of victories to her name, and counting.

    In 2008, Hayley became the first woman to ride 100 UK Flat race winners during a calendar year. She retired from racing in 2015 and became a regular contributor to ITV Racing but she came out of retirement in 2018 and since then has ridden two winners at Royal Ascot.

    Tonight (14 February), Judy Murray (mother of Grand Slam-winning tennis player, Andy) meets Hayley to find out more about her career in a TV programme called Driving Force, which is a series that focuses on successful women in sport.

    “You go out on the track and you don’t do anyone any favours – you gain their respect,” Hayley says on the programme with regards to how it is lining up against men in racing.

    AP McCoy also appears on the show and when asked about women in racing he says: “Not just Hayley, but lots of the other girls too, are proving that they are just as good as the men.”

    “If you’re worried about what they [men] think of you then you might be in the wrong game – you’ve got to be a bit tough,” explains hugely successful Flat jockey Hollie Doyle.

    “Racing is quite behind with the support and help that we’ve had since I started [race riding] – it’s quite a gruelling sport and although we talk about all the highs, I had a winner yesterday, but today is a new day,” says Hayley. “On TV you see the glamorous side of things with champagne spraying and trophies, but there’s a lot that goes on before that.”

    You can watch Driving Force on ITV4 at 8pm this evening, on the main ITV channel at 10.45pm tomorrow (15 February) or at any time on the ITV Hub.

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    Gemma Redrup
    Gemma Redrup

    H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor
    Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
    Gemma Redrup

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